The B.C. General Employees’ Union says it is escalating job action again as the strike continues.
The union says this escalation will include public service workers who support B.C.’s mining sector.
On Tuesday, members working at the Mineral Development Office and Mineral Titles Office in Vancouver, as well as the Southeast Mines Office in Cranbrook, will join picket lines.
“Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement last week may promise new natural resource projects, but those projects cannot move forward without the skilled public service workers who make B.C.’s resource economy possible,” Paul Finch, BCGEU president and chair of the public service bargaining committee, said in a statement.
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“BCGEU members ensure these projects meet safety, environmental, and regulatory standards. Without these workers, projects stall and communities wait.”
In addition, overtime bans have been declared for all members working in corrections and sheriff services, bringing the total number of public service workers taking job action to 8,500.
“Mining projects in this province help drive our economy, but they cannot proceed without the public service workers who approve permits and enforce safety and environmental standards,” Scott Lunny, United Steelworkers union director for Western Canada, said.
The union says it is asking for an 8.25 per cent hike. The province says it offered a 4.5 per cent increase in wages and cost-of-living increases over two years.
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