B.C. public service workers expand picket locations again in bid to restart talks

BURNABY — Striking British Columbia public service workers have furthered job action, with the union announcing another 10 sites across five cities now behind picket lines.

The latest escalation by the BC General Employees’ Union brings the number of provincial offices and facilities behind active pickets to 33, in addition to workers at several other sites participating through actions such as overtime bans.

Pickets are now up at several government offices and sites in Victoria, Kamloops, Penticton, Cranbrook and Coquitlam.

There are more than 12,500 government workers involved in job action in what the union says is “the longest public service strike in B.C.’s history.”

The picket lines expanded on Monday to liquor and cannabis distribution warehouses in Richmond, Delta and Kamloops in what the union describes as a major escalation to services that have a direct impact on B.C. residents and consumers.

Union president Paul Finch had said the escalation is a last resort to bring the province back to the negotiation table in a bid to secure a deal that addresses their concerns about wages keeping up with inflation and the rising cost of living.

In the latest announcement, the union says it had tried to focus previous job action on “core government operations” to avoid disruption.

“But government’s continued refusal to negotiate has left workers no choice but to escalate sharply,” the union says in its statement.

The province has said it is trying to reach a deal that’s fair for both workers and for the public at-large.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2025.

The Canadian Press