Round 20, Bargaining Dispatch VII: Province Tables Initial Wage Offer to Public Sector Unions: Implications for FSA Members
July 7, 2025
In mid-June, the Government of British Columbia—through its agencies responsible for public-sector bargaining—presented its initial monetary proposals to several major public-sector unions, including the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) and the Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU).
The proposed wage package consists of two options for general wage increases, both of which would result in cumulative increases of approximately 3.5% over two years. According to the BCGEU, the province outlined the following options for the first year of the agreement:
Option A
- April 1, 2025: 0.5% increase to rates of pay, plus an additional $0.15 per hour
- October 1, 2025: 0.5% increase to rates of pay, plus an additional $0.15 per hour
Option B
- April 1, 2025: 0.75% increase to rates of pay
- October 1, 2025: 0.75% increase to rates of pay
Year two held the following:
Year Two (applicable to both options)
- April 1, 2026: 1.0% increase to rates of pay
- October 1, 2026: 1.0% increase to rates of pay
This offer represents the province’s opening position on monetary, and both the BCGEU and HEU have publicly stated that the proposal does not adequately meet the needs of their members.
FSA members have an immediate interest in the outcome of these negotiations. The first major union to conclude negotiations and ratify an agreement with the province will begin a "pattern" that will be applied to subsequent settlements across the public sector. In 2025, more than 450,000 public-sector workers—including members of the FSA—are negotiating new collective agreements with the provincial government.
Unlike other provincial jurisdictions, British Columbia does not facilitate a model of free and fair public-sector bargaining. Instead, negotiations are subject to provincial control through bodies such as the Public Sector Employers’ Council (PSEC) and, in the post-secondary sector, the Post-Secondary Employers’ Association (PSEA). These entities play a dominant role in shaping bargaining parameters, significantly limiting the scope for genuine negotiation between unions and individual employers.