Bargaining
BCH & Powertech – Bargaining Update # 3
June 25, 2025
To: All MoveUP members at BCH & Powertech
As we enter summer, we can advise you that your committee has drafted proposals based on your response to the Bargaining Survey you submitted to the Union in February of this year.
Because the Public Sector Employers Council (PSEC) has not confirmed the mandate for public sector bargaining, the parties agreed that it was not practical to commence bargaining until the fall when the mandate was expected to be rolled out. Without knowing the mandate we don’t know what money is on the table.
When will we return to the bargaining table?
Your bargaining committee has dates scheduled for October 15 and 16, and we have tentative dates for November and December.
Why has it taken this long to start bargaining?
We wanted to start bargaining as soon as your last collective agreement expired, and we had originally scheduled bargaining in June. However, your employer cancelled those dates due to their inability to negotiate monetary proposals without a mandate from the Public Sector Employers’ Council (PSEC). The IBEW has encountered similar difficulties as well however they have recently met with the employer to discuss House Keeping items.
How has our bargaining committee been preparing?
Your bargaining committee reviewed the results of our members’ survey and to determine our membership’s priorities for this round of bargaining. We relied heavily on what you said in the survey and formulated proposals based on those results.
We sincerely appreciate your participation in the survey. It was incredibly valuable in helping us draft the proposals and it was no small task, as it took several days to sort through the hundreds of responses.
What will we be asking for in our proposals?
We are seeking improvements across all areas of your collective agreement. While we expect the Employer to bring a moderate list of proposals to the table, we want to be clear, we will not accept any concessions or cutbacks
We feel this will be a difficult round of bargaining and based on the negotiations with the BCGEU, and we need to manage our expectations. However, we are committed, focused and will fight hard to get you a fair contract.
Is PSEC involved in or connected to the ongoing BCGEU negotiations?
Yes, PSEC sets the wages for all public sector bargaining in the province. That is why all public sector unions are looking to see which public sector union comes to an agreement first and what the monetary framework will be.
Mandate bargaining refers to the system where the BC government sets the bargaining mandate which is a framework that determines the limits of what public sector employers can offer during negotiations. The provincial government develops the mandate, and stakeholders such as labour unions may be consulted in the process.
The provincial government provides a mandate or set of instructions to employers (e.g., school boards, health authorities, colleges & universities) on what they can offer workers. This is typically tied to the provincial budget and economic forecasts. During periods of economic growth, the mandate might allow for substantive wage increases. Previous mandates during tougher fiscal periods have called for meager wage increases or even zero wage increases which seems to be the case now.
This year, 182 contracts covering 400,000 unionized public sector workers are set to expire, while Canada’s ongoing struggle with tariffs has already had a negative impact on Canadians.
Premier David Eby acknowledged the support of B.C. unions in helping the NDP secure a narrow victory in the provincial election, giving us reason to be hopeful for a fair bargaining mandate. However, the real test of that gratitude will come at the bargaining table this year.
Traditionally, the Government reaches a settlement with one of the major unions (e.g., BCGEU, HEU, HSA) before formally communicating the broader bargaining mandate. Currently the Government and the BCGEU are in negotiations and the government proposed the following compensation package:
Traditionally, the Government reaches a settlement with one of the major unions, such as the BCGEU, HEU, or HAS before officially announcing the broader bargaining mandate.
Currently, negotiations are underway between the Government and the BCGEU, during which the Government has proposed the following compensation package:
Two-year agreement with the following General Wage Increase (GWI):
Year 1: The employer proposed two options for Year 1 of the GWI.
Option A:
- April 1, 2025: increase rates of pay by 0.5% plus $0.15 per hour.
- October 1, 2025: increase rates of pay by 0.5% plus $0.15 per hour.
Option B:
- April 1, 2025: increase rates of pay by 0.75%
- October 1, 2025: increase rates of pay by 0.75%
Year 2:
- April 1, 2026: increase rates of pay by 1.0%
- October 1, 2026: increase rates of pay by 1.0%
We appreciate your continued patience and we remain committed to keeping you informed. We will provide updates as new developments arise, especially as negotiations unfold across the broader public sector. Your solidarity and informed engagement continues to be our greatest strength.
In solidarity,
Anderson Charles, Executive Board Member
Kim McInroy, Executive Board Member
Andrea McKenna, Executive Board Member
Kelly Cammack, Executive Councillor
Carol Brown, Executive Councillor
Luc Vail, Executive Councillor
Mike Novak, Union Representative
Rysa Kronebusch, Vice President, Utilities
