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B.C. government professional workers vote 92% to strike

Workers who have voted to strike include pharmacists, engineers, foresters, agrologists, geoscientists, psychologists and veterinarians.
pharmacists
Among the government licensed professionals from the B.C. public service who have voted to strike are pharmacists.

Licensed professionals in B.C.'s government public service have voted 92% in favour of a strike after reaching a bargaining impasse, the Professional Employees Association (PEA) said June 22.

The PEA represents more than 1,200 licensed professionals such as agrologists, engineers, foresters, geoscientists, pharmacists, psychologists and veterinarians working across 11 ministries.

The union said wage proposals failed to address the rising cost of living. It said failing to remain competitive could lead to recruitment and personnel retention problems.

“Our members are the scientific experts relied on to keep the province safe and they deserve wages that reflect the critical work they do,” said PEA spokesperson Melissa Moroz in a statement.

“This strike vote result shows that these professionals are willing to take action to back up their demands for reasonable compensation," she said. "They aren’t willing to take a pay cut.”

In a statement ot Glacier Media, the government said it believes agreements will be reached through the collective bargaining process.

"As part of that process, we respect any unions' prerogative to take a strike vote during a round of negotiations. Bargaining is a dynamic process and we all recognize that this round includes even more than the usual challenges," the statement said. "We believe the parties are committed to reaching negotiated settlements that work for everyone at the table."

The union represents workers with oversight of forestry, mining, fossil fuels, infrastructure, forests and farms.

They have also been called in as part of government response in wildfire and flooding responses.

“With climate change and emergencies an ever-present reality, now is the time for the province to invest in public service professionals,” Moroz said.

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