Bargaining under the 2014 Economic Stability Mandate is now substantially complete, with 99% of the British Columbia public sector covered by tentative and ratified agreements negotiated under the mandate, Premier Christy Clark and Finance Minister Michael de Jong announced today.

“I want to thank the women and men in the public sector who worked hard to achieve these agreements and provide longer-term stability for their public services,” Premier Clark said. “Public sector employees play a vital role in supporting a strong, growing B.C. economy and the Economic Stability Mandate ensures they’re able to share in the benefits.”

In November 2015, British Columbia’s public sector workers who had reached agreements under the 2014 mandate qualified for a modest general wage increase of 0.45%, thanks to stronger-than-expected economic growth in 2014.

“We sought, in these negotiations, to balance the recognition that unions and their members were seeking fair compensation with the accountability to taxpayers that compensation must be affordable,” Finance Minister Michael de Jong said. “Public sector employers and unions have worked hard to conclude almost all agreements. This helps provide certainty and stability in service delivery and it contributes to economic growth and a balanced budget.”

The 2014 Economic Stability Mandate provides for compensation increases of 5.5% over the five-year term of the agreement. The Economic Stability Dividend activates an ongoing wage increase when GDP growth exceeds Economic Forecast Council predictions. Economic growth numbers for 2015 will be released by Statistics Canada in November 2016.

The B.C. public sector employs approximately 313,000 unionized employees. More than 309,000 employees are now covered by 175 tentative or ratified agreements under the 2014 Economic Stability Mandate. Negotiations are underway to reach agreements between the remaining public sector employers and unions.

Learn More:
Public sector bargaining mandates: http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/psec/bargaining/index.htm