Members of the Professional Employees Association (PEA) employed by the B.C. Public Service have ratified a new agreement under government’s Shared Recovery Mandate.

The PEA represents nearly 1,300 people working as foresters, engineers, agrologists, geoscientists, psychologists and others throughout B.C. 

Key priorities of the 2022 mandate include:

• protecting the services that people in British Columbia depend on;
• improving health care and preparing for future needs and challenges; and
• supporting a strong economic recovery that includes everyone in B.C.

Negotiations are focused on providing a fair and reasonable offer to public-sector workers that includes significant inflation protection, while ensuring that government has the resources to continue to invest in building a stronger province for everyone.

The ratified agreement includes:

• three-year term;
• general wage increases:
  • Year 1 – a flat increase of $0.25/hour, which provides a greater percentage increase for lower paid employees plus 3.24%
  • Year 2 – 5.5% plus a potential cost of living adjustment to a maximum of 6.75%
  • Year 3 – 2% plus a potential cost of living adjustment to a maximum of 3%
• a negotiable “flexibility allocation” of up to 0.25% in years 1 and 2 to support mutually beneficial outcomes for both parties; and
• important achievements for both the parties in these negotiations include recruitment and retention issues addressed by improvements to wage grids and hiring practices.

Other language to support employee health, safety and mental health in the workplace were also negotiated, in addition to provisions that provide Indigenous employees with access to paid leave to engage in activities that connect them to their culture and language.

Currently, there are more than 230,000 public-sector employees covered by tentative or ratified agreements reached under B.C.’s Shared Recovery Mandate.

Learn More:

To learn about public sector bargaining in B.C., visit: www.gov.bc.ca/psecbargaining