BCGEU members vote 89 per cent in favour of deal to officially end strike

By Canadian Press on November 13, 2025.

BURNABY — The British Columbia General Employees’ Union says its members have voted to ratify an agreement with the provincial government, marking the “official end” to a strike that lasted eight weeks.

The union says in a statement that 79 per cent of members participated in the vote, and 89 per cent voted in favour of the deal that includes a 3 per cent wage increase each year for four years.

Union president Paul Finch says the deal is a victory for workers who went on strike for “eight difficult weeks” as they held out for an agreement with the province that addressed the rising cost of living, among other issues.

Finch says the agreement was needed to retain experienced public servants, and ensure “critical services” continue to get delivered to British Columbians.

The union says the deal includes pay bumps for the province’s lowest-paid public servants and better vision and mental health benefits, among other “non-monetary” measures.

The union says the strike initially focused on minimizing disruption to public services, and Finch is thankful to British Columbians for their “patience and support” during the job action.

Most of the union’s 34,000 members were walking the picket line by the time a tentative deal was announced on Oct. 26.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2025.

The Canadian Press