About 26,000 members of two unions representing British Columbia professionals and public service workers are involved in an intensifying job battle as they push for higher wages in new contracts with the provincial government.
More than 1,000 members of the Professional Employees Association and about 25,000 members of the British Columbia Employees Union are participating in the week-long strike.
More than 20 provincial ministries, corporations and Crown agencies are affected. Here's the breakdown:
BCGEU Employment Campaign
Ministries
Citizen Services (including BC Service)
Education and child care
Energy and climate solutions
Finance
Housing and municipal affairs
Indigenous relations and reconciliation
Infrastructure
Jobs and economic growth
Mining and Critical Minerals
Office of the Prime Minister
Tourism, art, culture and sports
Water, land and resource management
Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills
BC Crown Corporations and Agencies
British Columbia Pension Corporation
Commercial Vehicle Safety and Law Enforcement
Employment Standards Division
Forest Practices Council
Liquor distribution branch including all BC Liquor and BC Cannabis stores.
Royal British Columbia Museum
Promotion of the Association of Professional Employees
The union representing professionals says all its members, except essential workers, are on strike in the following ministries:
Attorney General
Health
Mining and Critical Minerals
Transport and transit
Water, land and resource management
The union says some, but not all, of its members are on strike in these ministries:
Agriculture and food
Energy and climate solutions
Environment and parks
Forests
Professional titles and employees involved in official activities include:
Agrologists
Engineers – environmental specialist, geohazard and slope stability geologist, road safety engineer.
Foresters
Geologist – dam safety specialist, groundwater hydrologist.
Lawyers – legal consultants, litigation
Mines – reclamation specialist, occupational health, safety and permitting inspectors.
The union says examples of essential workers who would never strike include hydrologists at the BC River Forecast Center and child and youth psychologists at the Ministry of Child and Family Development.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2025.
