Members of the BC General Employees’ Union have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new four-year collective agreement with the provincial government, officially ending an eight-week strike that affected public services across British Columbia.

The union announced Thursday that 89.3 per cent of voting members supported ratification of the deal reached with the Public Service Agency, following mediation on October 26. Nearly 79 per cent of eligible members cast ballots in the ratification vote.

The agreement covers approximately 36,000 public service employees working in a wide range of government roles — including social workers, employment-assistance staff, biologists, court clerks, sheriffs, correctional officers, and unionized employees at the Liquor Distribution Branch, B.C. Pension Corporation, Destination B.C., and the Royal B.C. Museum.

BCGEU President Paul Finch praised members’ solidarity throughout the prolonged labour dispute, calling the settlement a “victory for determination and unity.” “For eight difficult weeks, they stood firm—fighting for a strong public service that makes our province work,” Finch said. “This deal proves that workers standing together is how real progress is made.”

The agreement provides general wage increases of three per cent per year for four years, along with targeted pay adjustments for low-wage and hard-to-recruit positions to help address affordability and retention challenges.

In addition to wage increases, the deal includes:

• A new joint committee to overhaul the Public Service Job Evaluation Plan, ensuring fair and up-to-date job classifications.
• Stronger job protections and a review process for improperly excluded positions.
• A faster grievance tribunal process to resolve workplace disputes.
• Enhanced vision care and counselling benefits to support mental health.
• The establishment of fully remote positions with dedicated protections.

The B.C. government said the deal aligns with its 2025 Balanced Measures Mandate, which provides flexibility to address unique recruitment and affordability pressures within critical public service sectors. Similar provisions were recently included in the Facilities Bargaining Association agreement.

According to the province, the BCGEU main agreement contains “additional increases over and above what will be made available to the rest of the public sector” due to those challenges. “These changes will help improve and maintain stable service delivery throughout the province,” the government said in a statement.

Finch said the agreement will help keep experienced public servants on the job and strengthen service delivery for British Columbians. “This agreement is what’s needed to help keep experienced public service workers in their jobs,” he said. “It ensures they can continue providing the critical services British Columbians rely on every day.”

The BCGEU maintained essential services during the strike and focused job action on government operations to minimize disruptions. Finch thanked the public for their patience and support throughout the dispute.

The B.C. Public Service includes roughly 36,000 of the province’s 593,000 public-sector employees, of whom about 452,000 are unionized.