Vaughn Palmer: Some 182 contracts covering 400,000 unionized public-sector workers expire in 2025. Unions are preparing their demands.

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VICTORIA — A grateful Premier David Eby thanked B.C. unions this week for helping the NDP to secure a narrow victory in the provincial election.

“It was your members that were out there hustling on the doorsteps throughout the campaign,” the newly re-elected premier told a cheering crowd of delegates at the B.C. Federation of Labour’s annual convention.

“That’s why I am standing here. … Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

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Still, the real test of the premier’s gratitude will come next year at the bargaining table.

Some 182 contracts covering 400,000 unionized public sector workers expire in 2025. Many of those unions are preparing their demands for the bargaining round that begins in the new year.

The B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU), representing more than 30,000 employees of central government and its ministries, has already surveyed its members and settled on the top priorities.

“Together we identified meaningful wage increases and improvements to benefits as the top issues,” said the bargaining committee in a bulletin distributed to members this week.

The dozen or so........

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