Sunday October 5, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC [Posted at 6:49 pm | Latest update 11 am October 6, 2025]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The BC General Employees Union (BCGEU) will hold a rally at the BC Legislature on Monday October 6. The rally theme is Fund the Frontlines.
That’s the first day of the 43rd Parliament Fall 2025 session of the BC Legislative Assembly.
Thousands of BCGEU workers and supporters are expected to march through downtown Victoria starting at 11 am (departing Centennial Square, along Cormorant St, down Blanshard St, to Belleville St). Vehicle traffic is likely to be interrupted.
Their rally will start at 12 noon in front of the BC Legislature.
The event will be livestreamed on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
Timeline:
BCGEU began job action on September 2, with picket lines escalating over recent weeks.
On Friday October 3 BCGEU announced that talks had broken down and reached an impasse.
Tug of war:
The negotiations between the BC Government and the BCGEU have been mostly over wages as relative to the increasing cost of living.
The government says it wants to strike a balance between fairness for government workers as well as all British Columbians.
After the BC Finance Minister released the First Quarterly Report on September 15, BCGEU said it feels the government’s fiscal situation is not bad enough to warrant a shortfall on what BCGEU wants for its members.
It’s unclear how much impact a march and strike will have on any final negotiations.
As other BC unions (e.g. teachers and health workers) negotiate with the Province they are possibly less likely to join BCGEU who seem to be increasingly isolated from their peers in other unions. However, on October 3 BCGEU said that 23,000 health care workers are set to join the strike.
===== RELATED:
BC shows $665 million deficit increase in first quarter 2025 (September 15, 2025)
NEWS SECTIONS: 43rd PARLIAMENT OF BC | BCGEU