Thoughts on BC Politics and More

Premier David Eby has spent weeks telling British Columbians the province couldn’t pay striking government workers anything more than it had already offered. It wouldn’t be fair for taxpayers, or affordable for the government, he argued. But that position appears to have pretty much collapsed over the weekend under the oversight of veteran mediator Vince Ready. A new tentative deal, inked well after midnight Sunday, is largely a capitulation by the BC NDP government and a major victory for the BC General Employees' Union. After a record eight-week strike, the BCGEU got the NDP government to blink on pay, benefits and contract length ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The BC General Employees Union (BCGEU) said Thursday progress is steady as mediation talks between the union and the province continued for a sixth day.  The union said mediation began on Oct. 18, with renowned long-time labour mediator Vince Ready and his colleague Amanda Rogers leading the talks ... ... “There are still key issues where the parties remain apart, but the mediators are working hard to help bridge those gaps,” said the union in a statement ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The BC General Employees’ Union and the provincial government have agreed to enter non-binding mediation but union members will maintain picket lines across B.C. during the process. Veteran mediators Vince Ready and Amanda Rogers will be the facilitators, the union said Friday. The province made the mediation request late Thursday amid a strike that has stretched to seven weeks and involved about 25,000 provincial public service workers. BCGEU president Paul Finch said members’ solidarity and determination brought the government back to the table ...  CLICK HERE for the full story    

Veteran mediator Vince Ready has been appointed by the provincial government to help end a transit strike in the Cowichan Valley that’s now in its eighth month. Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside announced the appointment on Friday, saying the strike has gone on “far too long” and has been “deeply disruptive” to people living in the Cowichan Valley who rely on transit. If a settlement is not reached between the parties within 10 days, Ready will submit recommendations to the minister and the parties ... CLICK HERE for the full story 

... weeks of failed negotiations culminated in the stoppage earlier this week that shut down most bus and SeaBus services in Metro Vancouver and left hundreds of thousands of commuters without a ride. The clock is ticking on the next strike. The province has dispatched Vince Ready, a veteran labour negotiator, to try to broker a deal between the two parties. If that fails, CUPE national representative Liam O’Neill said, the union would launch a three-day strike starting on February 3 ... CLICK HERE for the rest of the story