Strike-struck B.C.: How job action affected the province in 2019

From striking university faculty to loggers to support staff at schools, thousands of British Columbians walked off the job in 2019.

While the reason why so many labour disputes took place this year is largely an issue of timing a number of contracts were up for negotiation simultaneously a common theme underlying many of the strikes is frustrationwages have not kept up with the cost of living.

Here's a round-up of major job action that happened and in some cases is ongoing across the province, with details on each dispute below:

• Thousands of Western Forest Products employees have been striking since summer.
• Classes were cut after faculty at the University of Northern B.C. went on strike.
• Service was affected at an essential ferry route in the Kootenaysdue to striking ferry workers.
• Legal aid staff lawyers have pared down their work to essential cases.
• Dozens of telecommunications technicians walked off the job in September.
• Metro Vancouver transit workersended their job action after 3weeks.
• SkyTrain workers were just minutes from walking off the job before a contract deal was struck.
• Saanichschool support workers ended their strike after three weeks.
• Hotel workers in downtown Vancouver ended their strike, getting a wage increase and better work protections.

Employees at Western Forest Products

Status:Strike ongoing since July 1. Negotiations broke down again Dec. 18.

Who:Around 3,000 coastal forest workers, represented by the United Steelworkers Union, are striking against Western Forest Products Inc.

Why:The union says it wants a four-year deal with wage increases of three per cent in the first two years and 2.5 per cent in the last two.

Action: Workers have been without pay since the summer, andthe company's shares have taken a hit on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

University of Northern B.C.faculty (resolved)

Status:Both the faculty association and the university haveagreed to binding final-offer-selection arbitration on the issue of salaries. The strike lasted fromNov. 7 to Dec. 18.

Who:180 professors and other faculty staff, represented by the University of Northern British Columbia Faculty Association, are striking against their employer, the University of Northern British Columbia.

Why: The group wants a new salary structure and higher wages, but there are also conflicts around the tenure and promotions process and disciplinary measures.

Action: Classes were cancelled for three weeks in November.The university says it will offer a non-refundable financial credit to affected students.Staff returned to class at the end of Novemberbut only to do work that would allowstudents to complete the fall semester.

Kootenay Lake ferry workers (resolved)

Status:Resolved. The strike ran Sept. 1-Dec. 1. The ferry workersagreed to a new five-year contract.

Who:80 ferry workersrepresented by the B.C. Government and Service Employers' Unionwere striking against their employer, Western Pacific Marine Ltd. The Kootenay Lake ferryruns between Balfour and a terminal near Crawford Bay, and is an important route for localsand the tourism industry.

Why:The conflict surroundedovertime and wages.

Action: Since the ferry is deemed an essential service, workers reduced sailings but did not eliminatethem altogether. The BCGEU estimates up to 70 per cent of regular sailings per day were unable to run.

Legal aid staff lawyers

Status:Strike ongoing since Nov. 1.

Who:26 staff lawyers with the Legal Services Society, represented by theProfessional Employees Association (PEA), are striking against the B.C. government.

Why:The union says staff lawyers earn less than Crown counsel or independently contracted legal aid lawyers.

Action: Staff staged a one-day walkout on Nov. 1. Since Nov. 22, staff are only completing essential client and case work. According to the PEA, staffwill no longer perform administrative duties like responding to emails from management or attending staff meetings.

Telecommunications technicians at Ledcor

Status:Strike ongoing since Sept. 30.

Who: Dozens of telecommunications technicians, represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 213, working atLedcor.

Why: Regular cuts in pay, extended work hours, unjust firings anddeteriorating working conditions were cited as reasons for the strike. Month of bargaining havebeen unsuccessful and workers took up picketing after 31 staffers were fired in September.

Action: The union served strike notice on Sept. 25. Workers walked off the job and began picketing outside the Ledcor office in Port Coquitlam on Sept. 30.

Metro Vancouver transit workers (resolved)

Status: Resolved. The job action ranNov. 1-26.

Who:5,000 workers represented by Unifor Locals 111 and 2200were striking against TransLink's Coast Mountain Bus Company.

Why:Wages and working conditionswere the main sticking points. Unifor saidthe salaries of their employees have not beencomparable to salaries in other major cities.

Action: Starting Nov. 1, there were cuts toSeaBus service and workers refused to work overtime on a rotating basis. A full bus and SeaBus shutdown was planned for Nov. 27-29, which would have affected up to 350,000 customers, but that was averted with a tentative deal reached shortly after midnight Nov. 27.

SkyTrain workers (resolved)

Status: Resolved before a planned three-day SkyTrain shutdown was scheduled to take place.

Who:900 SkyTrain workersrepresented byCUPE 7000 and theB.C. Rapid Transit Company.

Why:The major issues of contention included wages, overtime and sick leave.

Action: A shutdown of SkyTrain services was narrowly avoided after a tentative deal was reached with minutes to spare.TransLink said service on the Expo and Millennium lines sawan hour ofdelaysfirst thing in the morning on Dec. 10 as the system booted up for the day,but the trains were soon operatingnormally.

Saanich school support workers (resolved)

Status:Resolved. The strike ran Oct. 28-Nov. 16.

Who:500 support staff workers represented by CUPE Local 441 were striking against the SaanichSchool District.

Why:The union argued its members pay was significantly lower than neighbouring school districts like Greater Victoria.

Action: Schools in the Saanich School District were closed during the strike; students will make up lost instructional time via changes to their schedule.

Downtown Vancouver hotel workers (resolved)

Status:Resolved. The strike action ran Sept. 19-Oct. 17 attheHyatt Regency, Westin Bayshore,and PinnacleHarbourfront; and Sept. 19-Nov. 18 at the Hotel Georgia.

Who:1,200 hotel workers from the Hotel Georgia, Hyatt Regency, Westin Bayshore,and PinnacleHarbourfront represented byUnite Here Local 40.

Why:Workers agreed to a new dealthat will see raises of up to 25 per cent, and new standards for workplace safety, sexual harassment and job security.

Action: Striking workers picketed daily up and down the sidewalk outside the hotels'entrance. TheHyatt Regency, Westin Bayshore and Pinnacle Hotels all launched lawsuits against the workers citing "deafening noise."