VANCOUVER - A union representing thousands of provincial government workers in British Columbia has escalated job action with a ban on overtime. General Employees’ Union president Stephanie Smith says in a statement the public service has relied on overtime for far too long. Last week, the 33,000-member union set up pickets around liquor distribution outlets to back demands like wage protection against inflation. The union’s opening proposal called for a five per cent wage hike annually as part of a three-year contract, or a cost-of-living adjustment, whichever was greater. The BC Public Service Agency said the Labour Relations Board has ensured that appropriate essential-service levels are in place to allow the government to continue delivering critical services.

Source: The Star August 23, 2022 01:59 UTC