All eligible members in the B.C. Wildfire Service and the provincial Forests Ministry have joined the B.C. General Employees’ Union in escalated strike action.
The union announced the update Wednesday (Oct. 22) that all remaining members of the wildfire service and the ministry would be part of the escalating job action. The union said there are now more than 25,000 employees taking part at more than 550 worksites province-wide.
The statement from the union adds that essential services remain in place.
The Forestry Ministry, in a statement to Black Press Media, said the strike doesn’t impact B.C. Wildfire Service’s ability to respond to new and ongoing wildfires.
While the peak of the wildfire season is over, the B.C. Wildfire Service’s dashboard still lists 94 active wildfires as of Thursday afternoon (Oct. 23), with one new start in the previous 24 hours.
The B.C. General Employees’ Union and the province announced on Oct. 17, in the eighth week of the strike, that the two would be entering mediation, with long-time mediator Vince Ready and fellow mediator Amanda Rogers. Talks began on Oct. 18.