How a BC Union Dumped Fossil Fuels and Cashed In

"Hey, you placed an order to move all of your money out of equities. What's going on?!"

No surprise that the investment manager was twitchy. BC Government and Service Employees' Union treasurer Paul Finch expected a reaction when he pulled $20 million from Canadian equities in one day in 2014.

Both the strike fund, and the union's general reserves -- Finch told the investment managers to sell the equity holdings. Now.

B.C. civil servants vote to strike after failed contract talks

Public servants represented by British Columbia’s largest public sector union have voted in favour of strike action.

The B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union announced the vote in late March after failed contract talks with the government.

“The strength of the turnout was 80 per cent -- that’s eight in 10 workers -- and the strength of the return was over 82 per cent,” said BCGEU president Darryl Walker. “I think that sends a message. I hope that the employer and the government [are] listening to that message.”

The BCGEU had asked for a 1 per cent wage increase in each of two years plus a cost of living allowance, totalling 8 per cent over two years at the current rate of inflation.