Victoria Police Department is warning commuters of downtown disruptions Monday as roughly 10,000 B.C. public service unionized workers are expected to escalate their job action on the lawn of the BC Legislative Assembly, where elected officials will converge for the first day of fall session.

Led by BCGEU President Paul Finch, the march on Monday will begin at Centennial Square at 11 a.m. and head down Blanshard Street and end at the lawn of the B.C. Legislature where a rally will begin at 12 p.m.

“Senior leaders from across the labour movement and allied organizations will join striking BCGEU members in a mass march and rally to demonstrate strength and solidarity as B.C.’s public service strike enters its sixth week,” BCGEU stated in a release ahead of Monday’s planned march and rally.

“Coinciding with the opening of the fall legislative session—and just one week after negotiations with government broke down again—the BCGEU is urging the province to return to the bargaining table with a credible wage offer.” 

CCTV (temporary closed circuit television) will be deployed during the demonstration, which is expected to last several hours. VicPD is advising the public to take an alternate route.

“VicPD recognizes everyone’s right to freedom of expression and lawful assembly, and to demonstrate in public spaces as protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. However, participants are reminded that it is inherently unsafe to march on open streets, and that they do so at their own risk,” states the department.

VicPD reminds participants and observers to review the Safe and Peaceful Demonstration Guide and follow the rights and responsibilities of peacefully demonstrating. 

“Officers will be on site, and our job is to preserve the peace and maintain public safety for all. We police behaviour, not beliefs. Dangerous or unlawful behaviours during the demonstration will be addressed through de-escalation and enforcement,” it states. 

What is the BCGEU asking for?

As of Friday, the union says more than 17,000 BCGEU members are taking job action “with picket lines and an overtime ban to pressure the employer (the BC Public Service Agency (PSA) to return to the bargaining table with a fair wage offer.”

Among the union’s demands are wage increases that align to the cost of living.

“The BCGEU is escalating its campaign for a fair contract amid an ongoing labour dispute with the B.C. government. Workers are calling for real wage increases that reflect rising costs of living and the essential services they provide,” states the BCGEU in a release on Sunday.

The union has been asking for an 8.25 per cent wage increase over two years. 

Finch has said the last offer of a four-per-cent wage increase over two years was little changed from earlier proposals, while Premier David Eby said Wednesday that his government was trying to balance the valuable work of public servants and the fiscal reality B.C. faces.

It is reported that the province came to the table offering a two per cent increase in the first year with another two per cent increase the following year.

BCGEU president Paul Finch has said the strike fund is “very healthy” and the union will not go back to the bargaining table until the province makes a “real offer.”

How long has the BCGEU been on strike?

Negotiations first started on Jan. 22, 2025. But talks broke down between the BCGEU and the BC Public Service Agency (PSA) on July 18, 2025.

Then in August, the union held a strike vote, resulting in 92.7 per cent in favour of a strike.

Union members initiated job action on Sept. 2, then escalated on Sept. 4, again on Sept. 9, with louder escalation on Sept. 22.

After this, the union was called back to the table and the two parties sat down to negotiate on Sept. 25.

Last week was the first time the union and province sat down to negotiate since July. And did not go well for either party. 

Talks on Monday broke down not long after they started, with the union saying the new provincial offer had few meaningful changes, while government officials have said they are trying to balance a fair deal with B.C.’s constrained fiscal situation.

After talks broke down on Monday, by Wednesday, Sept. 29 negotiations came to a halt once again and union members held a rally in Vancouver.

READ & WATCH: Unions converge in downtown Vancouver in push for B.C. public service contract

By the end of the week, the striking B.C. public service workers followed through on their promise to escalate their job action, and push for a new contract, adding roughly two dozen more picketing sites across the province. 

READ RELATED: B.C. public service workers’ union expands pickets at another two dozen sites

Striking BCGEU workers further expanded pickets at provincial liquor and cannabis stores on Friday, with more than 20 locations on the list. The union says the escalation also included job action by front-line staff at several ministry offices. According to the union, pickets expanded to five more provincial liquor stores for a total of 82.

Finch has said his members will be outside the legislature on Monday just as the fall session begins and the union enters its sixth week of job action. 

The 17,000 workers striking across B.C. represents half the 34,000 public service workers it represents.

READ: Contract talks break down between B.C. and community health workers: union

–With files from Jeff Lawrence and Erin Haluschak