Marcella Bernardo, CKNW(AM980)

Some of BC’s most prominent labour leaders are confused by Monday’s Throne Speech.

Bonnie Pearson with the Hospital Employees Union is seeking clarification on a Government promise to lift a wage freeze based on savings being found elsewhere, “Workloads are at an unmanageable level. We simply cannot do more with less.”

BC Nurses Union President Debra McPherson is also seeking what she calls “unfettered collective bargaining”, “We have some concern that until the key issues of the nurses workload are addressed, patient care will continue to suffer.”

Meanwhile, BC Teachers Federation President Susan Lambert says it appears her union has been excluded from any end to wage freezes….

Nearly a month into the school year with little progress made at the bargaining table,  Lambert says there are no plans to escalate job action, “It will depend ultimately on progress at the bargaining table, but at this time, we have no plans on escalating. We hope our job action right now, which is designed very, very carefully not to impact on students, will be a clear signal to Government to come to the table with resources for public education and for teachers.”