There could be a few less places to get bloodwork done around the province as union workers for a private lab have filed strike notice,
Members of the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) working at LifeLabs issued the notice to their employer, effective Feb. 16.
LifeLabs says rotating temporary closures will begin Thursday, Feb. 20.
This action follows months of negotiations and LifeLabs’ refusal to bring wages and benefits in line with the cost of living, or to address poor working conditions resulting from chronic under-staffing, the union states.
“LifeLabs workers receive four to 16 per cent below what others in their industry get paid and they are struggling to make ends meet,” said BCGEU president Paul Finch. "Now that LifeLabs is owned by Quest Diagnostics, a billion-dollar U.S. health giant – we are fighting against an American for-profit model of healthcare and its impacts on workers."
The union is seeking wage increases that close the gap with those in the public sector doing the same work, solutions to short-staffing and workload issues, and improvements to health and safety benefits.
“Workers want the employer to come back to the table with an offer that is less focused on their corporate profit margins, and more respectful both of workers, and the thousands of us across B.C. that depend on LifeLabs’ services,” said Finch.
As workers launch job action, they will be holding a one-day strike kickoff rally on Sunday, Feb. 16 at the LifeLabs Burnaby Reference Lab at 12 p.m.
LifeLabs operates at locations all around B.C., including in Vernon.
In November, LifeLabs workers voted 98 per cent in favour of strike action and have been working without a contract since April 1, 2024.
The BCGEU represents about 1,200 workers at LifeLabs throughout the province.
