A tentative agreement between the B.C. General Employees’ Union and the B.C. Public Service Agency, reached after an all-night mediation session this past weekend, could end up costing the government billions if all the other public sector unions accept a similar deal.

The deal with the BCGEU will run for four years, with an annual raise of three per cent a year for a total increase of 12 per cent over the life of the agreement. It also includes provisions for further salary top-ups for the union’s lowest-paid workers, a review of the rapid increase in the number of non-unionized managers, and the development of a faster process for grievances.

The government and the BCGEU reached the agreement after 10 months of negotiations, a little over a week of non-binding mediation and the longest

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