ABOUT GVLRA

The complexities of collective bargaining in the public sector in British Columbia cannot be understated. Keeping control of labour costs yet being competitive in the labour market for highly skilled employees is an ongoing balancing act. The increasing fiscal pressures that public agencies face due to declining revenue and increased costs are substantial. This is particularly true in a system that is characterized by pattern bargaining and unilaterally imposed interest arbitration awards that often don't take into consideration a public agency's ability to pay.

In the simplest terms, the Greater Victoria Labour Relations Association ('GVLRA') is a public sector employer's bargaining agency designed to use its collective strength as leverage in order to obtain the best possible results for taxpayers. By acting in a collective and coordinated way, members of the GVLRA minimize the effects of union whipsawing that often produce uncompetitive and fiscally unsound agreements.

The GVLRA also acts as a buffer zone between the pressures of lobbying by labour organizations and the economic interests of taxpayers. This arms length relationship allows public officials to have a common voice with other agencies on general compensation matters while, at the same time, ensuring that their individual financial priorities are not compromised by political pressure.