B.C. LifeLabs workers launch strike over wages and working conditions
LifeLabs says essential services will remain, but strike may result in rotating lab closures

More than a thousand unionized LifeLabs workers across B.C. walked off the job Sunday, launching a strike over wages, staffing shortages and working conditions.
As a result, LifeLabs says some of its more than 100 centres in the province will be subject to rotating temporary closures starting on Thursday.
The job action comes after months of unsuccessful negotiations between LifeLabs and the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU), which represents the approximately 1,200 employees.
The workers, who provide essential lab testing services to help diagnose illnesses, say they have been without a contract since April 1, 2024.
They are demanding wage parity with hospital laboratory employees performing similar work, arguing that the current pay gap — ranging between four and 16 per cent — has led to retention and recruitment challenges.
LifeLabs says it serves more than 7.1 million patients in B.C. at 129 collection centres located in urban and rural communities.
In a statement, the company acknowledged the labour dispute and said it is taking steps to minimize disruptions.
"As a designated essential service, LifeLabs will continue to operate," the company said.
However, it confirmed that some patient service centres will be closed on a rotating basis.
LifeLabs is advising patients to check its website for updates on closures and available services.
Mandy De Fields, a medical laboratory technologist with LifeLabs, was among more than 100 striking workers rallying outside a LifeLabs location in Burnaby on Sunday afternoon.
She said the wage disparity is particularly stark in her position, where her pay is about 12.5 per cent lower than her counterparts in hospital settings.
"We see skilled professionals leaving for better paying jobs all the time,"