Ministry of Finance

Public Sector Employers' Council Secretariat

About Us


Public Sector Employers' Council

The Honourable Michael de Jong, Minister of Finance is the Minister Responsible for the Public Sector Employers Act and chairs the Council.

The Council consists of a representative from each of the six public sector employer associations, the Head of the Public Service Agency, and other members – either ministers or deputy ministers – appointed by orders-in-council. 

The following are appointed as Council members during the 39th Parliament:

  • Honourable Michael de Jong, Chair
  • Honourable Mary McNeil, Minister of Children and Family Development
  • Honourable Naomi Yamamoto, Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology
  • Bill Fildes – Community Social Services Employers Association
  • David Ross – Post-Secondary Employers’ Association
  • Betsy Gibbons – Health Employers Association of British Columbia
  • Allan Cahoon – University Public Sector Employers’ Association
  • Melanie Joy – British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association
  • Shayne Ramsay – Crown Corporations Employers’ Association
  • Lynda Tarras – Head of the British Columbia Public Service Agency

In May 2006 the Public Sector Employers Act was amended to link government policy to the act and to streamline the management of membership related to Crown agencies and their subsidiaries. The amendments, which came into force June 2007, clarify that where a parent Crown agency is covered by the act, any wholly owned subsidiaries of the parent are also covered. The amendments also clarify that the Act applies broadly to all Crown agencies and their subsidiaries, except those that are specifically excluded by Cabinet Order in Council.


Public Sector Employers’ Council Secretariat

The Secretariat carries out the work of the Council. Its three main functions are to:

  1. Administer and manage the development and implementation of labour relations policies and practices in the provincial public sector.
  2. Support the Minister responsible for PSEC in directing employers to create compensation plans for both excluded and executive employees, which may include wages, benefits, perquisites and pension.
  3. Represent government in its role as a "partner" under the joint trust arrangements established for the four public sector pensions covering more than 400,000 active and retired members. PSEC monitors and manages government's risk exposure, and provides pension policy advice to both government and public sector employers.

Public Sector Employers’ Associations

Employers’ associations have been established (as per the Public Sector Employers Act) for each of the public sectors (excluding the public service sector, which is represented by the BC Public Service Agency under the Public Service Act).

Each of the employers’ associations co-ordinates the following for their respective sector:

  • compensation for employees who are not subject to collective agreements;
  • benefit administration;
  • human resources practices;
  • collective bargaining outcomes.

In addition, it is a purpose of each of the employers’ associations to:

  • foster consultation between the association and representatives of employees in that sector;
  • assist the council in carrying out any objectives and strategic directions established by the council for the employers’ association.