B.C. LifeLabs workers in legal strike position

Hundreds of LifeLabs workers across B.C. are now in a legal strike position.

The B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU), the union representing 1,200 LifeLabs workers across the province, issued a 72-hour strike notice Thursday.

They were in strike position as of 11:19 a.m. Sunday, the union says.

Workers held a rally at the LifeLabs Burnaby Reference Lab Sunday afternoon.

They say they are striking to address issues related to wages, understaffing, and health and safety benefits.

In a statement earlier this week, LifeLabs told NewsRadio that it respects the negotiations but emphasizes its highest priority is continuity of care.

“As a designated essential service, LifeLabs will continue to operate,” the statement said.

“However, some LifeLabs locations may be subject to rotating temporary closures. We will do everything in our power to minimize the disruption this creates for our customers and clients. The most up to date information on location closures will be available on our website.”