B.C. Health Coalition urges province to end contract with U.S. owner of LifeLabs [Video]

A public health advocacy group is urging the B.C. government to end its contract with the American company that owns LifeLabs, the province’s main provider of outpatient lab services.

The B.C. Health Coalition has issued an open letter asking Premier David Eby to follow through on a directive he issued last week for all government bodies to review their connections to U.S. firms amid the tariff dispute, and cancel its contract with Quest Diagnostics. 

The American firm acquired LifeLabs locations across Canada last year for $1.35 billion, and is now involved in a labour dispute with its B.C. workers, who are eight weeks into strike action.

The 1,200 striking workers, who are members of the B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU), have been conducting rotating job action, temporarily closing labs on certain days. 

WATCH | Rotating strikes continue at LifeLabs in B.C.: It’s been over seven weeks since workers began job action against their employer LifeLabs, which provides diagnostic care under contract to the government. Union president …