The current state of the B.C. teachers' job action is shedding some light on how other negotiations may go – as dozens of union contracts across the province are about to expire at the end of March.

Both the contracts of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators and the Hospital Employees Union will come up for renewal in several weeks. Like the BC Teachers' Federation, these unions refuse to sign a net zero deal.

Cindy Oliver, president of the post-secondary union that represents more than 10,000 members, said members did not get a raise from the government during the last round of negotiations.

"Our union is not very inclined to be taking net zeros anymore," she said. "We are worth a great deal in the system."

Oliver said the absence of wage increases has made faculty recruitment challenging because instructors are leaving the province or going to the private sector where salaries are higher.

Bonnie Pearson, with the 46,000-member Hospital Employees' Union, said members want raises in addition to improved job security, health and safety.

"I don't see us being in a position to sign an agreement without adjustment for members," she said. "Health care workers and other public sector workers in the province have really done their fair share to help this government balance its budget. For them to come back again and say it's zero again, I think, is fundamentally unfair."

Finance Minister Kevin Falcon said the government will not change its position on net zero. But he insisted that net zero doesn't automatically mean no wage increases.

"Net zero means you can absolutely have a wage increase as part of the package as long as total compensation costs to government doesn't increase," he said. "That means finding the kind of efficiencies and savings that can generate dollars that can be used to give modest wage increases."

Unlike the province's teachers, the post-secondary and hospital unions are not threatening to walk out yet. Oliver said union members will only strike as a last resort.

"It's unfortunate what's happening in the teachers' dispute," she said. "We really hope the government will pay attention and really chart a different path with us."

With files from CTV British Columbia's Shannon Paterson