Unionized staff at 55 claims-related Insurance Corporation of B.C. locations will stage a one-day strike Sept. 18, their union said Tuesday.

The Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union said in a release about 1,500 workers will be involved in the walkout.

Essential service levels will be maintained at all striking locations, the release said.

“These are employees who have been without a contract for over two years,” said COPE 378 ICBC president David Black.

“Their wages are falling behind while ICBC executives and business partners got massive salary increases and $1.2 billion of ICBC profits went into government revenues.”

Black said nearly 1,200 workers will be on strike in the Lower Mainland and the remaining 300 will be in communities throughout the rest of B.C.

The union said ICBC’s last offer was a two-per-cent wage increase over a four-year contract.

ICBC has not yet responded to the strike announcement.