PSAC Strike. Image credit Twitter page of Canadian Labour
Ottawa/CMEDIA: A strike would be launched this Wednesday by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), Canada’s largest federal public service union if a deal isn’t reached with the federal government by 9 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, media reports said.
About 155,000 employees of PSAC are prepared to walk off the job, including 35,000 workers from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), says PSAC.
Chris Aylward, the union’s national president, said at a news conference Monday morning that although some progress has been made, it is not enough to call off a strike.
CRA workers are also back at the bargaining table Monday and Tuesday after announcing their own separate strike mandate on Apr. 7, he said .
Over the weekend, mediated contract negotiations between the union and the Treasury Board continued to reach a deal.
The union calling for raises to keep up with the rising cost of living and historic inflation being the biggest sticking point in the talks.
Although a roughly two percent average wage increase each year over a five-year period was offered by the government, the union has been pushing for annual raises of 4.5 percent for the next three years.
The union also wants greater limits on contract work, more anti-racism training and provisions for remote work.
Many federal services, from tax processing to passport renewal, could be affected with departments and agencies in case the union strikes on Wednesday.
“We want to have an impact on the government. We will try to have as least impact on Canadians as possible,” Aylward was reported saying and added that if they go on strike, federal public servants will be picketing at strategic locations across the country.
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