PSAC Strike. Image credit Twitter page of Canadian Labour
Ottawa/CMEDIA: Following the Public Service Alliance of Canada strike, some federal workers were deemed non-essential causong about 700 military members living on base at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Petawawa are without heat or hot water.
In total, 21 buildings that house members on site are without the amenities.
“The workers at the plant were not deemed as essential workers and they’re out on the picket line just like everybody else,” Randy Phinney, president of the Local 629 Union of National Defence Employees, located in Petawawa was reported saying and added,
“I am very surprised that they weren’t deemed essential,” said Phinney, who was walking the picket line at the entrance to Garrison Petawawa Thursday.
“Once again, it’s out of our hands. We don’t make that decision.”
The base says some newer buildings on site do still have amenities that will be available for shared use, such as showering.
“We do have a number of buildings here on base that still have their own integral heat and hot water. What we have done is we have made those facilities accessible,” said Acting Commander Andrew Mills.
Mills added that until the public service strike ends, the heat and hot water outage will remain.
About 155,000 public servants across Canada walked off the job Wednesday morning.
Canada’s largest public sector union, PSAC is calling the strike one of the largest in Canadian history.
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