AFP reported that on Monday, the union representing more than 155,000 Canadian public servants, who work in over 20 agencies including the Canada Revenue Agency, announced that they will go on strike on Wednesday if the government does not reach an agreement on their pay and other demands.
These employees have been without a contract since 2021, and last Monday, they voted unanimously to go on strike.
Union leaders stated that the disagreement between the two sides centers on salary, job security, and remote work.
Chris Aylward, national president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), according to AFP, said, “These workers -– like all workers –- deserve fair wages and decent working conditions.”We have made some progress at the bargaining table, but our members are becoming increasingly frustrated as negotiations continue to drag on, causing them to fall behind,”
“We’ve already been at the table for nearly two years, and these workers can’t wait any longer. That’s why we’re setting a clock on this round of bargaining,” he added.
If they don’t reach a deal by 9 pm (0100 GMT) on Tuesday, they will call for a national general strike starting at 12:01 am on Wednesday.
Although the larger Canadian Union of Public Employees dwarfs the PSAC, a strike by PSAC members would still cause disruption.
Canadians could expect delays in the processing of income tax returns, immigration and asylum requests, passport applications, and foreign worker permits if PSAC staff strike, reported AFP. Consular services and new requests for veterans’ benefits would be impacted as well.