Author Archives: Pierre St-Jacques

PSAC announces strike votes for more than 120,000 federal workers

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is launching nationwide strike votes for more than 120,000 federal public service workers after talks broke down over wages and other key issues. Strike votes for members in the Program and Administrative Services, Operational Services, Technical Services, and Education and Library Science bargaining groups will be conducted from February 22 to April 19, 2023.

“Everyone deserves fair pay and safer workplaces. Together, we’re taking a stand for workers,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC national president. “Wages are stalled, the cost of living is rising, and workers are being left behind. Workers can’t wait. None of us can.”

After more than a year of negotiations, PSAC declared impasse in bargaining in May 2022 after the government made a wage offer of 2.06% per year that’s completely out of touch with record-high inflation over the past two years. The government then refused to compromise during mediation in September and Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearings in December.

The Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board is expected to release its PIC reports this winter with their non-binding recommendations to reach an agreement. After the Commission issues its reports, PSAC will be in a legal strike position if members vote in favour of a strike mandate.

“Federal public service workers have been here when Canadians needed them most – seeing us through one crisis after another,” said Aylward. “Now, the government needs to be here for workers, because while they stall on making things right, we all pay the price.”

PSAC and the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) recently announced strike votes for 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency workers. In total, PSAC represents more than 165,000 federal public service workers at impasse in negotiations with the federal government moving towards job action to secure a contract that protects workers from the rising cost of living, offers better work-life balance, protection from harassment, racism and discrimination in the workplace and ends the contracting out of public service jobs.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada is Canada’s largest federal public service union, representing nearly 230,000 workers in every province and territory in Canada, including more than 120,000 federal public service workers employed by Treasury Board. Our members are the backbone of Canada’s public services – protecting our borders, inspecting our food, providing vital social services and ensuring our vast lands and oceans are safe and sustainable.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

TC group: PIC report offers no guidance

A Public Interest Commission (PIC) report has been issued for the TC group following the hearing held on December 9, 2022. Unfortunately, the report provides no substantive guidance aside from recommending that the bargaining team should continue to negotiate.

Read the PIC report 

However, the federal government has refused to budge, including on an employer wage offer that would deliver a pay cut to nearly 11,000 federal public service workers in the TC group at a time of record high inflation and a looming recession.

Under the law that governs contract negotiations in the federal public service, a PIC is established to help the parties reach an agreement once impasse is declared at the bargaining table. This PIC has clearly not moved the needle with the employer and has delayed negotiation for TC group members.

We have seen the same kind of slow progress across other tables from Treasury Board since the beginning of negotiations in June 2021.

Despite recent public statements from Treasury Board, there has been no agreement to return to the bargaining table. There’s no doubt the best way to reach a fair contract is at the table. But it’s becoming clearer every day — reaching a fair agreement with this government is going to take a strong strike mandate from our members. Workers can’t wait.

Register for upcoming townhalls 

At the end of January, you will have three opportunities to meet with members, researchers and negotiators from your national bargaining team to ask questions, share your concerns, and hear about how your team is escalating actions across the country to reach a fair deal.

Your support is key to our success as we negotiate your new contract during this round of Treasury Board bargaining and continue to fight for fair wages, work-life balance, good, secure jobs and inclusive workplaces. Keep your information updated for the latest bargaining news, download our bargaining toolkit to stay informed and engaged, and sign up for strike training to be prepared.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

PA, SV, TC & EB members: Register now for national virtual townhalls on bargaining

PSAC members in the EB, PA, SV and TC groups are invited to attend national townhall meetings to get the latest updates about bargaining with Treasury Board as we work to secure a fair contract for 165,000 federal public service workers.

Throughout this round of bargaining and at Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearings that wrapped up before the holidays, we’ve seen how the federal government has refused to address any of our key issues at the table, including fair wages, better work-life balance, addressing racism and discrimination and protecting good, secure jobs.

What to expect at the townhalls? 

You will hear from members, researchers, and negotiators from your national bargaining team about the latest bargaining updates and how we’re escalating our actions across the country to reach a fair deal. You will have an opportunity to ask questions and share your concerns.

This is your chance to learn how your bargaining team is fighting for a fair contract, and how you can support them.

All townhalls will have simultaneous English and French interpretation.

Need to find out which bargaining at group you are in? Consult your collective agreement or use this tool.

EB townhalls

PA townhalls

SV townhalls

TC townhalls

Stay informed and engaged 

Getting involved and taking action are key as we push for a fair contract. Be prepared, get mobilized, stay engaged, and be ready to take action:

Keep your contact information up to date to receive all the latest bargaining updates.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

PA group: PIC hearings wrap up as PSAC continues to fight for remote work protections

The Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearing conducted by the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board for the PA group was held from November 28 to December 1. The bargaining team and employer both presented their positions and are now awaiting a decision from the PIC.

Our bargaining team will determine next steps once the PIC report is received. If an agreement cannot be reached during the PIC process, PSAC members should be prepared to continue escalating our actions to reach a fair contract, including taking strike action if necessary.

Stay informed and engaged

Getting involved and taking action are key as we push for a fair contract. Be prepared, get mobilized, stay engaged, and be ready to take action:

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

SV group: PIC hearings wrap up as PSAC prepares to escalate actions if necessary

The Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearing conducted by the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board for the SV group was held on November 28-30, as well as on December 8. The parties also met in mediation, but without any success. The bargaining team and employer both presented their positions and are now awaiting a decision from the PIC.

Our bargaining team will determine next steps once the PIC report is received. If an agreement cannot be reached during the PIC process, PSAC members should be prepared to continue escalating our actions to reach a fair contract, including taking strike action if necessary.

Stay informed and engaged

Getting involved and taking action are key as we push for a fair contract. Be prepared, get mobilized, stay engaged, and be ready to take action:

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.