Journal staff
Local federal employees hit the picket line this week as part of a nationwide strike involving more than 155,000 PSAC (Public Service Alliance of Canada) workers and marking one of the largest strikes in Canadian history.
Workers lined up outside the federal building at 105 Christina Street beginning Wednesday — joining picket lines at more than 250 locations across Canada — after the largest federal public-service union failed to reach an agreement with Ottawa.
“We truly hoped we wouldn’t be forced to take strike action, but we’ve exhausted every other avenue to reach a fair contract for Canada’s Federal Public Service workers,” Chris Aylward, PSAC national president, said in a news release. “Now more than ever, workers need fair wages, good working conditions and inclusive workplaces. And it’s clear the only way we’ll achieve that is by taking strike action to show the government that workers can’t wait.”
PSAC says Canadians can expect to see slowdowns or a complete shutdown of services nationwide, “including a complete halt of the tax season, disruptions to employment insurance, immigration, and passport applications; interruptions to supply chains and international trade at ports; and slowdowns at the border with administrative staff on strike.”
Negotiations between PSAC and Treasury Board began in June 2021, but reached impasse in May 2022.