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PSAC announces nationwide general strike beginning April 19 for 155,000 workers

Picket lines will go up across the country April 19 as more than 155,000 Public Service Alliance of  Canada members working for Treasury Board and Canada Revenue Agency begin strike action.  

“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,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC national president. “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.”  

Strike action will begin at 12:01am ET April 19 – setting the stage for one of the largest strikes in Canada’s history. 

Picket lines will be set up in more than 250 locations across the country. Members and public supporters can find the nearest picket line using PSAC’s picket line finder tool. 

With nearly a third of the entire federal public service workers on strike, Canadians can expect to see slowdowns or a complete shutdown of services nationwide beginning tomorrow, 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. 

“As we begin this historic strike, PSAC bargaining teams will remain at the table night and day as they have been for weeks,” Aylward said. “We’re ready to reach a fair deal as soon as the government is ready to come to the table with a fair offer.” 

Negotiations between PSAC and Treasury Board began in June 2021, but reached impasse in May 2022. 

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, and more than 35,000 employed by the Canada Revenue Agency. 

For information or interviews: 

PSAC media relations 
media@psac-afpc.com 
(613) 714-6610 

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Picket Line Finder

Find the picket location closest to you in the event of a strike April 19!

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Use our picket line finder to register for the picket line closest to you. You’ll get a confirmation email and reminders by email and text before the strike. You may receive specific instructions on where to picket from your PSAC regional office.

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When you get to the picket line, sign in with a picket captain with the barcode you received by email. Remember to sign IN and OUT of each shift on the picket line by scanning your barcode. We need your attendance recorded in order to process strike pay. If you did not receive a barcode, a picket captain can help you sign in.

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Invite your coworkers, friends and family to join you on the line. Now more than ever, there is power and solidarity in numbers.

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If you can’t find a picket line near you or you have any other questions, please contact your nearest PSAC regional office and review our frequently asked questions page for more information about the strike.

Find the picket location closest to you in the event of a strike April 19!

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Strike deadline announced for 155,000 PSAC members

April 17, 2023

More than 155,000 PSAC members working for Treasury Board and the Canada Revenue Agency will begin strike action on April 19 if a deal cannot be reached by 9 p.m. ET April 18 – setting the stage for one of the largest strikes in Canada’s history.

“We’ve made some progress at each of our four bargaining tables over the past two weeks, but we’re still too far apart on several key issues, including wages that keep up with the cost of living, job security and remote work language,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC National President.   

“We’re committed to remaining at the table until a fair deal is reached for all our members – both for our 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency members who resume negotiations today, and our 120,000 Treasury Board members still at the table.” 

PSAC members have been without a contract since negotiations with the federal government began in June 2021, and last week, voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking strike action. 

“These workers – like all workers – deserve fair wages and decent working conditions. Despite some progress at the bargaining table, our members are frustrated that while negotiations drag on, they continue to fall behind,” said Aylward. 

“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.” 

With so many federal public service workers potentially on strike as of April 19, 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, harbours, and airports; and slowdowns at the border with administrative staff on strike.  

Source: Strike deadline announced for 155,000 PSAC members  | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca)

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No deal? We strike!

As you know, we’ve been in negotiations with the federal government for the past two weeks to try and reach a fair deal for our members. 

While we’ve made some progress at each of our four bargaining tables over the weekend, we’re still too far apart on several key issues, including wages that keep up with the cost of living, job security and remote work language. There are also still several outstanding table-specific issues to address. 

We know you deserve fair wages and decent working conditions. That’s why we’re committed to remaining at the table for our 120,000 Treasury Board members this week, and today, negotiations resume for 35,000 members at the Canada Revenue Agency.  

We understand you’re frustrated that while negotiations drag on, you continue to fall behind. We’ve already been at the table for nearly two years, and you can’t wait any longer. 

That’s why we’re setting a clock on negotiations. If there is no deal reached by 9 p.m. ET tomorrow, April 18, we will launch a national general strike beginning at 12:01 a.m. ET Wednesday, April 19 for all our 155,000 PSAC members working for both CRA and Treasury Board.

Over the coming days, you’ll continue to receive more information to help you prepare for potential strike action, including how you’ll receive strike pay and how you can join a picket line. 

And later today, we will be launching a picket line finder tool allowing you to use your postal code to find a picket line near you. 

Check out the frequently asked questions page for everything you need to know about the strike, including information about strike pay, essential workers, and more. If you haven’t already, you can also complete our online strike preparation course any time to prepare you for strike action.

This is a truly historic moment – together, we will show this government what PSAC members can do when they work together. 

In solidarity, 

Chris Aylward 
PSAC National President 

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Negotiations with federal government continue as a potential strike for 155,000 workers looms

April 14, 2023

Over the past two weeks our bargaining teams have been back at the table with the assistance of third-party mediators to secure a fair contract for workers.

This is a critical time in the bargaining process, and it’s encouraging that talks are continuing into the weekend. PSAC will be holding a press conference on Monday, April 17 at 9 a.m. ET to provide an update on the status of negotiations with Treasury Board and Canada Revenue Agency on behalf of more than 155,000 federal government workers.

Members can watch the livestream of the press conference on our PSAC national Facebook page, and we’ll continue to keep you up to date on the status of negotiations on our website, social media, and by email. 

Our priority remains to secure a fair contract for PSAC members that addresses our key issues, including decent wages that prevent workers from falling further behind, a more inclusive federal public service, remote work enshrined in our collective agreements, and good secure jobs.

More than 155,000 PSAC members across Treasury Board and Canada Revenue Agency are now in a legal strike position. A strike by PSAC’s federal public service workers would be the largest strike against a single employer in Canada’s history.

This is the government’s last opportunity to show workers the respect they deserve. Workers can’t wait, and we’re ready to take strike action.

Check your email regularly for more information about strike pay, PSAC’s picket line finder, and other strike-related information in the coming days as we prepare for potential strike action.

Visit our frequently asked questions for more information about strike action and strike pay. 

Source: Negotiations with federal government continue as a potential strike for 155,000 workers looms  | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca)

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Receive your strike pay via Interac e-transfer

April 12, 2023

Last weekend, members in the TB and CRA bargaining units received an email asking them to sign up to register for e-transfer for strike pay. Here’s what you should know about registering for Interact e-transfer. 

Q: I received an email with the subject line: Strike pay: sign up for e-transfer. Is this an official email from PSAC? 

Yes. This is an official email from PSAC, to ask you to register for strike pay to be transferred securely through e-transfer with your personal e-mail address. The email is unique to each member and linked to their individual PSAC ID. It cannot be forwarded to other members. 
 
Q: If I do not provide an e-mail address for an e-transfer, will I continue to receive strike pay? 
 
Yes, you will still receive strike pay. If we do not have your consent and preferred e-mail address, your strike pay will be processed by cheque and distributed to the PSAC region you are in to pay you when you are on the picket line with PSAC members.  

Q: I deleted the email by accident, what should I do? 
 
Nothing. If you received the email, that means you are already in our membership database, and we will be re-issuing the email on Thursday, April 13 for members who have not yet signed up.  
 
Q: I did not receive this email, what do I do? 

This means we may not have your personal e-mail address to communicate with you. You can add your email through PSAC’s member portal. You will not be able to use an email that was forwarded to you by another member because the original email is unique to each member and linked to their individual PSAC ID. 

Q: Can my regional office re-send the e-mail directly to me? 
 
Yes, Regional Office staff can re-send emails directly. We strongly encourage members to have updated contact information through the member portal.  

Visit our member portal to keep your contact information up to date.  

Q: What is strike pay? 

For more about Treasury Board bargaining and strike pay, check our FAQ about Treasury Board Bargaining.

Source: Receive your strike pay via Interac e-transfer | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca)

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120,000 Treasury Board members secure strike mandate

April 12, 2023

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has received a strike mandate from members in the Program and Administrative Services, Operational Services, Technical Services, and Education and Library Science bargaining groups, which collectively represent more than 120,000 federal government workers employed by Treasury Board.  

“The cost of living has hit highs we haven’t seen in 40 years, and people are struggling. Every day, we see that our dollar doesn’t go as far at the grocery store or at the gas pump,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC national president. “Today, PSAC members are sending a clear message that they won’t be taken for granted, they won’t fall further behind, and they’re ready to fight for better.” 

The strike mandate follows nationwide strike votes that took place from February 22 to April 11, and comes on the heels of the strike vote mandate announced last week for 35,000 PSAC-UTE members working at the Canada Revenue Agency. A strike by PSAC members working for the federal government would be the largest against any single employer in Canada’s history. 

“Our members won’t take the decision to strike lightly. They know that a strike will be difficult for them and for the Canadians who depend on the services they provide,” said Aylward. “But they’re exercising their bargaining power because they just can’t wait any longer. Their bills can’t wait. Their families can’t wait. None of us can.” 

PSAC is the largest federal union representing federal public service workers, including workers who got vital new financial aid programs like CERB and emergency business loans up and running for Canadians in record time during the pandemic. They’re also cleaners and cooks on military bases, clerks and maintenance workers, tradespeople, Coast Guard search and rescue teams, teachers, firefighters and the people Canadians rely on to help process employment insurance, passport applications and immigration documents.  

Negotiations between PSAC and Treasury Board began in June 2021, but reached impasse in May 2022. The two sides met again during mediation in September and Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearings in December before a PIC report was issued in February with non-binding recommendations. 

Source: https://psacunion.ca/120000-treasury-board-members-secure-strike

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Update: Phoenix damages taxability and deadline to object

April 6, 2023

In 2020, PSAC negotiated Phoenix general damages for approximately 165,000 PSAC members to compensate for the stress, aggravation and pain and suffering they endured because of the broken pay system. 

Treasury Board treated Phoenix general damages as taxable income – deducting tax from the payment PSAC members received – but the Union maintains that these damages should be tax-free like just like other damages agreements.

Initially, despite numerous appeals by PSAC, Treasury Board and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) refused to revisit the taxability of Phoenix general damages. That has changed, however, and the Minister of National Revenue has agreed to PSAC’s request to put a test case before the Tax Court to determine this issue. The joint reference was filed last week.

In the event that the damages payments are declared non-taxable, the CRA can re-assess the taxes of impacted individuals that make a claim at that time and reimburse them. However, we cannot guarantee at this time that they will do so.

In order to guarantee your right to the reassessment, as we recommended in our previous updates, we urge all those who received general damages for Phoenix to file an objection before the end of April 2023. If for whatever reason you cannot do so in time, we will send further updates in May on how you can request an extension to the time period to object.

It is not possible to determine the length of time the Tax Court will take to render their decision, but PSAC will provide an update to all members as soon as possible. For future Phoenix updates make sure to subscribe to PSAC’s e-newsletter and visit psacunion.ca/phoenix. 

Source: https://psacunion.ca/update-phoenix-damages-taxability-and-deadline

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PSAC and SSO sign collective agreement

March 31, 2023

After more than two years of negotiations began for workers at Statistical Survey Operations (SSO), and five months since an arbitration victory, PSAC and the employer have signed a new contract including key gains for workers that we will continue to build on. 

The collective agreement for more than 1,300 federal public service workers was signed on March 13 and covers the period from 2018 to 2023, expiring on November 30, 2023. 

The new rates of pay, including the five per cent market adjustment, have already been processed and retroactive pay has been issued to members. The $500 implementation payment will be added to members’ March 29 pay. All other changes are effective as of the March 13 signing. 

This new collective agreement closes a long round of negotiations that took place during a merger of two SSO units (field and regional offices) as well as the transfer of senior interviewers into the core public administration. The new contract replaces two previous contracts for SSO members and ensures consistency with the terms and conditions of employment for all PSAC members at SSO. 

What’s next? 

With this new agreement, we will begin preparing for the next round of negotiations, which should begin by the end of 2023. 

Information on the input call and the national bargaining conference will be released soon. Keep your contact information up to date to receive all the latest bargaining updates. 

Source: PSAC and SSO sign collective agreement | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca)

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Canada’s unions call for federal government to settle Black Class Action lawsuit

The Black Class Action Secretariat and several major unions are renewing calls to settle the lawsuit on behalf of tens of thousands of Black federal public service workers in the wake of the government’s admission the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) discriminated against its Black and racialized employees.

“It is inconceivable that the federal government would spend millions of dollars fighting Black public service workers in court, when the government itself has concluded that the very institution designed to address discrimination, is discriminatory,” said Nicholas Marcus Thompson, executive director of the Black Class Action Secretariat.

The recent ruling by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBCS) is a scathing admission that the CHRC – the government’s own human rights watchdog mandated to fight racism and discrimination – is itself plagued by anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination.

The federal government has been trying to dismiss the Black Class Action since it was launched in December 2020, arguing that the workers should pursue other avenues for redress such as filing a human rights complaint with the CHRC. This recent revelation puts the CHRC’s credibility into question as the appropriate avenue to achieve justice for Black public sector workers.

“Enough is enough. Our members deserve justice, they deserve respect, and they deserve to be made whole,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC national president. “It’s time for this government to make things right so we can move forward in creating a more equitable and diverse federal public service, free of anti-Black racism.”

The CHRC’s own figures also show the watchdog has been dismissing racism-based claims at a higher rate than any other human rights complaint.

In the 2022 federal budget, the government committed $3.7 million over four years to create a mental health program to address racial trauma and discrimination experienced by Black workers in the federal public service. However, the government has been accused of discriminating against Black workers developing the Black Mental Health Action Plan. Earlier this year, Treasury Board terminated the employees it hired to work on the plan after they raised serious concerns about experiencing anti-Black racism. PSAC has also filed grievances on behalf of those workers and has requested transparency from Treasury Board on how the Action Plan is being developed.

The Black Class Action Secretariat and Canada’s unions are calling for the government to cease its efforts in dismissing the lawsuit, and instead actively work towards redress for the workers who have been harmed and end systemic discrimination within its ranks. 

“This important legal action shines a light on systemic racism and discrimination within our workplaces, and it is a vital step towards fostering a more equitable and inclusive environment for all employees,” said Jennifer Carr, national president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada. “It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every individual is treated with fairness, respect, and dignity, and we must address the root causes of inequality in order to build a more just and compassionate society. We demand the government end its delay tactics and work with Black Class Action to bring equity and justice to public service workers.” 

“The CLC stands in solidarity with Black workers and against all forms of racial discrimination,” said Larry Rousseau, executive vice-president of the Canadian Labour Congress. “We support Black workers pursuing equity, equality, and full, fair participation in the labour market. We strongly urge the federal government to uphold the human rights of its workers and redress the injustices faced by Black federal public service employees.”