News and Comment
Public Service Workers to Strike If Tentative Agreement Not Reached Immediately
The
Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) announced that 120,000
Treasury Board workers and 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency workers -- a
total of 155,000 workers -- are going to go on strike at 12:01 am on
April 19 if no tentative agreement is reached by 9:00 pm on April
18. Treasury Board workers include workers from Service Canada,
Immigration Canada, Transport Canada, the Coast Guard, the Correctional
Service and Veterans Affairs among others. PSAC made the announcement
at a press conference held on the morning of April 17.
PSAC leaders said that although some progress was made at the bargaining tables in the last two weeks, the government continues to demand concessions on wages, job security, telework and other issues. They pointed out that for close to two years, since June 2021, the union's bargaining committees have been trying to negotiate a deal, to no avail. No wage increase since June 2020 means that federal workers have seen their purchasing power reduced by more 10 per cent.
The government's wage offer is well below the rate of inflation and this signifies an offensive against all Canadian workers, PSAC President Chris Aylward said.
"When the federal government represses its wages for its own employees, what they are doing is repressing wages for workers right across the country, unionized workers, non unionized workers, private sector and public sector," Chris said. It is an attempt to shift the burden of inflation onto them, he said, adding that it is not workers who cause inflation, while private corporations are reaping record profits. Workers across Canada have to make sure that no worker is left behind, he said
PSAC Prairie Region, April 14, 2023
The PSAC President made it very clear that his union is committed to remain at the negotiation table but strike action has now become necessary to move things forward if a settlement is not reached without delay. Negotiations have been dragging on for too long, he stated.
Aylward also warned the federal government not to use back-to-work legislation against workers if they are forced to go on strike. Workers' right to strike has to be respected, he said.
Asked by a reporter what would happen in terms of picketing if the strike goes on, he said that there would be picketing all across the country, that the union would choose very strategic locations for picketing in order to have maximum impact on the government and as little impact as possible on services to the people. If the strike takes place, there will be delays in services such as immigration applications, employment insurance applications and income tax processing.
PSAC has agreed to keep a number of essential workers at work if the strike is called. The way to avoid a strike and the disruption of services is for the government to sign a deal that is acceptable to workers, Aylward said.
Yvon
Barrière, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for Quebec, said that
workers do not want to go on strike but they cannot afford to have
their purchasing power reduced due to government intransigence.
The very strong strike mandate that the 155,000 Treasury Board and Canada Revenue Agency workers gave the union in votes held across the country from February 22 to April 11 shows that the workers strongly feel that they cannot wait any longer to get the wages and working conditions that they are seeking.
Treasury Board is offering a raise in wages which averages 2.06 per cent per year from 2021-25 which is a continuation of a loss in wages due to inflation. PSAC informs that other key issues include:
"- Job security: We're seeking improvements to the Workforce Adjustment Appendix that would ensure a fair and transparent process. But Treasury Board is proposing concessions that would make it harder for laid off or surplus workers to find other work in the federal public service.
"- Remote work: Remote work has become a part of everyday life for many workers. Our experience during this pandemic has shown that public service workers can be as effective working remotely as they are in the office. Now it's time to look to the future by enshrining remote work protections into our collective agreements. Unilaterally changing the terms and conditions of our members' employment and imposing a mandatory return to offices is an egregious violation of workers' collective bargaining rights.
"- Systemic racism in the workplace: Fighting racism and building a more diverse public service is supposed to be a top priority for this government. They should work with us to remove barriers and dismantle the structures that sustain racism in our workplaces.
"- Work-life balance: PSAC is fighting for the right to disconnect to ensure workers aren't tethered to their work by having to check their emails and work phones after hours.
"- Contracting out and privatization: When public money goes into private pockets, Canadians lose out with higher costs, more risk, and reduced quality of services. Just look at the tragic public health outcomes at private nursing homes when COVID-19 hit."
PSAC
is also encouraging federal workers to contact Minister of Labour
Seamus O'Reagan (seamus.oregan@parl.gc.ca) and Treasury Board President
Mona Fortier (mona.fortier@parl.gc.ca) to denounce emails from their
employer encouraging PSAC members to continue working in the event of a
strike. "This
is a classic and often seen union-busting tactic that aims to undermine
our efforts to secure a fair agreement for all workers -- including
wages that keep up with the rising cost of living and don't force you
to take a pay cut," PSAC says. "It's also hypocritical coming from a
government that
has promised to introduce anti-scab legislation for the federal private
sector. This government says they support workers, but when their own
workers are in a strike position, they encourage crossing picket
lines," PSAC adds.
The Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act designates employees as essential whose duties are deemed essential to the safety and security of the public and must continue during a strike. There is an Essential Services Agreement (ESA) between PSAC and the government. Some examples of ESAs include certain functions performed by border services officers, firefighters, and members who process pay for Canadians.
While the employer decides which functions should be deemed essential, the union can make arguments as to how many members are required and what exact duties they will perform while working. Ultimately, the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board will rule on these differences. Employees are notified by their employer if their position is deemed essential once the union is in a strike position.
This article was published in
Number 21 - April 18, 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2023/Articles/WO10211.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca