Federal Public Servants in Canada Escalate Strike Actions with Picket Line Protests

Federal public servants on strike in Canada have intensified their protest actions by escalating picket lines in the national capital region, causing disruptions to federal buildings, and temporarily halting traffic on an interprovincial bridge. This marks the ninth day of strike action by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), which involves over 155,000 members and is impacting services under the Treasury Board and the Canada Revenue Agency.

PSAC workers have “shut down” the main building at Tunney’s Pasture, and they are controlling entry by public service workers, according to Alex Silas, the PSAC regional executive vice-president for the national capital region. The union is accusing the federal government of stalling in negotiations and is demanding a new contract. The main issues still unresolved include wages, telework, a ban on contracting out, and seniority during potential layoffs.

While the union originally asked for a 4.5% raise a year over three years, the government recently proposed a nine percent wage increase over three years. “We have come down twice on our position. The union is actively trying to find a middle ground with this employer, the employer needs to show some willingness to find a middle ground – we have not seen that,” Silas said, adding that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland need to get involved in the talks.

PSAC is picketing at several locations in the national capital region, including at the Treasury Board headquarters on Elgin Street, the Prime Minister’s Office, Fortier’s constituency office on Montreal Road, and Place du Portage in Gatineau. The union is encouraging members to “consider how we continue to escalate our tactics in order to end the strike.” Silas says they are escalating picket line postures in the NCR and across the country, and that they will continue until the government shows a willingness to find a fair agreement.