Ryan Hu (10) | STAFF REPORTER
Written April 2023
Since April 19, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has been on strike nationwide. The union, representing 155 000 workers for the federal public service, is the largest public service union in Canada. Their strike has been affecting government services like immigration, citizenship, passport, and tax services.
After the federal workers’ work contracts expired in 2021, the PSAC has been bargaining with the federal government to establish new contracts. While the PSAC’s demands are far and wide, including a bilingual bonus of $1500 for employees who speak an Indigenous language, their biggest demands are a 13.5% raise over the next three years and allowing remote work.
Unfortunately, reactions to the strike have been, at best, lukewarm. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has expressed support for the strike, saying that he would oppose the Liberals’ back-to-work legislation. On the other hand, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and Restaurants Canada has expressed concern over the effects of the strike.
Furthermore, within the public, the pervasive sentiment that public service workers are overpaid and underworked is hard to overcome. The strike has impacted services like passport processing, which has already undergone major delays due to COVID. More importantly, the strike may also impact the upcoming tax deadline, which is due next week.
A survey conducted by Ipsos between April 21 and 24 reveals that the Canadian public is firmly divided on the issue; 38% of Canadians support the strikers, 28% support the government and 34% are undecided. Even worse for the union, while half of Canadians agree that the strike is necessary, 54% say that they cannot afford to give public servants a 13.5% raise. All in all, the survey reveals that while Canadians are mostly on the side of the strikers, they don’t necessarily support their justification.
However, this strike isn’t the first of its kind. In 1991, the PSAC rallied on Parliament Hill over similar wage increases. After a total of 15 days of striking, the PSAC made gains in job security, but none in wages. In fact, the government’s back-to-work legislation gave strikers even less than what they were originally offered.
Sadly for the strikers, it seems likely that a similar outcome will be reached. The federal government has only offered a 9% raise over the next three years, a far cry from the union’s proposed 13.5%. The government has also refused to accept the PSAC’s demands for teleworking. After two weeks of striking and an unbudging government, the PSAC gains are limited, if anything.
The Canada Revenue Agency’s statement that they will not extend tax deadlines, due next week, further solidifies the federal government’s firm stance on the strike. Currently, a likely fear for the government is that giving in to what the PSAC calls “one of the largest strikes in Canadian history” would encourage further strikes to occur across Canada. With Canada’s economy still recovering from the pandemic, it is likely that the government does not wish to take that risk. As one striker told the Ottawa Citizen, “people hate us.” In this context, as well as the PSAC’s recent statement that they have “moved off” their demand for 13.5% raises, the PSAC and their years-long struggle is unlikely to be resolved.
