AMID the rising cost of living and soaring inflation, more than a hundred thousand federal Public Servants Alliance of Canada (PSAC) have walked off their jobs calling for a wage increase.
The PSAC is a union representing about 155,000 federal government employees in all of Canada – accounting for nearly a third of the country’s public servants.
These public servants hit picket lines at more than 250 locations across Canada including the Prime Minister’s Office, the Treasury Board Office, outside government buildings as well as other sites.
Numerous government services will be limited and the nationwide strike has so far affected most government departments including Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
It can be noted that the PSAC Union is offering members 75 Canadian dollars per day for joining and is encouraging members of the public to join the protest.
However, despite disruptions, child benefit payments, employment insurance payments, Canada pension plan payments, veterans’ income support, and old age security and guaranteed income supplement payments will continue as scheduled.
To recall, in January, the PSAC announced a strike vote would be held between February 22 and April 19 for 120,000 members of four bargaining units.
On March 6, the union decided to revise the voting period to end on April 11 to ensure that the vote would be completed before mediated talks with the treasury board.
However, some public service workers were not able to cast their votes because there was no capacity remaining to join the online information session.
As the large-scale walkout began, one striker named Caroline Penney gives her reason for taking part in the demonstration.
“We are at higher positions in our careers, but we have experienced significant hardships with regard to grocery bills specifically. Grocery bills have doubled, frankly in the past four months, grocery bills have doubled because of inflation, and some price gouging with the grocery stores. And with our incomes not changing, we just can’t afford to buy the things that we used to buy,” said Caroline Penney, Striker.
Because of the protest, 505 public service workers in Petawawa walked off the job, including those who keep the heat on at the on-base central heating plant.
This led to about 700 military members living on base at the Canada Forces Bases (CFB) Petawawa without heat or hot water.
It can be noted that the government offered a 9% wage increase over 3 years, but the union asked for a higher increase over the same period.
So far, this protest has been the biggest strike in Canada in over 30 years.
As of now, demonstrations have been peaceful and orderly and no arrests have yet been made at protest sites.
It can also be expected that emergency services are not likely to be disrupted by the strike as talks between the two parties continue with the hopes to reach a deal.
