Tag Archives: grève

Treasury Board strike day 7: A week of enduring solidarity

As we near the end of the first week of strike at Treasury Board, striking PSAC members continue to report en masse to picket lines across the country — Windsor, Niagara, Fort Erie, Fredericton, Edmundston, St. Stephen, Woodstock, Sault Ste. Marie, Ottawa, Gatineau, etc.

Beyond showing to the employer that the membership is truly energized and ready to continue fighting for a fair contract, the last week has also been an exemplary display of enduring solidarity between striking members and those supporting them however they can. From coast to coast, we’ve seen our FB members standing with and marching side by side with our other Treasury Board members — in places such as Edmonton, Windsor, Fort Frances, Ottawa, to only name a few.

Even if they can’t always join picket lines, CIU FB members have been finding different ways to support the strike. Earlier this week, FB members from Peace Bridge, Rainbow Bridge and Queenston Bridge provided lunch to support their fellow union members on the picket line. In St. John’s, CIU Branch 90001 sent pizza to picketers to give them a bit of a boost.

Amanda Bird & Christiane Banke

Adding to the influx of solidarity in the last week, the CIU National Office is also proud to report that two of its employees — Administrative Assistant Amanda Bird and Labour Relations Administrator Christiane Banke — have jumped at the opportunity to lend their skills to assist the PSAC strike efforts.

For the last couple of days, they’ve both been busy working on the picket lines and at headquarters in the National Capital Region, fielding questions, verifying membership information, and helping with picket line tasks.

Let’s keep this going!

Here are some photos of the day:

PSAC responds to Minister Fortier’s open letter to members

It’s clear the Liberal government is feeling the pressure as we escalate our strike actions across the country. But we’ve been clear – the offer the government has on the table simply doesn’t cut it. And while we’ve had our sleeves rolled up for the past two years and have been ready to negotiate day and night to reach a fair deal, this government has consistently dragged out negotiations and tried to nickel and dime Canada’s workers.

Without a wage increase since the beginning of the pandemic, our members have fallen behind inflation to the tune of nearly 11% of their earnings. After losing more ground to runaway prices than workers in any other sector for years, the government is now saying Canada’s public service workers should be happy with an offer that leaves them even further behind.

And let’s not forget, these are the same members who delivered essential services to Canadians in a time of crisis. Imagine working every day and not having a contract, and because of Phoenix, not even knowing if you will be paid at all. These are regular Canadians who show up day in and day out to do the work that keeps our country running.

We came to the table with demands that reflect the need for significant change in our members’ workplaces. Workers deserve fair wages that keep up with rising costs, remote work to be spelled out in their contract and better job security. Those demands haven’t been met at the table, and we will continue to prioritize the needs of our members until we reach a fair deal.

The truth is, we don’t want a strike any more than our members; any more than Canadians; any more than this government. But we’ve been at the table for nearly two years. How long can workers wait?

We’re calling on the Liberal government to work with us on getting to a fair deal so that members can leave the picket lines behind and return to the work they’re proud to do.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Treasury Board strike, day 6: Members are back on the picket lines, and more determined than ever

Lots of energy, determination, and smiles were present on the picket lines as striking PSAC members returned for day 6 of the Treasury Board strike, which saw actions ramp up across the country. It’s clear from the photos we’ve received from all over — Ottawa, Gatineau, Windsor, Fort Frances, Fort Erie, Niagara Falls, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Winnipeg, Sherbrooke, etc. — that members have no intention of letting up the pressure until the government comes back to the table to bargain fairly.

TB & CRA bargaining update: Statement from PSAC National President

PSAC National President Chris Aylward delivered the following message to members of the Treasury Board and CRA bargaining teams

Friends,

You may have seen the headlines this weekend – things didn’t get off to a great start.

We made some progress in the end, but we’re not there yet.

I can report that at the Treasury Board common issues table, we made some headway on remote work language, and both sides have moved in order to get closer to a resolution on wage increases.

At the CRA bargaining table, talks continue but without a new mandate from the employer, things haven’t moved much further.

So we’re not at the finish line yet, but I know that we can get to a fair deal for all 155,000 PSAC members thanks to the strong strike mandate you’ve delivered and the incredible solidarity you’ve shown from coast to coast to coast.

As we moved towards our strike deadline last week, the employer finally put a wage offer of 9% over three years on the table. You did that.

And when you hit the picket lines, it’s the first time we saw real progress at the table. You did that.

Even if the government seems content to prolong this strike and its impact on Canadians, I know you have the collective power to get us to a fair deal in the coming days. And tomorrow we’re going to escalate our actions.

See you on the picket lines on Monday!

In solidarity,

Chris Aylward

PS: I know many of you still have lots of questions so we’ve updated our FAQ.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Treasury Board bargaining update

This afternoon, PSAC’s National President, Chris Aylward, National Executive Vice President Sharon DeSousa and Regional Executive Vice President — NCR, Alex Silas gave a bargaining update on Treasury Board bargaining.

Watch now

While members are not on picket lines this weekend, we are still on strike, including members who are regularly scheduled to work on the weekend, and if we don’t reach a deal by Sunday, workers will be back on picket lines Monday morning. Members and public supporters can find the nearest picket line using PSAC’s picket line finder tool.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.