Tag Archives: Strike

Support striking Non-Public Funds workers

Non-Public Funds workers are the backbone of services for Canadian Forces members, veterans, and their families.

But despite generating profits from the programs and services NPF workers provide, Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) refuses to offer fair wages to more than 500 workers currently on strike in Bagotville, Kingston, Montreal–St-Jean, Ottawa, Petawawa, and Valcartier.

Send a letter supporting striking workers

CFMWS has pushed PSAC-UNDE members to the brink by forcing us to stay on strike for more than 60 days. That’s why we are calling for a nationwide boycott of CFMWS services and programs.

The boycott of CFMWS is more than a protest. It’s a declaration that all workers matter — not just those in the highest pay bands.

How to participate in the boycott

For military staff on Canadian Forces bases throughout Canada, as well as community members around the bases who utilize the same services, boycotting CFMWS means actively choosing not to use their services and programs and encouraging others to do the same.

By making conscious choices about where to spend our money and which services to use, we can put financial pressure on CFMWS and send a clear message that our troops and communities support us in our fight to be treated with dignity.

Here are some examples of what the boycott looks like in practice: 

  • Instead of using CFMWS-operated gyms and recreational facilities, seek out local community centres or private gyms.
  • Organize or participate in community sports leagues and recreational activities outside of military bases.
  • Avoid purchasing items from CANEX stores and look for alternative retail outlets and local businesses to support off-base instead.
  • Choose local restaurants, cafes, and bars over CFMWS-operated facilities for meals, group outings, and events.
  • Attend events, concerts, and activities hosted by community organizations or local businesses instead of those organized by CFMWS.

If nothing else, talk about the strike with military personnel, community members, and CFMWS staff. Engage in a dialogue about the reasons for the boycott and the importance of fair wages for workers. Encouraging understanding and empathy can broaden support for striking workers and help us reach a fair resolution.

Other ways to support the strike

Even if you don’t live near a Canadian Forces base, you can still demonstrate solidarity with striking PSAC-UNDE members and help apply pressure on the employer.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Treasury Board strike: Deadline for reporting scabbing activities

Photo of CIU flag

As communicated on June 9, 2023, CIU has established an Investigation Committee to look into allegations of members in non-essential positions who continued to work during the Treasury Board strike, earlier this spring. This Committee must report its findings to PSAC’s Alliance Executive Committee (AEC) no later than six months after the signature of the PA, EB, TC and SV collective agreements.

As the PA and TC agreements were signed on June 28, this means that the Committee must report its findings to the AEC by December 28, 2023. As a result, in order to provide the Committee with sufficient time to investigate complaints and issue a report, CIU will only accept allegations of scabbing activities until July 30, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Allegations received after the deadline will not be investigated.

Should you have witnessed or be aware of any CIU PA, EB, TC, or SV member who performed work during the strike (April 19-28, inclusively) while occupying a non-essential position, you may file an allegation to that effect by emailing us at complaints@ciu-sdi.ca using your personal email address (and not your CBSA email address), until July 30. Please include the relevant name(s), work location(s), witness(es) and date(s) along with a basic description of the incident(s), as well as your own contact information.

As per the PSAC Constitution, Section 25, Sub-Section (4), members found to have engaged in scabbing activities may be disciplined, which could include a suspension of membership and a “fine that equals the amount of daily remuneration earned by the members, multiplied by the number of days that the member crossed the picket line, performed work for the employer, or voluntarily performed struck work”.

PSAC members ratify tentative agreements for over 155,000 workers

Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada working for Treasury Board and Canada Revenue Agency have voted overwhelmingly in favour of ratifying their tentative agreements. Members in the PA, SV, TC, EB, and CRA bargaining groups participated in nationwide ratification votes from May 24 to June 16.

The new collective agreements – spanning from 2021 to 2024 – provide wage increases that close the gap with inflation, totaling 12.6% in compounded wage increases over the contract. PSAC also secured the strongest remote work language in the country, better job security for workers and commitments to build safer and more inclusive workplaces.

“Today, we celebrate our members who showed unwavering commitment and solidarity throughout the bargaining process, and during one of the most pivotal strikes in this country’s history,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC National President. “We fought together and secured important gains that set the bar not only for our members, but for all workers in Canada.”

Read the details: 

Next steps 

In the coming weeks, PSAC will meet with Treasury Board and CRA representatives to sign the new collective agreements. All non-monetary terms of the collective agreement will come into effect immediately after signing.

Treasury Board and CRA have 180 days from the date of signing the new collective agreements to raise the pay according to the new rates and provide retroactive pay for the time elapsed since the expiry of the previous contracts.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Donations to Nunavut Employees Union: Support striking workers | ᐃᑲᔪᕈᒪᔪᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᑐᓂᓯᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕘᒥ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑏᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖏᓐᓄᑦ : ᐃᑲᔪᕈᒪᓂᖏᑦ ᐱᓱᑉᐸᑦᑐᓂᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓂᑦ

PSAC-NEU (Nunavut Employees Union) members working for the Iqaluit Housing Authority (IHA) have been on strike for nearly three months. During that time, the employer’s behaviour has been nothing short of appalling, with IHA locking out workers two days after union members first started walking the picket line on March 17, resorting to using scabs (while denying doing so), and proposing language at the bargaining table that only serves to insult, belittle, and infantilize striking workers. While the lockout itself has since been lifted, the employer’s offer and behaviour remain wholly unacceptable, and the strike continues.

Earlier this week, the CIU National Executive voted to donate $1500 to NEU to support striking workers in their fight against an unfair and unreasonable employer. We encourage all CIU Branches to consider making a donation of any amount. This blatant disregard for both worker and human rights cannot be tolerated. Please see the latest NEU bargaining update or visit https://www.neu.ca/ for more information on this outrageous labour dispute.


ᑭᒃᑯᑐᐃᓇᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑏᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ-ᓄᓇᕘᒥ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑏᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖏᑦ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨᖏᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᔭᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᑲᓗᓐᓂ ᐃᓪᓗᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑕᐃᓕᓯᒪᓂᖏᑦ ᑕᖅᑭᐅᓗᐊᑦ ᒪᕐᕉᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᖓᑖᓄᑦ.  ᑕᕝᕘᓈᖅᑎᓪᓗᑕ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕝᕕᐅᑉ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᓇᕐᕈᓇᖕᒪᕆᒃᐳᑦ, ᐃᓪᓗᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓪᓗ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓂᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕈᓃᖁᔨᓪᓗᑎᑦ ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᓄᒃ ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓄᒃ ᐱᓱᓕᑕᐃᓐᓇᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᒫᑦᓯ 17ᖑᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓄᓪᓗ ᓵᙵᖔᓕᖅᓱᑎᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᒃᓴᓂᑦ (ᑕᐃᒪᐃᙱᖑᐊᖅᑐᑦ) ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᓪᓗ ᒥᔅᓵᓄᑦ ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᑦᑎᓪᓗᑕ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓐᓂᖅᐹᒥᑦ ᓱᕐᓗ ᒥᑭᓪᓕᑎᒃᓯᓇᓱᑐᐃᓐᓇᕋᒥ, ᓱᕈᓯᓛᖅᑎᑐᓪᓗ ᐱᔭᐅᓪᓗᑎᑦ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖅ ᐃᓱᒪᖃᖏᑦᑐᑎᑐᑦ.  ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᒍᓐᓃᖁᔭᐅᓂᖏᑦ ᐲᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑑᒐᓗᐊᑦ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ, ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕝᕖᑦ ᐱᐅᓯᖓᑦ ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᕈᑕᐅᔪᓂᑦ ᓱᓕ ᓈᒻᒪᔅᓯᓯᒪᖏᒻᒪᑦ, ᑕᐃᒪᐃᖕᒪᑦ ᓱᓕ ᓄᖅᑲᖓᕗᑦ ᐱᓱᑉᐸᑦᑐᓪᓗ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑏᑦ.

ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕆᔭᑦᑕ ᓯᕗᓂᐊᒍᑦ, ᓴᓇᔪᓕᕆᔨᒻᒪᕇᑦ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᒃᓯᔩᓪᓗ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨᖏᑦᑕ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᖏᑦ ᓂᕈᐊᓐᓂᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᑐᓂᓯᒍᒪᓪᓗᑎᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᒪᓂᒻᒥᓄᑦ $1500ᓂᒃ  ᑖᒃᑯᓇᙵᑦ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔪᓂ ᑐᕌᖓᓂᐊᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐱᓱᑉᐸᑦᑐᑦ ᐱᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᖓᔪᖄᖃᑲᒻᒪᑦᑐᑎᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᒍᓐᓃᖅᑎᒃᓯᓂᒧᑦ.  ᑲᔪᖏᖅᓱᐃᕗᒍᑦ ᓴᓇᔪᓕᕆᔨᒻᒪᕇᑦ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨᖏᑦ ᑕᐃᒫᔅᓴᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᖃᑦᓯᑐᐃᓐᓇᓯᐊᒻᒥᑦ.  ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᖁᔭᓈᖅᓯᓯᒪᓂᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᖁᑎᒻᒥᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᖏᑦ ᑕᑯᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᖏᒻᒪᑦ.  ᑕᑯᒋᐊᒃᑭᑦ ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔩᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᑭᐊᖅᑭᕕᐊᓄᑦ www.neu.ca ᑐᑭᓯᒋᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᒍᕕᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓘᓕᒻᒪᖔᑕ ᐱᓗᐊᖅᑐᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᒃᑯᑦ ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᖏᑦ.

A message from the CIU National President regarding scabbing activities during the TB strike

Photo of CIU flag

To all CIU members of the PA, EB, TC and SV groups:

The exemplary solidarity and activism displayed on picket lines across the country during the Treasury Board strike earlier this spring led to a strong tentative agreement, of which you can be proud. Make no mistake: Without this strike, without the combined efforts of our membership coming together to demand better from the employer, you would not have secured as good a deal as the one you currently have the opportunity to vote on.

Sadly, during the strike, a handful of CIU members chose to cross the picket line, continuing to report to work for an employer who, throughout the bargaining process, showed how little they cared about the just value of their employees’ labour. These members now enjoy the benefits others won for them, acting in a way that is an affront to the members who sacrificed much to get a fair collective agreement.

As per Section 25, Sub-Section (6)(n) of the PSAC Constitution and Regulation 19, Paragraph 16 of the PSAC Regulations, CIU has established a Committee to investigate allegations of members in non-essential positions who continued to work during the strike. Should you have witnessed or be aware of any CIU PA, EB, TC, or SV member who performed work during the strike (April 19-28, inclusively) while occupying a non-essential position, you may file an allegation to that effect by emailing us at complaints@ciu-sdi.ca using your personal email address (and not your CBSA email address). Please include the relevant name(s), work location(s), witness(es) and date(s) along with a basic description of the incident(s), as well as your own contact information.

All allegations will be looked at by the CIU Investigation Committee. As per the PSAC Constitution, Section 25, Sub-Section (4), members found to have engaged in scabbing activities may be disciplined, which could include a suspension of membership and a “fine that equals the amount of daily remuneration earned by the members, multiplied by the number of days that the member crossed the picket line, performed work for the employer, or voluntarily performed struck work”.

To all those who stood in solidarity while on strike — thank you. United there is little we cannot achieve, and your stalwartness is the very foundation of what makes our union great. To the few who chose to scab — I urge you to take a moment to reflect on how you’ve chosen to treat those you work with every day. They certainly deserve better.

In solidarity,

Mark Weber
National President


July 5, 2023, update

CIU will only accept allegations of scabbing activities until July 30, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. See the following post for more information.