Canadian public servants to stage massive strike over pay

More than 155,000 Canadian public servants will go on strike Wednesday to demand raises, with disruptions expected to tax, immigration and passport services, their union announced.

After months of negotiating with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) said they had failed to reach an agreement over cost-of-living raises to keep up with inflation.

Nearly one-third of Canadian public servants are expected to hit picket lines at more than 250 locations, according to PSAC. Canada last saw a strike of this size in 1991.

“We are at the beginning of a historic strike (to reach) an agreement that takes into account the cost of living,” Chris Aylward, PSAC president, told reporters on Tuesday night.

Among other demands, the government employees are seeking a 13.5 per cent wage increase over three years, or 4.5 per cent annually to keep up with inflation. The government has countered by offering nine per cent spread over three years.

Canada’s inflation rate slowed to 4.3 per cent year-on-year in March after peaking at over 8 per cent in June.

The union also wants more flexibility over telecommuting. After pandemic restrictions were rolled back, public servants who had worked remotely were expected to return to their offices two or three days a week by March 31.

The labor dispute is expected to slow or entirely shut down some federal services, including the processing of immigration and passport applications, PSAC said in a statement.