Federal workers took to city streets Wednesday morning in one of the largest strikes in Canadian history, according to the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
Nearly a third of the country’s public service workers are striking after the union representing them failed to reach an agreement with the federal government.
“We aren’t looking for anything more than what we deserve,” said Kevin Welgush, local president for Union of Taxation Employees in Saskatoon.
He stood outside of Saskatoon’s Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) building with other employees.
“It’s time for the government to stop dragging their feet in regard to our bargaining process,” said Welgush. “Get to the table and come with an actual mandate to ensure fair wages are available to our membership and that our concerns are addressed there.”
Welgush said they are fighting for fair wages that keep up with inflationary costs.
“It’s so people can afford to put food on their tables and the common basic necessities.”
Talks for a new contract originally began in June 2021, with the union declaring an impasse in May 2022 and both parties filing labour complaints since then.
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The union called a strike vote in January, and it announced that members had voted in favour of a strike mandate early last week. Members of its tax division returned a strike mandate the week before.
Picket lines have been set up in over 250 locations across the country.
Notable Saskatchewan picket lines are at:
- CRA building, Saskatoon
- Canada Services Centre, Regina
- Federal building, Saskatoon
- Regional headquarters corrections, Saskatoon
- RCMP Depot, North Battleford
- Indigenous Services Canada office, Prince Albert
Suzanne Larsen, an integrity services investigator with Services Canada and local union president, said she is ‘feeling the crunch’ of not being at her desk today during a busy work season.
Larsen’s office oversees Indigenous, correctional, and parks services among many others.
“In the next few days, I hope that our bargaining team in Ottawa is able to come to a reasonable negotiated contract with our employer so we can all go back to work and get back to serving Canadians. I’m hoping us being out here today will raise public awareness and help them understand why we are here,” Larsen said.
“We are hoping we don’t have to be out here too long, and we can get back to work. We want to serve the Canadian public.”
Jim Smolik, stakeholder relations for the Wheat Growers Association said the strike places additional costs on the grain industry.
“As the strike happens… it will stop the loading of vessels and it will start to back up into the country. The country will remain full of grain and it can’t deliver.”
By law, the vessels are only allowed to sit for a certain length of time before transportation. Companies and railways can face penalties for not having the vessels loaded within the window.
“We would like to see everyone get back to work,” said Smolik. “We are reliant on export. It’s that continuous flow of the grain through the ports to our customers to stop a ripple effect and significant cost to the country overall.”
The Wheat Growers Association wrote the minister of agriculture ahead of the strike asking for a contingency plan to be put in place and have third parties do grain collection for the time being.
— With files from Global News’ Aaron D’Andrea and Saba Aziz
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