Government tables new offer in PSAC negotiations
CTV
The federal government has tabled a new offer at the negotiating table with Canada's largest public sector union as workers strike for a 10th day.
The federal government has tabled a new offer at the negotiating table with Canada's largest public sector union as workers strike for a 10th day.
A spokesperson for Treasury Board President Mona Fortier called the offer "comprehensive" on Friday afternoon. They did not say whether the offer included a higher wage increase than the government's previous offer of nine per cent over three years.
Wages and remote work have been the key sticking points between the government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada. Public servants from PSAC bargaining units representing 155,000 members have been on strike since last week.
On Wednesday, PSAC national president Chris Aylward said the union had moved off its initial wage demand of a 13.5 per cent increase over three years, but the government was refusing to budge from its offer of nine per cent.
Fortier countered by saying PSAC's demands were unreasonable and unaffordable.
Striking public servants have been escalating strike action as negotiations continue. In the national capital region on Thursday, picketers limited access to federal buildings and temporarily disrupting traffic on an interprovincial bridge.
They were out in full force again on Friday, with large crowds gathered on both the Ottawa and Gatineau sides of the river.
