PSAC announces general strike beginning Wednesday
CTV
A general strike involving more than 155,000 public servants across Canada will begin on Wednesday if no deal is reached at the bargaining table, the head of the country's largest public sector union announced Monday.
More than 155,000 public servants across Canada will begin strike action Wednesday morning if no deal is reached with the federal government, the head of the country's largest public section union announced Monday.
A potential strike by Public Service Alliance of Canada workers under Treasury Board and the Canada Revenue Agency would affect a range of services, including tax returns, passport applications and immigration application processing.
"We're setting a clock on this round of bargaining," PSAC president Chris Aylward said Monday morning.
"If there's no deal reached by 9 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow, April 18, I'm authorizing a national general strike beginning at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time Wednesday April 19 for all 155,000 PSAC members working for both the Canada Revenue Agency and Treasury Board.
"We've already been at the table for nearly two years, and these workers can't wait any longer."
Last week, PSAC announced more than 120,000 public servants across the Treasury Board voted "overwhelmingly" in favour of strike action to back demands for a new contract. On April 7, PSAC-Union of Taxation Employees announced 35,000 unionized workers at the Canada Revenue Agency voted in favour of strike action.
Under the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act, the union has 60 days to call a strike following a favourable strike vote.
