Ottawa ‘Disappointed’ After Union Announces Strike Votes for 120,000 Workers

Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada watch a performance as they picket outside Place du Portage in Gatineau, Que., on April 28, 2023. Justin Tang/The Canadian Press

The federal government says it’s “disappointed” after Canada’s largest federal public service union announced 120,000 workers will take part in nationwide strike votes starting next month.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada says voting will take place from Nov. 16 to Jan. 22.

The union and Treasury Board have been in contract negotiations for a year and a half and PSAC in May called a government wage offer of less than one percent per year “insulting.”

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat says it’s “disappointed” the union has chosen to proceed with a strike vote while the groups are still working through the mediation process.

The government says that for the past year and a half, it has engaged with the union on all of its proposals and several days of mediation recently led to progress on certain points.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat says it respects the right to strike but the best deals are reached at the bargaining table.