News release

April 28, 2004

PSAC members in federal public sector vote to strike

OTTAWA – Almost 100,000 Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) members, employed by the federal government, are one step closer to taking action up to and including a strike in order to achieve new collective agreements.

PSAC National President Nycole Turmel announced today that federal public sector workers have voted in favour of strike action; 72% of the Program and Administrative Services Group (Table 1), 83% of the Operational Group (Table 2) and 72% of the Technical Services Group (Table 3) have said yes to a strike.

“This is a strong message to Treasury Board from our members that their behaviour at the bargaining table is unacceptable and that their one and only wage offer, combined with proposed rollbacks of existing benefits, has been rejected,” says Turmel.  

“We have been bargaining since last September with an employer who kept coming to the table without a mandate,” explains Turmel.   “Finally, last February, Treasury Board offered 1.75%, 1.25% and 1.25% over a three-year agreement.   If the union wanted any other improvements, they would be deducted from the wage offer.”

The negotiating sessions which took place in February and early March were held with the assistance of Conciliation Officers.   The union will now be taking the next step which is to request the establishment of Conciliation Boards who will hear presentations from both parties.   Seven days after the Boards file their reports, the union will be in a legal position to take strike action.

According to Turmel, “our members aren't impressed by the fact that Treasury Board is prepared to deal much more generously with senior executives than with the front-line workers who are actually providing the services.   On top of the 2.5% increase they received in April 2003, 93% of these executives received generous performance bonuses for 2002-03.”   

“While Treasury Board is prepared to hand out these generous bonuses to just about every senior executive, they won't deal with the serious wage gap for our members in the Operational Group.   A joint PSAC/Treasury Board study conducted last year by Morneau-Sobeco revealed a 20% wage gap between our members' pay and wages for comparable jobs in the private sector.   So far, Treasury Board negotiators have refused to even address the study results.”

              The union's Treasury Board members join a total of 30,000 PSAC members at the Canada Revenue Agency and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency who have already given their negotiating team strong strike mandates. Workers at Parks Canada, who are currently voting, are expected to follow suit.

“All of our members are also responding to the uncertain climate in which they are working,” suggests Turmel.   “The Martin government's program review could result in cuts to public services.   Our members are concerned about the level and quality of services they will be able to provide, the impact of increased workloads on service delivery and possible job cuts.”    

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For information:  Denis Boivin, PSAC Communications, (613) 560-4280              

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