Resolution Reached as Canada Concludes Agreement with Striking Federal Workers

Canada has successfully brokered a deal with 120,000 striking federal workers, bringing an end to one of the largest public-sector work stoppages in the nation’s history, impacting services ranging from passport renewals to immigration.

While the majority of the strikers are poised to return to work following nearly two weeks of deadlock, negotiations continue for over 35,000 workers at the Canada Revenue Agency who had also initiated a strike last month, according to the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) union’s announcement on Monday.

“During a period of record-high inflation and soaring corporate profits, workers were told to accept less – but our members came together and fought for better,” stated PSAC National President Chris Aylward. “This agreement delivers important gains for our members that will set the bar for all workers in Canada.”

Approximately one-third of Canada’s public workers, totaling around 155,000 individuals, initiated strikes on April 19, advocating for cost-of-living raises and telework flexibility.

Mona Fortier, the head of the Treasury Board and federal employer, shared on Monday that the deal was the result of “many weeks of hard work, negotiation, and compromise.” Fortier expressed gratitude for public servants across the country, emphasizing that the agreements are fair, competitive, and reasonable, bringing stability to both public servants and Canadians.

The negotiated terms include a 12.6 percent wage increase over the four-year contract period (2021-2024), slightly below the union’s desired 13.5 percent raise but surpassing the government’s proposed nine percent bump.

Addressing the issue of teleworking, crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, PSAC secured “significant new protections.” The new provisions, outlined in a letter of agreement, mandate managers to evaluate remote work requests on an individual basis rather than as a group.

In a separate statement, the union noted that the remaining 35,000 federal revenue agency workers are still on strike due to a few outstanding issues. PSAC outlined the striking workers’ demands, including language in their collective agreement to permit telework arrangements, addressing pay concerns related to cost of living and inflation, and seeking additional job safety provisions such as years of service recognition and protection against job outsourcing.

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