Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
National

Public service union to picket at locations with more impact as strike enters Day 6

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 24 Apr, 2023 10:09 AM
  • Public service union to picket at locations with more impact as strike enters Day 6

OTTAWA — One of Canada's largest labour disruptions has entered a sixth day as the union representing thousands of striking public-service workers looks to hamper access to ports.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada says more than 100,000 of its staff remain on strike, some of whom are expected to move their picket lines Monday to strategic locations more likely to have an impact on the federal government. 

"We're actually going to be escalating those actions," said Chris Aylward, the union's national president, giving the example of heightened activity at "ports across the country."

Over the weekend, both sides accused each other of obstructing negotiations and being too slow to respond to key developments. 

Aylward called on the prime minister to intervene and blasted the government for failing to reach a deal two years ago when negotiations began. 

"This screams of the incompetence of Mona Fortier as the president of the Treasury Board, and her team," he said at a press conference Saturday afternoon. 

Still, negotiations continued at a steady drip.

The union president said the Treasury Board had presented an offer on Saturday afternoon, and the union had countered with its own proposal the same day. 

Fortier's office said it made a second proposal Saturday that the union had not responded to by late Sunday.

Aylward ultimately acknowledged the government's additional offer but said it did nothing to advance the union's wage demands. The union is also fighting to enshrine other measures, such as telework, into the collective agreement.

Meanwhile, the Union of Taxation Employees, a subdivision of the public-service alliance that is separately negotiating a contract for more than 35,000 striking Canada Revenue Agency workers, said it hasn't been at the bargaining table since Tuesday. 

Earlier in their negotiations, the CRA offered a wage increase of nine per cent over a three-year period on the recommendations of the third-party Public Interest Commission. But the union has been pushing for a 20.5 per cent increase over the same time frame.

Marc Brière, the national president of the taxation employees' union, says the union is waiting for the Treasury Board to come back with a fair offer and is ready to come back to the bargaining table when that happens.

"There's been close to zero progress over the weekend, and we are very upset," said Brière.

In a statement on Friday, the tax agency said it was calling for the union to return to mediated negotiations in person, but that proposals were still being exchanged on other issues specific to the CRA.

As it digs into a limited strike fund to sustain the nearly week-long job action, the Public Service Alliance of Canada is insisting it will be able to find other financing to continue offering strike pay if the fund gets depleted.

MORE National ARTICLES

'The Last of Us' set to film in Vancouver

'The Last of Us' set to film in Vancouver
The wildly popular show stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as their characters traverse the United States 20 years after a fungal pandemic collapses society. The show, based on a video game franchise of the same name, has proved to be a boon for Alberta's film and travel sectors.

'The Last of Us' set to film in Vancouver

49 year old man dead after crash takes place in Cloverdale area of Surrey

49 year old man dead after crash takes place in Cloverdale area of Surrey
Two motorcycles were travelling east bound on Fraser Highway approaching 182 street, when they both lost control and struck the center median. The 49 year old male rider of one of the motorcycles was transported to a local area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The other rider, a male, suffered serious injuries.

49 year old man dead after crash takes place in Cloverdale area of Surrey

Drilling down on cost of federal dental care

Drilling down on cost of federal dental care
In its 2023 budget Tuesday, the government revealed the federally administered insurance program will be far more expensive over the next five years than it originally thought. It is also projecting that ongoing costs after that will more than double to $4.4 billion per year, up from $1.7 billion.

Drilling down on cost of federal dental care

Humboldt reflects five years after bus crash

Humboldt reflects five years after bus crash
The CEO of the Horizon School Division, whose term at the helm of the hockey team has ended, was unexpectedly thrust into an international spotlight after the crash. So was his community and team. Now, Garinger says, the intense focus has faded but the small Saskatchewan city east of Saskatoon is still figuring out how to exist within that legacy.

Humboldt reflects five years after bus crash

Rogers-Shaw deal gains final approval from Ottawa

Rogers-Shaw deal gains final approval from Ottawa
The largest telecommunications deal in Canadian history will go forward after Rogers Communications Inc.'s $26-billion takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. received approval from Ottawa on Friday. The green light means the deal has cleared its final regulatory hurdle just over two years after it was first announced.

Rogers-Shaw deal gains final approval from Ottawa

Liberals' online-streaming bill closer to passing

Liberals' online-streaming bill closer to passing
Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez has said his government is against the amendment because it could create a loophole for big companies to avoid following the law. The U.S. government has also raised concerns that the law could discriminate against American companies, with some U.S. senators calling for a trade crackdown.

Liberals' online-streaming bill closer to passing