A national general strike of 155,000 federal public sector workers wrapped up this week. Over 120,000 Treasury Board workers obtained a tentative agreement May 1, and 35,000 CRA workers followed with a similar tentative agreement May 4.
The federal government raised its offer from 9% to 10% wage increases over three years, plus an additional 2.5% raise for a fourth year. The tentative agreement for TB workers also includes a one time lump sum payment for workers approaching retirement, market adjustments for certain positions and an increase to shift premiums.
“The total compounded wage increase is one of the highest negotiated in the public sector. So while it failed to keep pace with inflation it represented a much higher number than we’ve seen in recent rounds of negotiation," labour professor Larry Savage told PressProgress.
PSAC also won improved language around remote work policies in a Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU states that remote work arrangements must be decided on a case-by-case basis, instead of a one-size-fits-all policy for the entire workforce. While it seems like a minor change, labour experts note it sets an important precedent to build upon for a new era of work.
“What PSAC members say about the deal is what matters most,” Savage notes.
The reactions appear to be mixed. The Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU) is asking its 36,000 members to vote no on the deal, disappointed that wages weren't higher and remote language wasn't stronger.
The ratification votes will take awhile to schedule and carry out. Workers will have a lot to debate and consider.
It is worth noting how delicately politicians handled this strike,
including Poilievre's union-busting Conservatives, who avoided answering direct questions about whether the workers should get a raise.
"I can’t think of a time in the last 20 years when all the major federal political parties were less inclined to have a racket with PSAC and more inclined to find a way to appease them."
If anything, 155,000 workers across Canada -
many striking for the first time in their lives - learned they can force the government's hand through collective action.
The strike is a muscle. Workers have learned to flex.
