PSAC says tentative agreement reached for 120,000 workers

The Public Service Alliance of Canada has reached a tentative contract agreement with the Treasury Board covering more than 120,000 federal government workers across the country.

The national strike is now over for Treasury Board workers, specifically members of the PA, SV, TC and EB bargaining groups, who are required to return to work May 1st at 9 a.m. Eastern Time or their next scheduled shift.

PSAC says strike action continues for 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency workers nationwide, with contract negotiations ongoing.

The union said the tentative four-year deal includes wage increases totalling 12.6 per cent, along with a one-time, lump sum payment of $2,500.

PSAC said the deal also gives members access to added protection when the employer makes arbitrary decisions about remote work, and addresses its demands regarding seniority rights in the event of layoffs.

Public servants hit picket lines at locations across the country beginning April 19th in what the union said was one of the biggest job actions in Canadian history.

Service disruptions loomed large during the job action, from slowdowns at the border to pauses on new employment insurance, immigration and passport applications.

Initial negotiations on a new collective agreement initially began in June 2021, and the union declared an impasse in May 2022, with both parties filing labour complaints since.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2023.

The Canadian Press