Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) took to the streets outside the Indigenous Services Canada office in Prince Albert Wednesday. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

National strike

Battlefords-Meadow Lake PSAC members join strike action

Apr 19, 2023 | 6:02 PM

Battlefords and Meadow Lake area members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) are among those taking part in the national PSAC strike that started Wednesday, that’s affecting 155,000 workers across Canada.

According to The Canadian Press, PSAC is looking for a 4.5 per cent salary increase per year over the next three years, for a total of 13.5 per cent, while the Treasury Board has said it offered a nine per cent increase over three years, based on the recommendation of the third-party Public Interest Commission.

Jacqueline Maurice, PSAC regional representative for the northern part of Saskatchewan, told battlefordsNOW a large part of the issue for all PSAC members is that they have been without a contract for over two years.

“Basically, [members are] just looking for fair wages that keep up with the cost of living,” she said.

The impact of inflation is affecting members’ wages.

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“And [it’s] the fact, they, the [federal] government we bargain with, haven’t offered any increase in wages,” Maurice said.

She added since the last contract expired over two years ago, there haven’t been any wage increases in over two years.

“A lot of people have two to three jobs,” Maurice said. “They’re struggling for sure. Some people have been struggling paying their bills.”

Some of the PSAC members striking locally in the Battlefords area include Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) – Service Canada employees, and RCMP depot administrative staff. However, the RCMP will still have designated essential services staff working during the strike, in accordance with the Essential Services agreements.

There are no pickets happening in the Battlefords or Meadow Lake. Instead PSAC members from the Battlefords are carpooling to Saskatoon to join pickets there, while members in the northern area close enough to drive would likely take part in pickets in Prince Albert for this region.

Maurice said there haven’t been any updates on whether negotiation talks will continue anytime soon.

The last time PSAC members held a national general strike was in 1991.

“It seems to be becoming the norm that we are bargaining after we have expired contracts,” Maurice said. “It’s frustrating. It’s frustrating for our members who work really hard ”

Battlefords—Lloydminster MP Rosemarie Falk was critical of the federal government’s response to the labour disruption.

“The Trudeau government’s inflationary spending and waste is having a devastating impact on all Canadians including public servants. Now because of his inability to come to a deal with workers, access to basic and essential government services have been compromised,” she said in an email to battlefordsNOW Wednesday. “The Trudeau government needs to do its job – negotiate in good faith with workers to bring the labour dispute to an end and restore delivery of government services as soon as possible.”

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat said in a release Wednesday “the [federal] government has done everything it can to reach a deal and avoid disrupting the services that Canadians rely on.”

“The Government has presented a fair, competitive offer to the PSAC and responded to all their demands,” the statement said. “This includes a nine per cent wage increase over three years, as well as proposals on other important PSAC priorities such as telework, shift premiums, improved leave with pay for family-related responsibilities, and measures to support employment equity and diversity and inclusion. Even though there is a competitive deal on the table, the PSAC continues to insist on demands that are unaffordable and would severely impact the Government’s ability to deliver services to Canadians.”

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat said that essential services “that protect the safety and security of the public” will continue to be delivered during the strike, including: Employment Insurance payments, Canada Pension Plan payments, Veterans’ income support, Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement payments.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow