More than 200 federal public workers gathered by the entrance to CFB Comox Wednesday (April 19) morning as the Public Service Alliance of Canada went on strike after it failed to reach an agreement with its employer - the Government of Canada.
Camille Soper, president of UNDE 21007 (Union of National Defence Employees) and strike captain for the PSAC said because the Treasury Board has not met the union’s demands, a general strike was called April 18.
That means 155,000 public servants are on strike across Canada except for those considered essential, she added.
At the entrance to the base in Comox, Soper noted employees striking include Department of National Defence employees such as cooks, cleaners, administrative clerks, tradespeople, vehicle maintainers and civilian aircraft maintainers. Other federal department employees were also present on the picket line from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Service Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency.
Soper said the strike has brought staffing down a bit in some departments, and the public will see some services reduced.
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“We’re just asking the public to be patient - there will be delays but it’s not (a full) shutdown.”
Workers on the picket line will be present in front of the base between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Wage increases have been top of mind at the table, with the union pushing for annual raises of 4.5 per cent over the next three years. It says the increases are necessary to keep pace with inflation and the cost of living.
The Treasury Board says it offered the union a nine per cent raise over three years on Sunday, on the recommendation of the third-party Public Interest Commission.
“We’re trying to be as least disruptive as we can … we want the public to support us … but we also want to make a statement to say that we’re here because we’re not getting offered fair wages,” noted Soper.
- With files from The Canadian Press
photos@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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