(Montreal) Tension is mounting in the federal public service, as union members stage a final “pre-strike” demonstration Thursday in Montreal.
For this demonstration, these union members, members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), will receive the support of other unions that are also affiliated with the FTQ in Quebec, in particular the Steelworkers union.
They must demonstrate from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in front of Complexe Guy-Favreau, in downtown Montreal.
Across the country these days, thousands of PSAC members are voting on a strike mandate, to increase pressure on the federal government in negotiations to renew collective agreements.
But PSAC-Quebec has already confided that it has no doubt that it will obtain a strike mandate from its members, both at the Canada Revenue Agency and from those who work in various federal government departments and agencies.
It is not known what form a possible strike could take: rotating by region or for a given number of days or unlimited. A possible strike could be called at the end of May or the beginning of June, has already indicated PSAC-Quebec.
In the event of a strike, a certain number of union members will have to provide essential services. The unions concerned and the employer must first agree on these essential services before the strike can be exercised.
The dispute concerns salary increases, telecommuting and the outsourcing of public service jobs to the private sector.
