Canada's largest public sector union, feds to begin mediated talks on Sunday
The federal government and the union representing more than 120,000 federal public service workers will return to the bargaining table this weekend, as the threat of a strike looms over the talks.
The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat says the government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada will begin mediated negotiations starting on Sunday, "with the goal of reaching a deal of renewed collective agreements."
Talks will resume following a recommendation from the Public Interest Commission for the two sides to return to the bargaining table. In February, the federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board's commission recommended the federal government give PSAC members a 9 per cent raise over three years.
Last May, PSAC declared an impasse in contract talks, accusing the government of offering an "insulting wage offer." The union is seeking a wage increase of 4.5 per cent a year over three years, while PSAC said the government offered a 2.06 per cent raise.
Strike votes for members in the PSAC Program and Administrative Services, Operational Services, Technical Services and Education and Library Science bargaining group are scheduled to end on April 11.
Meantime, approximately 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency employees are holding strike votes until April 7.
In a statement, the Treasury Board Secretariat says the government is "committed" to reaching agreements that are "fair to public servants and reasonable for taxpayers."
"The Government is optimistic that discussions will be productive."
PSAC and the government began contract talks in 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.