Government tables new offer in PSAC negotiations
The federal government has tabled a new offer at the negotiating table with Canada's largest public sector union as workers strike for a 10th day.
A spokesperson for Treasury Board President Mona Fortier called the offer "comprehensive" on Friday afternoon. They did not say whether the offer included a higher wage increase than the government's previous offer of nine per cent over three years.
Wages and remote work have been the key sticking points between the government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada. Public servants from PSAC bargaining units representing 155,000 members have been on strike since last week.
In a statement, PSAC confirmed they received the offer but expected negotiations to continue into the weekend.
"We hope to continue bargaining this weekend in order to reach a fair deal for our 120,000 federal public service members," the statement said. "Talks are also ongoing for our 35,000 members at Canada Revenue Agency."
The statement said PSAC would not provide any details or schedule any interviews until further notice.
On Wednesday, PSAC national president Chris Aylward said the union had moved off its initial wage demand of a 13.5 per cent increase over three years, but the government was refusing to budge from its offer of nine per cent.
Fortier countered by saying PSAC's demands were unreasonable and unaffordable.
Striking public servants have been escalating strike action as negotiations continue. In the national capital region on Thursday, picketers limited access to federal buildings and temporarily disrupting traffic on an interprovincial bridge.
They were out in full force again on Friday, with large crowds gathered on both the Ottawa and Gatineau sides of the river.
Earlier this week Aylward said he wanted Trudeau to get directly involved in the negotiations. Trudeau, who was in New York City this week for a trade trip, said Friday he is involved.
"I have been directly and intimately involved in the negotiations, in hearing about what discussions are going on," he said, responding to a question from a reporter at a news conference.
"I have deep faith in collective bargaining as a process," Trudeau said. "We know that our negotiators are putting forward serious offers."
PSAC's main bargaining unit has been without a contract for two years. The government's current wage offer would be backdated to 2021, with a 1.5 per cent increase that year, followed by 4.5 per cent raise in 2022 and another of three per cent in 2023.
The union initially asked for 13.5 per cent over the same time frame and while it says it has adjusted that ask, it has not said what the new request is.
In a tweet Friday morning, PSAC said it wants a raise that keeps up with inflation and insists the public sector hasn't received a raise in line with inflation in more than 15 years.
A majority of the PSAC workers were directed to work from home in March 2020 when COVID-19 began, and only a limited number had returned to in-person work in the years since. In December, Fortier issued a new directive requiring all workers to be in the office at least two days a week, but the government's unions pushed back, calling the directive unfair.
They want a policy on remote work included in their contracts.
Fortier said in an open letter earlier this week that she was offering to do a joint review of the telework policy with the unions.
Jennifer Carr, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada union, said that is a good start but it's not good enough.
"We need a binding commitment in a collective agreement, because we have seen too many instances where the employer has abandoned its promises or ignored the process after signing a memorandum of understanding with us," she said.
Carr said the government's consultation on the return-to-office directive was "abysmal" and didn't listen to the government's own advisers.
- with files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Lanny McDonald and a few old Flames take the Stanley Cup on a surprise visit to the man who saved his life
The Stanley Cup was passing through town Friday, and Lanny Legend took it upon himself to take it for a surprise visit.
Bathroom break nearly derails $22 million project at city council meeting
A brief break during Wednesday's city council meeting in Saskatoon nearly cost the city dearly.
Chad Daybell sentenced to death for killing wife and girlfriend’s two children in jury decision
Jurors resumed deliberations Saturday on whether a man should be sentenced to death after being convicted days earlier of the murders of his wife and his girlfriend’s two youngest children in Idaho.
Robert Pickton stabbed with toothbrush and broken broom handle: victim's family
The family of one of Robert Pickton's victims says the convicted serial killer suffered an incredibly violent death at the hands of another inmate.
Father who killed one-year-old son with axe may be allowed to travel in southwestern Ontario
A Mennonite father who killed his one-year-old son with an axe may be allowed to travel to parts of southern Ontario in the coming months
'It feels like freedom': Why some Albertans like going nude in nature
Few people can say they accidentally purchased a nude beach — but Shelley can. When she saw a piece of land she could fondly remember camping on was up for sale, she inquired about it and ended up purchasing it. She soon found that there were already inhabitants on it.
This Calgary home has a giant tree in the middle, and it's for sale
There's a luxury 'tree home' for sale in Calgary.
China lands spacecraft on the moon amid growing space rivalry with U.S.
A Chinese spacecraft landed on the far side of the moon Sunday to collect soil and rock samples that could provide insights into differences between the less-explored region and the better-known near side.
Pedestrian dies after being hit by train in Brockville, Ont.
Brockville Police says a pedestrian has died following a collision with a train that was heading to Toronto.