Photo source: Library of Parliament / Bibliothèque du Parlement: Jonathon Harrington, 2019
Workers at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) have voted in favour of strike action Friday ahead of mediation talks set to take place later this month.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), which together with its subcomponent the Union of Taxation Employees represents 35,000 CRA workers said members voted “overwhelmingly” for strike action, and will be in legal strike position as of April 14. The union is seeking wage increases, more flexibility on remote work and improved job security and work-life balance.
A strike could potentially disrupt tax filing. The deadline to file taxes is May 1, 2023.
The background as to why the public service is on the verge of a nation wide strike, Windspeaker Radio Network reached out to the prairie branch of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and spoke with Regional Vice-President Marianne Hladun
Better working conditions, ability to work from home, which many had adjusted to due to the COVID-19 Pandemic which forced many public service workers to work from home until last January when the government of Canada required workers back into office spaces.
Hladun explains why remote work is an important in the public service sector.
A major issue which Hladun explained to Windspearker Radio Network is that discrimination in the public sector is still a big problem and PSAC wants it addressed.
Nine different government agencies will be affected by the strike including the Canadian Revenue Agency and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.
It is unknown what services will be affected if there is a potential strike but, the CRA will not be extending the May 1st deadline for Federal taxes.
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