PSAC workers and supporters protest in downtown Halifax on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. Canada's largest federal public-service union continues to be on strike across the country after talks with the government failed to produce an agreement. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
OTTAWA – The president of the largest federal public service union says the government isn’t budging on its contract offer to federal workers that would see a nine per cent wage increase over three years.
Chris Aylward says the government told the union by email Tuesday evening that it would not move from its latest offer, signalling a stalemate in the negotiations.
Today marks day eight since 155,000 public servants walked off the job to call for higher wages, and work-from-home provisions, among other things.
Aylward says the union has adjusted its initial ask for a 13.5 per cent wage increase to keep up inflation but he will not say what the new wage request is.
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier says in a written statement today that she wants to make an agreement quickly, but the government won’t sign an agreement that Canadians can’t afford.
The parties remain at the negotiating table while the strike continues.
Aylward called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to get personally involved in the negotiations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2023.
