More than 155,000 Canadian public servants will go on strike on Wednesday if a deal is not reached with the government on wages and other demands, their union announced on Monday.
The federal employees, who work in over 20 agencies, including the Canada Revenue Agency, have been without a contract since 2021. Last Monday, they unanimously voted to go on strike, reported AFP.
According to union leaders, the two sides are at odds about salary, job security, and remote work.
Chris Aylward, national president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), said, “These workers like all workers deserve fair wages and decent working conditions. Despite some progress at the bargaining table, our members are frustrated that while negotiations drag on, they continue to fall behind.”
“We’ve already been at the table for nearly two years, and these workers can’t wait any longer. That’s why we’re setting a clock on this round of bargaining,” he added.
If a deal is not reached by 9 pm on Tuesday, a national general strike will be called starting at 12:01 am Wednesday.
Even though the PSAC is dwarfed by the larger Canadian Union of Public Employees, a strike by its members would still be disruptive.
Canadians could expect delays in the processing of income tax returns, immigration and asylum requests, passport applications, and foreign worker permits if PSAC staff strike.
Consular services and new requests for veterans’ benefits would be impacted as well.
Canada is a destination of choice for Nigerians and nationals of many other countries seeking economic and education opportunities.
In 2022, over 20,000 Nigerians gained Canadian permanent residence, according to Canada Visa.
