The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) reached a tentative agreement with the federal government in late June 2021, after more than two years of negotiations and several months of strike actions and work-to-rule campaigns. The agreement covers over 140,000 federal public service workers, including employees of the Canada Revenue Agency, Canadian Border Services Agency, Parks Canada, and many others.
The tentative agreement includes several significant gains for PSAC members, including wage increases of 2% per year for three years, improvements to job security, and new provisions for family leave, extended health benefits, and mental health support. It also provides for pay equity for several job classifications, which has been a longstanding issue for PSAC members.
The agreement was reached after a long and difficult negotiation process, which was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the federal government`s focus on pandemic response and recovery efforts. The negotiations were also impacted by the federal government`s decision to unilaterally implement changes to some working conditions in 2019, which had prompted PSAC to launch a legal challenge and a series of job actions.
PSAC members have yet to ratify the tentative agreement, and the union is encouraging members to review the details and provide feedback before the ratification vote, which is expected to take place in the coming months. The agreement also does not cover some PSAC members, such as those working for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Forces, who have separate collective bargaining processes.
The tentative agreement represents a significant step forward for PSAC members and the federal public service as a whole, and it highlights the important role that unions play in protecting workers` rights and improving their working conditions. It also demonstrates the ongoing challenges that workers face in negotiating fair and equitable contracts with employers, especially in the context of economic and social upheavals like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Overall, the psac tentative agreement is a positive development for both PSAC members and the wider public service workforce, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of strong collective bargaining and the need to address systemic issues like pay equity and job security.