Starting from April 19, the largest strike in Canadian history will be underway as no agreement has been reached between the government and the Public
Starting from April 19, the largest strike in Canadian history will be underway as no agreement has been reached between the government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) union representing 155,000 public service workers, including those at Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The PSAC president, Chris Aylward, confirmed that public service workers will be on strike until the government addresses their key issues at the bargaining table, and over 250 picket line locations have been released across Canada. However, workers will not be able to strike from home, even though they are fighting for the right to work from home among other demands.
The strike will disrupt services at IRCC, which handles passport and immigration applications, causing delays in processing times for the nearly two million people in the pandemic backlog queue. Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) services, including the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), will also be affected. Nonetheless, Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) services are expected to remain operational as they are considered essential.
PSAC members are demanding better wages, addressing systemic racism in the workplace, the ability to work from home, and better job security. Although negotiations for better wages and working conditions started in December 2020, public service workers are still asking for these improvements.
The Canadian government, currently led by the Liberal Party, could table back-to-work legislation to end the strike if it goes on too long. However, the Liberal government would need support from other major political parties like the Conservative party and the Bloc Québécois, and the leader of the New Democratic Party, Jagmeet Singh, has already said his party would not support such legislation.
Regarding IRCC services, some will be fully or partially disrupted, including processing applications, in-person appointments or events, contacting IRCC via email, phone, or social media, and consular citizenship and passport services. However, some services will remain available, such as applying online, mailing applications to IRCC, using online accounts, and accessing some emergency services.
In addition to better wages, public servants are also demanding the ability to work from home. PSAC members reportedly make between $40,000-$60,000 CAD per year, and some are relying on food banks. Although they want to work from home, they must show up to the picket line to receive their strike pay. As negotiations are ongoing, the strike, if it happens, will be the largest against any single employer in Canadian history and would slow down government benefits, tax returns, and passport issuance, among other services.
