April 19 2023
Today, on behalf of our 425,000 members of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), we want to send a clear message to the federal government that we support members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) who are striking for a fair and reasonable collective agreement.
Public sector workers are on the front lines delivering the services and programs Canadians rely on every day. They’re not asking for more than any worker deserves—fair working conditions, no matter where they workrav and decent pay that isn’t devoured by high inflation. They are asking for wages that will be enough to support their families and pay the their bills.
We support the members of PSAC who are pushing back against the privatization of public services through contracting out. The research is clear that contracting out work is always more costly to the public and less effective.
The implications of this round of bargaining are far-reaching and potentially devastating. When Canada’s largest employer suppresses wages for its workers, it is essentially depressing the wages for unionized and non-unionized workers in every sector. It is not what families, communities, or our economy need right now.
We urge the federal government to reconsider its offer and negotiate a fair collective agreement that benefits all of us.