Negotiations between the federal government and state officials have just taken another turn as members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) have voted in favor of a timely strike mandate.

Therefore, there could be a strike in the coming weeks.

For purposes of this vote, the PSAC represents approximately 120,000 federal officials. It is the largest civil servants’ union in the country. They work in the various departments and agencies: for example, Transportation, Immigration, Veterans Affairs, and Service Canada.

This vote to strike by the unions negotiating with the federal Treasury Department comes in addition to the vote by members of the Union of Taxation Employees, also affiliated with Allianz and representing 35,000 Canadian-income workers. The PSAC announced last Friday that they had already spoken out “massively” in favor of a strike mandate.

“If PSAC members who work in the federal government resign, it will be the largest single employers’ strike in the history of the country,” PSAC national president Chris Aylward said Wednesday.

The PSAC did not want to disclose its strategy at this time, namely whether a possible strike would take the form of isolated strike days or blocs, a rotating strike by region or an indefinite strike.

“PSAC members today are sending a clear message: they want their employer to stop taking their jobs for granted, they don’t want to be poorer and they are ready to fight for change,” added Mr Aylward.

Should a strike occur, essential services such as border services, correctional services and labor insurance would need to be maintained. Corresponding talks have already taken place between the parties to name the positions that are considered essential.

“Our members will not take the decision to strike lightly. They know that a strike will be difficult, both for them and for the people who depend on the services they provide. They choose to exercise their bargaining power because they have waited long enough. Bills don’t wait. Their families can’t wait any longer. No one can wait any longer,” Mr Aylward said.

However, negotiations between the Treasury and Allianz did not collapse. The Union of Taxation Employees, for example, has scheduled further collective bargaining between April 17 and 20.

The dispute is about salary increases, teleworking and the outsourcing of public sector jobs to the private sector.

At the salary level, the alliance is calling for increases of 4.5% per year for the years 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The federal government is offering a four-year contract with 1.5% in 2021, 3% in 2022, 2% in 2024, and 1.75% in 2024, averaging 2.06% per year.

A Public Interest Commission report — a step in the state negotiation process aimed at bringing the parties together — proposed increases of 1.5% in 2021, 4.5% in 2022, and 3% in 2024.

The federal government has already indicated that it intends to reach an agreement with the PSAC in good faith, while respecting the ability of Canadian taxpayers to pay and other agreements made elsewhere.

Still, he prepared himself. “In the event of a work stoppage, certain services offered to Canadians could be delayed or unavailable. The government is committed to being transparent to Canadians about any impact on services. Information will be published canada.approx to make the public aware of the potential impact on the services,” he said.

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