The Canadian federal government has offered what it terms as a “final” proposal to the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), which represents over 155,000 federal public servants. The government has confirmed that the proposal covers all four main issues that were being discussed at the bargaining table.
Although the government has not released specific details of the proposal, it has described it as “fair, competitive, and reasonable.” The government’s team made the offer to PSAC on Friday, and it is hoped that negotiations will conclude over the weekend.
Wages have been a contentious issue between the two sides, with the government offering a nine percent increase over three years. PSAC had initially demanded a 13.5 percent increase over three years but moved away from this position. Details of the new wage offer from the government have not been released.
The government has stated that it has also presented “solutions to address priorities such as telework, seniority, and contracting without impeding our ability to deliver services to Canadians.”
The two main sticking points identified earlier this week between the two sides were remote work and hiring contractors, as well as seniority issues. PSAC confirmed receipt of the offer on Friday and hopes to reach a fair agreement for its 120,000 federal public service members. Talks are also ongoing for PSAC’s 35,000 members at Canada Revenue Agency.
This strike by public servants has been ongoing for eleven days. However, there are no pickets over the weekend.