OTTAWA - Pumped up by the resounding success of their walkout on August 15, federal public sector workers will be on strike again on August 22.  

The second national strike day by members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is aimed at keeping the pressure on the Canadian government during the current negotiations being held for 87,000 PSAC members.

"With more than 30,000 members in the streets across the country on August 15, the message was loud and clear. We will continue our action until the government starts to treat us with respect," indicates Nycole Turmel, National President of the PSAC. "All across the country, our members will take to the picket lines to send a clear message to the Federal Liberal Caucus and particularly the Prime Minister, the President of the Treasury Board and the Minister of Finance." 

"Chrétien, Robillard and Martin hold the key to a settlement. The message we want to convey to them is clear. If, as Mr. Martin indicated last week, the government recognizes the quality of our work and wants a fair settlement, they must go further than the rhetoric and table a decent wage offer, not the 2% - 2.5% offered to date. It’s a matter of justice and respect,"  concluded Turmel.

While Turmel will be in Toronto and in Quebec City to join PSAC members on the picket line, National Executive Vice-President, John Gordon, will be in Edmonton at a demonstration outside the Liberal Caucus. 

PSAC members will be on strike on August 22 and 29, even though negotiations resumed on August 21 for members of the Program and Administrative Services group (Table 1), and will resume on August 23 for members of the Operational group (Table 2). In addition to those 77,000 workers, some 1,000 members from the Education and Library group (Table 5) now have the right to strike and will join their co-workers, on August 22. The 9,000 members of the Technical Services group (Table 3) are currently completing their conciliation process and will join the strike movement within the next few weeks. 

Here are the details of the strike day :

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Information : Nancy Mitchell, PSAC communications officer - (613) 560-5482

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