The federal government has not been able to reach a deal with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) by their 9 pm deadline and a strike will commence at midnight tonight.
PSAC represents roughly 35,000 workers at the Canada Revenue Agency and 120,000 employees in a variety of departments, including tradespeople, teachers, firefighters, Employment Insurance and Immigration workers.
Canadians can expect serious delays and longer wait times in the last weeks before the tax deadline, especially those filed on paper.
National PSAC President Chris Aylward said the bargaining teams would remain at the table throughout the strike.
Aylward told reporters on Monday that workers are prepared to strike for “however long it takes.”
The union and the federal government have made progress over the last few weeks but still have major disagreements that have not been addressed such as wages and remote work, said Aylward in a Monday morning press conference.
After PSAC members voted overwhelmingly in favour of striking earlier this month, a spokesperson for the CRA told Global News that there is no plan to extend the deadline for Canadians who still need to file their taxes.
The Union of Taxation Employees requested a 14-month backdated pay raise of 4.5%, a 2-month backdated pay raise of 8%, a future pay raise of 8% and a one-time pay increase of 9%, adding up to nearly 30% in raises.
