(Montreal) Some 35,000 union members employed by the Canada Revenue Agency across the country are voting on a strike mandate as of Tuesday.
These workers, members of the Union of Taxation Employees, affiliated with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), are called upon to vote until April 7.
In an interview on Tuesday, the national president of the union, Marc Brière, indicated that the strategy has not yet been decided on what form a possible strike would take: rotating, by department or other. He notes that an indefinite strike is “not the first option”.
A possible strike could still be called in April and create a “tumultuous” period for the production of tax returns, warns Mr. Brière.
The dispute mainly concerns wages and telework, work-family-personal life balance.
In the meantime, both parties await the report of the Public Interest Commission. This is a step in the federal negotiation process, the purpose of which is to foster a rapprochement between the parties.
For the moment, however, the negotiations are “at a standstill”, reports Mr. Brière.