The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) will put pay and job-condition disputes to strike votes among 120,000 federal workers, with voting scheduled from Nov. 16, 2026, through Jan. 22, 2027.
The vote covers members of the Program and Administrative Services (PA), Technical Services (TC) and Education and Library Science (EB) bargaining groups. PSAC says members’ concerns include wages, job security, remote work and safeguards related to artificial intelligence.
The union says the Treasury Board’s April offer averages less than 1% in annual increases, or about $58 per month over the agreement. PSAC also says the employer wants workforce adjustment and dental care removed from collective bargaining. The union says the proposals would extend the span of hours in which a normal workday could be scheduled and give management more discretion.
“A strike is always our last resort,” said PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa.
The Treasury Board bargaining tracker lists negotiations with all three groups as “in progress.” PSAC reported mediation for the PA group on Sept. 29-30 and the EB group on Oct. 8-9. It said mediation for TC is scheduled for Oct. 24-25.
PSAC has not announced a strike date. The Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board says a bargaining agent may authorize or declare a strike within 60 days of a vote supported by a majority of employees who voted, subject to other statutory conditions.
Separately, Budget 2025 projects the federal public service will number roughly 330,000 at the end of fiscal 2028-29, down from nearly 368,000 in fiscal 2023-24. The budget points to attrition, earlier savings measures and additional government action as factors in the projected decline.
PSAC said 155,000 members across federal bargaining units spent 12 days on picket lines in 2023. The union plans to publish voting-session details on Oct. 28; voting closes at noon Eastern time Jan. 22, 2027.
