Union threatens to disrupt Liberal party convention if CRA doesn’t offer ‘fair’ deal

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This article was published 03/05/2023 (906 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA – The union representing Canada Revenue Agency workers says its members plan to show up at the Liberal Party of Canada’s annual convention Thursday if their employer doesn’t table a “fair offer.”

Public Service Alliance of Canada representatives made the threat at a news conference about negotiations between its Union of Taxation Employees and the CRA.

“We’re telling the government today that if we do not see a fair offer put on the table today we will be at the Liberal Party of Canada convention here in Ottawa tomorrow,” said Chris Aylward, the union’s national president.

Some 35,000 CRA workers are still on strike after the union reached tentative agreements with the Treasury Board on Monday for other bargaining groups.

Aylward said the deal offered to CRA employees is less generous than what the federal government offered in those other deals.

The agreements include 11.5 per cent wage increases over four years, with an additional 0.5 per cent group-specific allowance in the third year of the contracts. The union says the compounded wage increases add up to 12.6 per cent over four years.

Aylward said the government did not give the CRA a long enough leash to negotiate the union’s core demands, including wages, until Monday.

In a statement, a press secretary for Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier confirmed negotiations have resumed with the union.

“The Canada Revenue Agency is, however, an independent and arm’s-length agency; therefore, we will not comment on the current negotiations,” Jérémy Collard said.

The Liberal party is holding its annual convention from Thursday to Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 3, 2023.