Dear USJE members:
As PSAC’s National General Strike continues, we want to thank each of you for your support and solidarity to ensure better working conditions for the over 150,000 public service employees represented by PSAC.
We know that many of USJE’s members continue to work as essential employees given their role in upholding public safety, but we recognize that every workplace is feeling the impact of the strike one way or another.
Yesterday, Treasury Board President Mona Fortier released an open letter identifying four main areas where progress still needs to be made at the bargaining table. PSAC National President, Chris Aylward, confirmed these areas remained major sticking points.
Among the most key is hybrid work arrangements. The reality is that the federal government under-estimated the enormous value that federal public service employees have placed on tele-work, as well as fair compensation that keeps up with the cost of inflation.
USJE members have made it clear in no uncertain terms that the arbitrary manner in which federal employees were mandated back to the work site in March, with little to no flexibility, was and remains unacceptable.
Federal public service employees have demonstrated that working off site can be equally, if not more, productive and that there needs to be a more robust process for evaluating hybrid work arrangements.
Even with the PSAC being at the bargaining table for the past two weeks, there is still work to be done. Strike action is truly our last but only recourse at this stage in order to reach a fair contract. Our members deserve a collective agreement that will not put them further behind and one that demonstrates respect and value for their work.
I want to thank all USJE’s locals for their many efforts to help support strike lines across this country and for responding to members inquiries and questions.
I would like to inform you that USJE’s National Executive will be having a special virtual meeting this evening to discuss the status of the strike and how we can continue to support our members in the coming days.
We know that for many of USJE’s members, a national strike is disruptive and financially stressful. We hope that the federal government will demonstrate a willingness to bargain in good faith and offer an agreement that will respect our members.
In the meantime, please take an opportunity to reach out to a colleague or fellow USJE member in the next 24 hours to let them know that we are in this together and will come out of this strike even stronger!
USJE is here with you every step of the way!
In Solidarity!
David Neufeld
National President