Union Leaders Reject Government’s Offer to End Canada Revenue Agency Strike

Union leaders representing 35,000 striking Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) employees have rejected the government’s latest offer, saying it falls short of the deal reached on Monday with 120,000 other public servants. According to the Union of Taxation Employees, the CRA workers remain on strike because of the agency’s refusal to resolve key issues, such as telework and fair wages. The CRA’s latest offer was described as “a slap in the face” by Marc Briere, the UTE president, who said that their members are “really pissed off and tired of waiting.”

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) launched a nationwide strike on April 19 on behalf of around 155,000 workers, which led to the CRA employees’ strike. On Monday, PSAC and Treasury Board reached a tentative agreement to end the strike, which included a 12.6 per cent compounded wage increase over four years. However, the UTE rejected the offer, and the union leaders threatened to attend the Liberal Party of Canada convention in Ottawa on Thursday if a fair deal is not tabled.

PSAC national president Chris Aylward expressed his frustration, saying that “enough is enough” and that “our members need to get back to work and serving Canadians.” He added that the CRA’s current offer is less than the deal reached on Monday with Treasury Board units, and he doesn’t know why the agency is playing this game.

In a statement, a spokesman for Minister of National Revenue Diane Lebouthillier confirmed that in-person talks had resumed, but he refused to comment on the negotiations, stating that the CRA is an independent and arms-length agency. The union initially demanded pay raises of 22.5 per cent over three years, which they say would keep up with the cost of inflation. Although the union has compromised, Aylward did not reveal the current demands of both sides.