35,000 Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) workers represented by the Union of Taxation Employees and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) have “voted overwhelmingly” in favour of strike action.
“Our members have sent a strong message to CRA,” PSAC National President Chris Aylward said in a statement.
“Workers can’t wait, and we’re ready to show this government we won’t let workers fall behind.”
The news comes in a busy month for many Canadians who are likely filing their taxes before the April 30 deadline.
A statement from the PSAC union suggests that the CRA workers have been without a contract for over a year as the cost of living has “continued to soar.”
“The government still has major concessions on the table, and has yet to respond to the union’s wage proposals.”
The union states that a final round of negotiations between PSAC and the CRA has been set for April 17-20 and that members at the CRA are in a legal strike position on April 14.
Marc Brière is the national president of the Union of Taxation employees who also reflected on the higher living costs.
“Our members are falling further behind as inflation soars and wages are stuck in neutral,” Brière said.
“We’ve negotiated in good faith, but our members have had enough. Our bills are mounting, and our families are feeling the pinch. And now, we’re going to show the government that workers won’t wait.”
According to Indeed, the average salary for a CRA employee ranges from around $55,000 per year for call centre reps to about $75,000 for auditors. Indeed suggests managers make upwards of $100,000 per year.
The PSAC union website suggests that employees are looking for a 4.5% wage increase each year of a three-year agreement for more than 165,000 federal public service workers who are now negotiating new collective agreements with the government.
“It is up to the federal government to step up and provide wages that meet the rising cost of living so that employers across the country follow suit and make sure that nobody falls behind.”
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