Canada Federal Workers Strike

More than 100,000 public-sector workers in Canada went on strike yesterday after failing to reach an agreement with the federal government over contract issues that include higher wages and work-from-home guarantees. The strike, the third of its kind in Canada in more than 30 years, disrupted a range of federal services, including tax filings and passport renewals.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada, which represents about 40% of the total Canadian government workforce, seeks wage gains of 13.5% over a three-year period, equivalent to roughly 4.5% per year, for most of its members. A segment of the union that includes workers at the Canada Revenue Agency initially sought about a 30% increase in wages over three years. In contrast, the government's counteroffer includes a wage increase of 9% over a three-year period. See a breakdown of the issues here.

Canada's last public-sector strikes of similar scale took place in 1991, lasting 13 days, and in 2004, lasting under a week.