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Hundreds of Canadian military base workers could strike on Monday

PSAC workers walk the picket on Friday, April 28, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito) PSAC workers walk the picket on Friday, April 28, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)
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Hundreds of workers in Canadian military bases will walk off the job Monday if an agreement can't be reached, their union says.

The union, representing food, retail, recreation and insurance staff, is demanding wage increases and better job security. It also wants wages standardized across the country to ensure “workers get equal pay for equal work.”

“Many of them barely make minimum wage, and are working two jobs just to make ends meet,” wrote Chris Aylward, president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), in a Thursday press release.

“These workers deserve wages that are on par with the rest of the federal public service,” he added.

The workers are part of the Non-Public Funds agency, which is a distinct body within the federal public service. Each union is required to negotiate its own contracts, resulting in pay scales that are “wildly inconsistent” across the country.

Late last year, union members, on average, voted 94 per cent in favour of a strike. Workers in Quebec and Ontario have been without a collective agreement since 2022, according to the union.

On Monday, Quebec staff stationed in Bagotville, Montreal St-Jean, and Valcartier bases will strike alongside Ontario workers in Ottawa, Petawawa, and Kingston.

That is unless negotiators can reach a deal before then.

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