Windsor-Essex resident unable to renew passport on first day of PSAC strike

Windsor public workers show solidarity Hundreds of local public services workers are on strike, and many residents will feel the effects. Bob Bellacicco explains how.

Hundreds of local public service workers are on strike and many residents will feel the effects.

About 100 workers were at City Hall Square outside of the Service Canada office picketing Wednesday. A few hundred more set up at the taxation centre on University Avenue.

“Services will be slowed but there are essential workers that are required to work but services will be at a reduced capacity,” said Barry Lamont, a representative for the Canadian Employment Immigration Union. “Some workers are deemed essential and they will be working and helping out members of the public.

Not everyone is going to receive help, Kelvin Lacson found that out Wednesday.

“I have no idea when I'm going to be able to renew this again,” he said.

Lacson was turned away by the passport renewal office on Ouellette Avenue.

“They told me that they were not gonna be able to renew my passport at all so this is my only free time. I guess I'm walking away,” said Lacson, who has until June to renew. “I asked them if they have an estimate when they'll be done. No one knows.”

Workers want to be back serving the public.

“We don't want to be out here but we will stand in solidarity with our PSAC (Public Service Alliance of Canada) brothers and sisters across the country today,” said Jennifer MacPherson, local president for the union of taxation employees.

Lamont says, like all Canadians, PSAC workers are being hit by inflation.

“The average federal worker makes between $40-60,000. We're not high paid government employees,” she said.

“Some of them are single parents with children and have to carry second jobs at this point.”

MacPherson says workers haven't had a raise since late 2020.

“We have members that are hurting and we need to make sure we offer something concrete in order to help them with their cost of living and improve their quality of life as well,” she said.