OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on members of Parliament to speak out against the Union of Taxation Employees and the Public Service Alliance of Canada’s pay demands.
“When Canadians are cutting back on groceries because of inflation, MPs absolutely cannot look taxpayers in the eyes and tell them to pay for huge raises in the bureaucracy,” said Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of the CTF. “Union negotiators are demanding 30 per cent pay hikes over three years and 14 per cent annually when many Canadians are relying on food banks.”
UTE is demanding a nearly 30 per cent wage increase over three years. UTE represents employees of the Canada Revenue Agency and is threatening strike votes between Jan. 31 and April 7. That’s around the time Canadians are counting on their income tax refunds. “The UTE is a component of Public Service Alliance of Canada,” according to the CRA.
The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat stated that PSAC is also demanding “average increases, including pay and other provisions, of up to 14 per cent annually over three years across their bargaining groups.” PSAC says the union may “take our members out on strike.”
The Treasury Board “is the employer for the core public administration,” according to the government website on collective bargaining. The CRA is a separate agency, which “conduct their own negotiations for their respective unionized employees.”
Government employees receive nine per cent more than their counterparts working for a business. A total of 312,825 federal employees received a raise in 2020 or 2021. A record number of Canadians used food banks last year.
“Union negotiators need to ask themselves whether it’s right to tell their neighbours to pay for huge raises when everyone’s struggling,” said Terrazzano. “MPs must stand up for their constituents against the government union negotiators.”
Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director
Email: fterrazzano@taxpayer.com
Twitter: @franco_nomics
