Striking Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) federal workers gathered at Parliament Hill to protest on Wednesday, claiming the government was delaying negotiations.. PSAC Strike 1About 1,200 Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) workers protested outside the Harry Hays Building in Calgary after the union ordered a strike. .“We have moved off our wage demand,” Chris Aylward, national president of PSAC, told a news conference on Wednesday..“The employer hasn't moved on their wage demand, and yet they're telling us that we're the ones that have to move. That's not how bargaining works.”.READ MORE PSAC strikers start blockades of ‘critical’ roads and infrastructure.Approximately 155,000 people represented by PSAC have been on strike for eight days and their representatives are negotiating with the Treasury Board (TB) for higher wages and remote work..Mona Fortier, president of the TB, expressed her disappointment with the proposals the PSAC negotiators offered on Wednesday morning..“We’re still at the table, it's just that we keep receiving unreasonable and unaffordable offers,” said Fortier..“I cannot write a blank cheque.”.READ MORE Taxpayers group demands Trudeau gov’t to stop paying striking PSAC workers.Fortier said a 9% wage increase over three years is on the table, as recommended by a third-party Public Interest Commission (PIC)..“We have a PIC report, a third party that recommended salaries at a fair advantage for the employees, and that's what is on the table,” said Fortier..PSAC wanted a pay raise of 13.5% over three years. Aylward did not specify the current wage increase PSAC wants, but mentioned by holding at 9%, Fortier “expects the union to negotiate with itself.”. PSAC .Aylward repeated his request for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to participate in the negotiations..“The prime minister has one of two choices to make. He can either get involved personally and help settle this dispute, or he can turn his back on the workers who are striking,” said Aylward..“He's the one who can help settle this dispute.”.Aylward also implied negotiators from the TB are delaying discussing remote work, although there has been some progress..“They've been telling us for a week they're working on something for remote work. We haven't seen anything yet,” said Aylward.
