Medicine Hat public servants join national strike

Strike captain, Sharon Findley, who works for Service Canada and is a member of the Canadian Employment Insurance Unit, says rising inflation is the main reason behind the strike.

“We find that because of the increasing inflation and higher cost of living, our wages are falling behind and we need to keep up,” said Findley.

The unions propose a 4.5 per cent increase in the collective for each of the next three years. She claims this makes employees able to deliver government services.

Bryan Meakin, the vice president of the northern Union of Defense Employees, he says these changes would benefit the public and help single employees supporting a family.

Meakin continues, “Some members, such as the firefighters and our SV group, are already 12 to 20 per cent behind with what the provincial counterparts are making.”

“We’re hoping that the public sees us visually and that they support us and know that we’re serious in wanting to come to a fair contract,” said Findley.

Findley says their group plans to picket until their contracts are settled, and they will take further action if the union directs them.

They also urge Mona Fortier, the president of the Treasury Board, to come back to the table to negotiate.

by Angela Kazmierczak

Medicine Hat public servants join national strike

Our Community