Draft:1991 Public Service Alliance of Canada strike
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The 1991 Public Service Alliance of Canada strike was a strike by federal public sector workers in Canada, represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
Background
[edit]The federal public sector in Canada consists of
Many federal public sector workers in Canada are represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada trade union, the largest federal public sector union.
In the 1984 Canadian federal election, the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada led by Brian Mulroney won a majority in the federal House of Commons, and would be re-elected with a second majority in 1988. Mulroney's government would institute a range of significant economic reforms, including major free trade agreements and privitisation of many Crown corporations. It would also introduce a number of federal public sector reforms aimed at reducing red tape and public sector costs, including the Public Service 2000 initiative.
The early 1990s saw a significant economic recession across many Western countries, including Canada. By 1991, the unemployment rate in Canada was over 10%.[1]
History
[edit]Prelude
[edit]In February 1991, federal Minister of Finance Michael Wilson announced that the government would be implementing a wage freeze for all federal public sector workers in an attempt to save $685 million in the federal budget.[1]
Strike
[edit]At midnight, on 9 September 1991, 110 000 federal public sector workers walked off the job, launching the strike. 45 000 federal public sector workers who were members of PSAC had been blocked from joining, being designated essential workers by the government.[1] The workers in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, the first time zone to go on strike, marked the beginning of the strike by throwing an effigy of Brian Mulroney into the Atlantic Ocean.[3]
Back to work legislation
[edit]On 17 September, Mulroney introduced legislation to the House of Commons that would make the strike illegal and force the workers to return to work. The legislation would issue fines of 1000$ each day to workers who continued to stirke, and also mandated a wage freeze in 1991 and restricted any pay raises in 1992 to a maximum of 3%.[8] In the face of the legislation and government promises to resume negotiations, the PSAC announced that it would end the strike.[9]
Although the end of the strike was widely observed, a few hundred federal public sector workers would continue to form small picket lines protesting against the back to work legislation through the first week of October.[10]
The PSAC strike fund was largely depleted by the strike, which saw the union pay $16 million over its course. In the aftermath of the strike, the PSAC raised annual dues by $60.[1]
Reactions
[edit]According to Joanne Laucius of the Ottawa Citizen, the end of the strike left federal public sector workers "having gained little and feeling bitter towards both the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the government."[1]
Aftermath
[edit]Another significant federal public sector strike would occur in 2023, the 2023 Canadian federal worker strike.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Laucius, Joanne (11 April 2023). "What happens if 155,000 federal public service workers go on strike?". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ "Canadian public servants prepare for strike action". UPI. 29 August 1991. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ Watson, Laurie (9 September 1991). "Federal workers strike". UPI. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ Ulbrich, Jeffrey (10 September 1991). "CANADA'S GOVERNMENT WORKERS STRIKE". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ "Public Service Workers' Strike Disrupts Life in Canada". The Los Angeles Times. 10 September 1991. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ Woutat, Donald (11 September 1991). "Massive Strike Continues to Disrupt Canada". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ Farnsworth, Clyde H. (11 September 1991). "NO PROGRESS SEEN IN CANADA STRIKE". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ Farnsworth, Clyde H. (17 September 1991). "Mulroney Acts to Crush Strike by Federal Workers". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ "Canadian Strike to End but Talks to Go On". The New York Times. 18 September 1991. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ "Canada Strike Continues Despite New Law". The Los Angeles Times. 4 October 1991. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/1.5426734
- ^ Cross, Robert (11 April 2023). "Past PSAC strike action photos". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ "Retour sur la grève de 1991 dans la fonction publique fédérale". Radio Canada. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2024.