Following the initiation of only the third strike in its history by the Public Service Alliance of Canada this week, many of its members were hesitant to discuss why they were picketing with me. This was not because they disagreed with the labor action, but rather because of their concerns about how other Canadians perceive government workers.
To put it in their own words, the strikers were worried that there is little public support for the union’s 155,000 members, and that there is a general perception that they receive high salaries, pensions, and benefits.
Like most stereotypes, this one does not accurately represent the majority of government workers. However, regardless of whether Canadians support the strike, the country is now dealing with its consequences.
[Read: Canada’s Federal Workers Strike Over R.T.O. and Pay]
As of Friday, the union members had been on strike for three days, and the country had not experienced any major disruptions. This is partly due to the fact that approximately 44,000 union members are considered essential workers and are required to continue working…
2023-04-22 05:00:05
Post from www.nytimes.com
