Toronto: Over 155,000 public sector employees in Canada began a strike on Wednesday after failing to reach a wage agreement with the federal government. This will affect tax filing and passport services ahead of the summer travel season.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) union said contract negotiations would continue, as it called on its members working for the Treasury Board and the Canada Revenue Agency to begin strike action at midnight.

In Ottawa, one of 250 picket lines across the country, striking activists staged a sit-in in front of Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office in front of parliament and waved Union flags. Crystal Patterson, 32, who works for the Transport Ministry’s office that organises state flights for the prime minister and others, said her main issue is getting a contract that covers the recent increase in the cost of living.

The union, which has been in collective bargaining for a new contract since 2021, had set a deadline of 9 pm (0100 GMT on Wednesday) for a deal. The PSAC says it is the largest strike against a single employer in Canadian history. “We really hoped we wouldn’t be forced to take strike action, but we’ve eliminated every other way to reach a fair contract for Canadian federal public service employees,” said PSAC President Chris Aylward.

“The union, which has been in collective bargaining for a new contract since 2021, had set a deadline of 9 pm (0100 GMT on Wednesday) for a deal.”

The PSAC says it is the largest strike against a single employer in Canadian history. “We really hoped we wouldn’t be forced to take strike action, but we’ve eliminated every other way to reach a fair contract for Canadian federal public service employees,said PSAC President Chris Aylward.”

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