How labour activism brings us together and helps build our union

PSAC’s national general strike for federal workers was an historic moment in the history of our union. Over 100,000 members came together and took collective action – on and off the picket lines – winning new collective agreements that raised the bar for all PSAC members and for every worker in Canada. 

This could not have been accomplished without the help of thousands of PSAC members from coast to coast to coast who rose to the challenge and took on leadership roles – in small ways and in big ways – during the strike. 

Jessica Dagasso works at the Service Canada office in Nanaimo, BC, and volunteered on short notice to help deliver supplies and coordinate picket lines across northern Vancouver Island.  

“It was a steep learning curve,” she said. “But it felt great – being able to show up at our smaller, more isolated picket lines and provide the support that members needed. As a younger worker, I felt empowered.” 

Odeisa Stewart, also a newer member, hired during the pandemic at Employment and Social Development Canada in Dartmouth, NS was encouraged to help lead the strike in her area. She estimates there were approximately 2,000 members on the picket lines in Dartmouth. 

“Sometimes people see something in you which you don’t even see yourself. I’ll use this as a learning experience,” she said with a laugh. “And I did learn a lot about problem solving.” 

“I also learned a lot about myself and about solidarity. I feel like there’s going to be a time where we’re all called upon to have a hand in making the world better. It takes a village – we need to keep being kind and support each other in any way we can.” 

Zaniel Braun works at CRA in St. Catharines, Ontario and had never been part of a strike before. She helped organize a picket line that slowed truck traffic at the Peace Bridge. 

“It was challenging,” she said. “There was a lot of nervous energy. I realized you’re never going to be fully prepared for things in life, but by pulling together, we can do it. We can stand up and be seen. The support from members and the public was incredible.” 

Stéphanie Rochon works at Public Services and Procurement Canada and helped coordinate picket lines in Quebec City, making sure members stayed informed, keeping morale up, and organizing events. 

“I just wanted to make sure everyone was OK while we were out there, because the first week was very cold,” she recalls. “Every day I made sure to check in with everyone and keep them up to date. I feel it gave us all a strong sense of community. After the strike, this had a really positive impact in our workplace. My local is stronger now.” 

Matthew Di Nicolo works for Employment and Social Development Canada in Vancouver, British Columbia where he coordinated several picket lines because, in his words: “If there’s a job that needs to be done, someone needs to do it. We are the union. So, I volunteered.” 

“We were all working towards something,” he says. “I don’t think anyone’s forgetting the strike anytime soon. Everyone knows who our union is now, everyone knows what we’re about. The way the world is going – let’s face it – there are more strikes. Workers are standing up for themselves. It was hard, but I’m glad we were a part of that.” 

Deanna Allain works for CRA and lives in Hamilton, Ontario where she helped coordinate the picket line at the federal building. As a teenager, Deanna successfully lobbied the provincial government for improved accessibility legislation – when the strike came, she knew first-hand that taking action gets results. 

“I’m a Gen Z, who is very new to the workforce,” she says. “I’d never been in a union before, but I had experience with – and honestly, I loved – grassroots activism. I know what people working together can accomplish. The labour movement is defined by people who care enough to take action. We won some important things during the strike, and I was glad to be a part of helping move things forward.” 

Martin Trudel-Racine is a deckhand for the Coast Guard, based in Québec. He’s the president of his local and took the lead coordinating picket lines in the eastern part of the province. After the strike, Martin says his members feel like they’re part of a broader movement. 

“During a strike you feel like you’re not alone in this, you feel you have the power,” he said. “I think the strike was like a muscle – the government saw us use it – and we have to keep using that muscle to keep it in good shape between rounds of bargaining. That’s how we’ll continue to make gains.”  

PSAC'S national strike unleashed a wave of activism and energy within our union and built the blueprint for future contracts for all PSAC members. Now, we need to keep exercising our union strength. Here are some ways you can get involved and help continue to build our union and make a difference in your workplace. 

Participate in your Area Council: Area Councils are the political arm of our union. They give members a place to get involved in PSAC campaigns, act on political issues, work on broader union or social justice issues, and talk to government at all levels to make positive change. 

Join a Regional Women’s Committee: PSAC’s women have always pushed the union to deal with tough problems, find better ways to be effective, and include members who haven't been as active before. Women's Committees help make our union more inclusive, based on fairness and equality. 

Get involved in a Regional Human Rights Committee or Regional Equity Committee: Even though PSAC has done a lot to advance human rights in our union and in our communities, there’s still more to do. Even as our membership becomes more diverse, some members still face barriers in our union and workplaces. Human Rights Committee members identify and work on issues that affect equity-seeking groups. 

Participate in a Young Worker’s Committee: If you're 35 or under, this is your place to meet and talk with other young workers, share experiences, talk about common challenges, discuss work and union issues that are important to you, and plan for the future of our union. 

Take a leadership role within your local: Locals are like the building blocks of our union. They're where members connect with the union, where they go for help, push back against workplace problems, choose their representatives, and keep our union visible in the workplace. Being a leader in your local can make a big difference. 

Get in touch with your regional office to find out more.