As the Phoenix pay disaster hits the four year mark, PSAC members across Canada are holding public protests to increase pressure for government action. Their demands are simple:

• fair compensation for the hardships PSAC members have endured;
• more staff and resources to prevent new issues, resolve pay problems faster, and to stabilize the system as soon as possible.

Just this past month the Public Service Employees Survey confirmed the massive impact Phoenix has had, and the large scale of problems that remain:

• 72% said that their pay has been affected by Phoenix
• 59% experienced new pay or other compensation issues over the last year
• 51% of respondents said that Phoenix had affected their decision to seek or accept another position (e.g., deployment, promotion, secondment, assignment, acting assignment) within the federal public service
• 74% experienced stress because of pay or other compensation-related issues

Also the current backlog of almost 200,000 pay issues will take years to resolve if the government’s current pace continues, and only if there's no spike in problems.

“The numbers are staggering year after year,” said PSAC National President Chris Aylward. “The Trudeau government has to improve their meagre damages offer and agree to pay an equal cash settlement to each worker for everything they have suffered.”

“The government must invest in more staffing to reduce the number of Phoenix cases created each day, as well as to eliminate the massive backlog of pay problems.”

“Our members keep our food safe, protect our borders, and provide the critical services that Canadians depend on. Getting the pay they’ve earned, and being compensated if it doesn’t come through, is the least they deserve.”