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Latest news

July
10
10
July

EB bargaining: Board agrees to bypass Public Interest Commission process

The Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board has agreed with PSAC's request to bypass the Public Interest Commission (PIC) process for the EB bargaining group.

July
8
8
July

Major win: Bank of Canada decision shows that anti-scab legislation works

In a precedent setting decision, the Canada Industrial Relations Board has ruled that the Bank of Canada broke the new anti-scab legislation by using replacement workers to try to keep operating during the PSAC Local 71250 strike. After 16 days on the picket line, this is a big win for workers and clearly demonstrates that no employer, including the government, is above the law.

July
7
7
July

PSAC takes concerns about federal job cuts and employment equity to the Senate

Earlier this year, PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights to discuss employment equity in the federal public service. PSAC also submitted detailed recommendations to the committee on how the government can better protect workers from equity-deserving groups during workforce adjustment.

July
6
6
July

Return to office: no plan, no evidence, no space

Today, the federal government is forcing federal public service workers back into the office four days a week. The Secretary of the Treasury Board has admitted this mandate was a "philosophical" decision, made without any research, zero data, and zero evidence. That's not leadership. That's ignoring the evidence. 

July
3
3
July

TC bargaining: Mediation dates set for July

The Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board has informed PSAC that it will appoint a mediator following the TC group declaring impasse in May. Mediation is now scheduled for July 16-17.

July
3
3
July

July 15: Wear black to support your bargaining team 

As bargaining and mediation continues, we need to show Treasury Board that our solidarity is unshakeable and that we are not going to back down. On Wednesday, July 15, the day before our TC bargaining team begins mediation, join PSAC members across the country and wear black in support of our bargaining teams. 
July
3
3
July

CRA bargaining: Next steps following PIC bypass decision

Following the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board’s decision to bypass the Public Interest Commission (PIC) process for the CRA bargaining group, we need to ensure that every PSAC-UTE member is informed on updates as they happen.  

July
3
3
July

Parks Canada: New workforce adjustment resources and union guidance

Parks Canada has released new educational resources related to its workforce adjustment (WFA), including updated information on the workforce selection and retention exercise — formerly referred to as the selection of employees for retention and layoff (SERLO) process. These resources provide insight into how positions may be assessed and how decisions could be made as workforce changes are implemented. 

June
30
30
June

PSAC mourns loss of three wildfire responders near Fort Simpson

It is with heavy hearts that PSAC mourns the loss of three wildfire responders who died while supporting efforts to battle a wildfire near Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories. 

June
29
29
June

Grow your leadership with LEAD+: applications open

Applications are now open for LEAD+ (Leadership in Action)! 

June
25
25
June

PA bargaining: Mediation dates set for September

As the next step in the process, our PA bargaining team and Treasury Board have agreed to meet with a third-party, outside mediator on September 21–22 and 29–30 to continue negotiations on behalf of 120,000 PA Group members. 
June
24
24
June

Register now: PSAC to hold national townhalls on Treasury Board bargaining

Virtual townhalls for PSAC members in the PA, SV, TC, and EB groups will be held throughout July to discuss the current status of negotiations for each group and what to expect moving forward.

Updates

February
24
24
February

State of Phoenix: a decade later, workers are still dealing with the consequences

February 24, 2026, marks ten years since the federal government launched the Phoenix pay system. It also marks ten years since tens of thousands of federal public service workers were pushed into financial instability.

November
28
28
November

PSAC challenges unlawful collection of Phoenix overpayments through Canada Revenue Agency and collection agencies

For nearly a decade, PSAC members have been living with the fallout from the Phoenix pay system. Now, some former federal public service workers are facing new hardships as the government attempts to collect years-old Phoenix overpayments — some dating back 10 years — by referring the cases to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and private collection agencies.
August
15
15
August

Survey results show Phoenix is still stressful for two-thirds of federal workers

Nearly a decade after it was launched, the Phoenix pay system is still a daily source of stress for most federal public service workers.

May
29
29
May

Phoenix: Have you received an overpayment letter? Here’s what to know before you respond 

If you’ve received a letter from your department asking you to repay a Phoenix overpayment — especially one from years ago — you’re not alone. Thousands of PSAC members have been asked to pay back alleged overpayments, some dating back nearly a decade.
March
4
4
March

DeSousa: 9 years of Phoenix, the payroll disaster that's burning workers

The following op-ed by Sharon DeSousa, PSAC National President, was published in the Ottawa Citizen and other Postmedia papers. 
February
27
27
February

Government downplays Phoenix pay system failures while workers continue to suffer nine years later 

As the Phoenix pay system marks its ninth anniversary, PSAC continues to call for compensation for tens of thousands of federal public service workers still being impacted by pay problems.
February
13
13
February

PSAC members raise concerns with Phoenix pay system replacement 

PSAC members are already raising red flags about Dayforce, the expected pay system to replace Phoenix that’s being tested during a cross-country roadshow and virtual sessions for federal public service workers.
February
6
6
February

Phoenix failures persist as government announce they failed to meet targets — again 

The federal government has once again fallen short in addressing the ongoing Phoenix pay system disaster. On January 23, the government announced they won’t meet their target to eliminate the backlog of Phoenix cases, as only 27 per cent of the overall target has been achieved. 
December
20
20
December

Phoenix replacement Dayforce is being tested, and we need your feedback 

Public Services and Procurement Canada is currently testing Dayforce as a potential replacement for the Phoenix pay system through a series of User Awareness Sessions and the National Lobby Roadshow. These events are designed to give workers a chance to explore the platform, but PSAC has concerns about whether the results of these sessions will genuinely reflect members’ experiences.
June
24
24
June

Navigating the Phoenix adjudication process under the 2020 damages agreement 

Starting June 24, a new adjudication process is available for both current and former Treasury Board employees affected by the 2020 Phoenix pay system damages agreement. This process was negotiated by PSAC and is designed to resolve disputes quickly and efficiently if your claim for severe impacts has been denied.
March
1
1
March

State of Phoenix: eight years of the pay debacle

This week marks yet another unfortunate milestone in the history of a pay system that continues to harm hundreds of thousands of federal public service workers. From an overwhelming backlog in pay transactions to compromised opportunities for career advancement and delayed retirement plans, this pay system continues to take a heavy toll on our members.

February
29
29
February

UPDATED: Taxability of Phoenix damages – victory for members across the country

Retired and former PSAC members: If you are a retired or former PSAC member and received your Phoenix general damages payment in 2022 or

February
27
27
February

Largest federal public sector unions call for ongoing Phoenix damages on 8th anniversary

Unions representing more than 260,000 federal public sector workers are calling on the government to negotiate ongoing damages for workers who continue to be impacted by the Phoenix pay system disaster.

October
30
30
October

PSAC files policy grievances over Phoenix overpayments recovery

PSAC has filed policy grievances challenging the government’s unilateral recovery of Phoenix overpayments without notice on behalf of PSAC members working for Treasury Board, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Parks Canada.  
July
11
11
July

Public Service Employee Survey: Phoenix debacle drags on, remote work still top of mind

The results of the 2022 Public Service Employee Survey show that – even seven years on – the effects of the Phoenix pay disaster still impact a significant number of federal public service workers.