Our SV bargaining team returned to the table with Treasury Board on January 21–22, pressing the employer for responses to some of our key proposals. What we heard was a resounding no on some of the issues that matter most to members.  

The employer outright refused to discuss most of our proposals because they don’t fit within their newly invented bargaining framework. We reject this premise outright and strongly disagree with their position.  

By refusing to engage on priorities like job security, service levels, discrimination and harassment and abuse of authority, artificial intelligence and surveillance, and remote work, the employer is making it clear that budget constraints and overall control matter more to them than the needs, safety, and working conditions of workers. These are real issues members face every day, and they belong at the bargaining table.  

PSAC put forward proposals to strengthen fair compensation for overtime, on-call duty, and call-backs, as well as to ensure adequate time off for our frontline members. 

Compensation should reflect the level of risk, skill, and responsibility required of our SV members. Years of experience and seniority must be valued in order to promote the retention of skilled workers. We are calling for new long‑service pay that gives members a lump‑sum amount after at least five years on the job, with higher amounts for longer service.  

Employer refuses to negotiate workforce adjustment 

As thousands of PSAC members are receiving workforce adjustment notices day after day, the employer refuses to negotiate ways to reduce the impact on members. Though they acknowledge that these are challenging times, it offers little comfort when they aren’t actually willing to discuss meaningful improvements to the workforce adjustment process. 

Our team has proposed cost-effective solutions, including maximizing remote work, which would help members stay employed while reducing disruption, office space requirements, and relocation costs. We’ve also tabled proposals to increase transparency and fairness, such as clear, equitable processes for reasonable job offers. Though we have yet to receive a response, we’ll continue to push the employer to discuss these practical proposals that would make a real difference for members. 
 
More than 9,700 PSAC members have received workforce adjustment notices in the last year, including 6,900 this month alone. That doesn’t include the 5,500 term employees who were terminated early or not renewed. And with the government planning to cut 30,000 more jobs, we know many more members will be affected this year. 

Better conditions in isolated and remote workplaces 

Our team has put forward several group‑specific proposals to improve conditions in isolated and remote workplaces for SV members. These changes include updating firefighter long‑service pay to match other firefighter agreements in Canada, giving more recognition to workers with red seal or equivalent qualifications, and making pay simpler for refrigeration HVAC technicians.  

We’ve also submitted proposals to improve conditions for hospital services workers who travel to remote communities, make sure lightkeepers are not left working alone, and clearly state that both incoming and outgoing ships’ crews are paid for holidays when a crew change happens on a holiday. 

Next steps 

Our SV team meets the employer again March 11–12, 2026. We’ll continue to keep members informed as negotiations progress. Here’s how you can support our work now: 

• Read the full proposals to find out exactly what we're fighting for. 
• Get to know your bargaining team so you know who represents your interests. 
• Talk to your coworkers about what’s on the table and why it matters to you. 
• Get involved early by attending rallies, info pickets, lunch-and-learns, and mobilization events in your area. 
• Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest bargaining news as it happens. 
• Download bargaining graphics to show visible support at work and online.

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