🪧 Federal Civil Servants Strike
Reader Sam had two comments about the Stats – Strike Edition from yesterday:
First, the ‘$6,250 per year’ quote is incorrect at worst, disingenuous at best. The 9% TBS has offered would cover the past three years, so the total compounded increase after those three years would be $6k. The average salary increase annually for the last three years is actually $2k, and public servants are only receiving it as a lump sum because TBS is three years behind on contract negotiations.
Second, Alex Silas is much more than “an Alliance member” and a “cheerleader”. He is the PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for the National Capital Region. I know he refers to himself as a cheerleader in the article but it’s not his job title, and he deserves a lot more credit and respect as he has done a lot for the union leading up to and during this strike.
Thank you for your email, Sam.
Stats – Strike Edition
Weather: Still calm
Number: May 10. The day that Public Service Alliance of Canada will stop receiving their paycheque if they are still striking. Until then, strikers are on full pay, however, the Treasury Board could attempt to clawback money at a future date.
Participant of the Day: Rob Shepherd The Carleton University professor in the school of public policy and administration argues that the Treasury Board needs the ability to contract out work to quickly respond to needs. But that doesn't mean that union jobs should be cut for replacement workers.
Quote: ‘There’s a lot of frustration creeping in, let’s put it that way, and people have been out for a while. They’re seeing the public is not really in our corner. I think people just want to get back to work’ – Picketer Larry Leadman, who works at Statistics Canada
- The Public Service Alliance of Canada released their own open letter in response to the one from the Treasury Board. (The Open Letter)
- 5,000 to 10,000 strikers gathered on Parliament Hill this morning to rally and hear from union leaders. (Catherine Morrison in the Ottawa Citizen)
- Thanks to picketers, business is booming in Tunney’s Pasture. (Michelle Allan at CBC). And in the Downtown core as well. (Laura Osman at the Canadian Press)
- For shame, Ottawa Citizen. You run a story about dogs on the picket lines but only show two pictures? How far the Petfinder has sunk. (Bruce Deachman in the Ottawa Citizen)
- The Federal Government will not extend the deadline for tax returns despite the strike making Canada Revenue Agency employees unavailble for answering questions. The deadline for tax returns is May 1. (Daniel Otis at CTV)
🏒 Ottawa Senators
- The Sens will play two regular season games in Sweden next Autumn. The team will join the Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota Wild, and Detroit Red Wings in the overseas match, each playing two games at the Avicii Arena in Stockholm. Yes, the arena really is named after the late DJ. (CTV)
💰 Lansdowne 2.0
- The Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group says Lansdowne will generate nearly a quarter billion dollars less than it predicted. The Group argues that this makes a better case for redeveloping the area. Because of the agreement made by the previous council, the City would not have seen any more money if the original prediction was accurate. (Kate Porter at CBC)
🚌 OC Transpo
- The City is starting to remove the protective canopies for passengers at Hurdman and Tunney's Pasture LRT stations. The canopies, cheaply made from standard scaffolding equipment was installed in 2019 to protect bus riders and their jaunt between the stations and the bus stops. Council voted to remove the protective coverings from passengers March 1 and they will be replaced with nothing. The canopies should be fully removed by late May. (Ted Raymond at CTV)
🛠️ Nice pictures of a renovated house
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