Canada Strike Continues Despite New Law
Several hundred Canadian public servants continued to picket and block traffic Thursday in some parts of the country despite Parliament’s passage of a bill ordering them to end a national walkout.
The strikers are protesting a government freeze on wages this year and an offer of only a 3% increase next year.
According to the bill, rank-and-file public servants could be fined $1,000 a day for striking. The legislation went to the Senate Wednesday after passing the Commons late Tuesday night.
The public service union represents 155,000 federal employees. About 70,000 workers carried out a 10-day strike last month but agreed to return to work on Sept. 18 after a promise that bargaining would resume. The renewed talks failed, however, and the strike began again a week ago.
About 110,000 of the union’s members were eligible to strike. Another 45,000 are considered “essential” and were legally barred from striking.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
