Public servants happy to return to work after 12-day strike

Several public servants who have been on strike for the past 12 days say they're excited to go back to work after the Treasury Board and the Public Service Alliance of Canada reached a tentative contract agreement early Monday morning. 

"I'm over the moon. I'm super happy to go back to work and I'm very happy for this success. We did it all together," said Kal Battepatti, a public servant who works with Health Canada.

Battepatti told CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning he was just getting ready to head out to the picket line when he heard the news. 

The strike is now over for more than 120,000 federal public servants who are part of the Treasury Board group, but 35,000 workers at the Canada Revenue Agency remain on strike as negotiations continue. 

The national strike began on April 19, which disrupted government services including taxes, passports and immigration.

In a statement on its website, PSAC said the tentative agreement includes wage increases of 12.6 per cent compounded over four years, a one-time pensionable lump sum payment of $2,500 and language on remote work.

Battepatti said he was happy with the proposed wage increase, calling it a "very good offer."

The new language on remote work gives members "additional protection" from "arbitrary decisions," and it requires managers to assess requests individually instead of by group. 

As someone who has a three-hour commute every day, Battepatti said he finds it "promising."

"One-on-one is better than not having anything at all, right," he said, referring to the case-by-case process.

"I mean, when everybody's on the same boat and you're all asked to come two days a week — this is much better."

More details on agreement needed

Crofton Steers, a communications manager with the Department of Justice, said he was "happily frazzled" when he heard the news. 

"We're still trying to figure out some bits and pieces. I'm really happy and I think we're all really happy to be going back to work," he said. 

Steers said, as a manager, he's had to implement the Treasury Board's ruling around working in the office at least two days a week. He said he's curious to know how managers will revisit the new language surrounding remote work and what that will look like. 

The deal has brought him "peace of mind" for a prolonged period, which Steers said makes him feel positive. 

"It would be nice if, in the future, the lesson learned from this is that negotiations happen well before agreements," he said, adding he is "in solidarity" with CRA workers who remain on strike.

Carolyn Eaves, a case processing officer with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, said even though she's going back into work, she's also standing behind CRA workers who are still on strike. 

"I just want to support them as best as I can," she said, adding she might join a picket line during her lunch break.