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Bargaining updates
PSAC and Ingenium have been negotiating a new collective agreement for over a year.
On June 11 and 12, 2026, the Bargaining Team met in conciliation with the employer. However, we continue to see no progress on such key issues as wage increases during conciliation and have initiated strike votes on June 18 and 19, 2026 to escalate our pressure tactics and win a fair deal for members of local 70401.
We are optimistic that the key outstanding issues in bargaining can be resolved without resorting to a strike but we are preparing to undertake one as the best way to prevent a strike is to be ready for one. A strike is always a last resort.
The last scheduled date for conciliation is June 24, 2026.
The major sticking points for this round of bargaining include a wage increases that keep pace with the rising cost of living, as well as a market adjustment to address wage disparities between Ingenium employees and workers at comparable federal museums in the Ottawa-Gatineau region.
Other key issues include:
- Protections against artificial intelligence
- Internal career advancement opportunities
- Access to additional vacation and personal leave
Yes. The terms of your current collective agreement continue to apply while negotiations are underway, even after it expires.
Your collective agreement remains in effect until a new agreement is reached. However, the collective agreement is no longer in effect once a strike is called.
Strike mandate vote sessions
Calling a strike vote is a tactic in the union’s toolbox that we can use to put additional pressure on the employer to reach a deal. A “yes” vote gives your bargaining team a strong mandate as leverage to pressure Ingenium to address our issues in bargaining.
Going on strike is never our first choice, and a strike vote doesn’t mean PSAC will automatically call a strike. A ‘yes’ vote means PSAC is authorized to call strike action as a possible escalation, when all other efforts fail to secure a deal.
We will be holding an online information session in advance of the strike vote dates. It will take place today, June 16 at 7:00 p.m.
Info session on June 16, 7:00 p.m.
We urge you to attend this information session and then join us virtually at one of the two strike vote dates in voting in support of our Bargaining Team and a fair contract. Note: You must register ahead of time to be able to vote.
Session 1: June 18, 7:00 p.m.
Session 2: June 19, noon.
If you have questions about the voting process, please contact your Local Executive or Bargaining Team.
Yes. All employees in the bargaining unit are eligible to participate in the strike vote, including those who are currently on leave with or without pay.
This includes employees on parental leave, sick leave, long-term disability leave and other approved leaves of absence.
A successful strike vote means that a simple majority (50% + 1) of members in your bargaining unit who cast a ballot and voted in favour of strike action.
Possible strike action
We are scheduled to return to the bargaining table June 24, 2026.
If we don’t reach a deal, and we receive a strike mandate from members when voting closes Friday, June 19 at 1pm, we will be in a legal strike position. However, this does not mean we will immediately go on strike. The Federal Conciliator assigned to our dispute has indicated that the earliest we can stage a legal job action is August 5th.
The Regional Strategy Coordinating Committee (RSCC) coordinates all PSAC resources and activities in support of bargaining teams and in the event of a strike. Members of each bargaining team sit on this committee. The RSCC will weigh our strategic options and factor in whether or not negotiations are progressing before making a recommendation to the national president, who under the PSAC Constitution has the authority to call a strike.
Some examples of strike action include:
- Strategic strike: A work stoppage by 10% of the bargaining unit at several key locations that will have the greatest impact.
- Rotating strike: A series of surprise, one-day walkouts at strategic locations.
- General strike: A work stoppage by all PSAC members in a particular bargaining unit.
PSAC and Local leadership will develop a plan and determine when, where and for how long strike actions will happen. For more information on the PSAC strike structures, please see the PSAC Strike Manual.
Strikes by PSAC members in the past brought about major improvements that members enjoy today.
In 1980, tens of thousands of PSAC members launched a strike against Pierre Trudeau’s Liberals leading to groundbreaking maternity leave benefits and, soon after, the 93 per cent top-up.
In 1991, PSAC members walked off the job in the largest strike in Canadian history up to that point and brought about major gains in job security through what is known today as the Workforce Adjustment Directive.
In 2001, the ‘Workless Wednesdays’ strike against Jean Chrétien’s Liberals led to the current Treasury Board policy requiring the conversion of term employees to indeterminate status after three years. It also led to the creation of the Joint Learning Program, which has resulted in major improvements in combating discrimination and harassment and addressing mental health in the workplace.
In 2021, FB members held a work-to-rule strike which lasted one day, and won workers an eight per cent wage increase, better protections against excessive discipline in the workplace, leave improvements and paid meal compensation for uniformed officers.
In 2022, 170 members at the Office of the Auditor General in Ottawa went on strike for 128 days – a long, difficult strike that put an incredible strain on their employer and ultimately won members a revamp of their pay grid and paid domestic violence leave, among other achievements.
In 2023, tens of thousands of PSAC members went on strike at Treasury Board and the Canada Revenue Agency and secured a better wage deal, a pensionable lump sum payment, stronger remote work protections, improved leave provisions, protections against contracting out, safer and more inclusive workplaces and seniority protections.
No. If you are part of a bargaining unit that’s on strike and haven’t been declared an essential worker, you cannot work during a strike. Members who attempt to work during a strike undermine the union’s position and can cause the strike to last longer or the final deal to be less than we’re asking for.
This is also the case for members who work remotely. Continuing to work remotely during a strike is considered crossing the picket line and is a violation of section 25 of the PSAC Constitution.
PSAC’s Constitution outlines disciplinary action that can be taken against members, including “a fine that equals the amount of daily renumeration earned by the member, multiplied by the number of days that the member crossed the picket line, performed work for the employer, or voluntarily performed struck work.”
If you notice a member who is not respecting the strike action, speak to them and make sure they are aware of the situation and expectations, and talk to them about what’s at stake. When we work together, we apply maximum pressure on the employer, which can lead to a shorter and more successful strike.
Pay during a strike
Your employer is required to pay you for work performed before the start of a strike. Once a strike begins, the employer may stop paying employees until the strike ends and members return to work.
Strike pay is applicable if we withdraw our services by going on strike.
Strike pay is governed by Regulation 6 in the PSAC Constitution. Members are expected to provide a minimum of four hours of work per day in support of the strike to qualify for strike pay.
Members who usually work 20 hours or more each week will receive $100 per day, to a maximum per calendar week of $500.
Members who usually work LESS than 20 hours per week will receive $70.66 per day, to a maximum per calendar week of $353.30.
You’ll need to add in sign your union card if you are not a full member (RAND) to receive strike pay. Sign up here.
Strike pay is non-taxable.
In the event of a strike, PSAC will process strike pay weekly and distribute cheques to members on the picket line.
Taking strike action is a last resort but it is sometimes necessary. It is important that every member participate – this gives the bargaining team maximum leverage at the table, which will help win a fair collective agreement quickly.
Lastly, because of the strong impact any strike action by our members would have on Ingenium operations, we believe that if we act collectively a strike is unlikely to last long.
If you are a term employee, you are part of the bargaining unit and therefore eligible to participate in the strike vote and expected to join the picket line.
Make sure you have signed your union card and PSAC has your contact information by following the information listed below.
If you are on an acting assignment outside of the bargaining unit, you are not eligible to participate in the strike vote or take strike action.
Everything you do in the workplace – no matter how big or small – to show the employer you support our bargaining team makes a difference as we push for a fair contract. Every action is reported up the chain and pushes the Employer to come to the table with a fair offer.
There are many ways to support the bargaining team – members can wear buttons and stickers and display use virtual union backgrounds for video calls. Contact your Local Executive for more information on how to get involved.
The impact on the future pension for a member who participates in a strike is to push back — by the number of days on strike — the date on which the member completes the required years of service to qualify for a pension.
While the time participating in a strike cannot be bought back, it is not considered as a break in pensionable service for the purposes of calculating a member’s best five consecutive years of highest paid service.
If the company declines to maintain employee benefits during a strike, PSAC will arrange for a benefit plan to cover members throughout the strike.
There is no impact on your seniority standing.
You can update your contact information online by logging in to PSAC’s member portal or creating an account.
If you have any issues logging in or creating your account, please reach out to our dedicated team by visiting the Contact Us page and choosing “PSAC online account help” from the dropdown menu.
Next steps
If you have any other questions, please contact your Local President or Vice-President, or your PSAC Regional Office (email PSAC-NCR-AFPC-RCN@psac-afpc.com or call 819-777-4647 or 613-560-2560); or refer to the PSAC Strike Manual.
You can also participate in a strike and essential services training session, which will expand on many of these themes in more detail. Training sessions are being scheduled. Stay tuned for more information.
We make tremendous gains when we exercise our right to strike. It’s one of our most effective tools to ensure the employer understands we deserve respect and listens to our demands. Keep these things in mind when you speak with your family, people in your community, and other union members. We are stronger together.