PSAC Strike Votes: 120,000 Federal Workers to Ballot Nov 16 to Jan 22

The Public Service Alliance of Canada said on October 21, 2026 that 120,000 federal public service workers will hold strike votes from November 16, 2026 to January 22, 2027. The workers are in three bargaining groups: Program and Administrative Services, known as PA, Technical Services, known as TC, and Education and Library Science, known as EB.

PSAC said dates, locations and registration details for information and voting sessions will be shared on October 28. Members will receive their voting credentials by email.

What the union president said

PSAC national president Sharon DeSousa said: "We want to negotiate a fair deal, but by pushing pay cuts and refusing to discuss any of our key issues, Treasury Board has given us no choice but to take strike votes."

Talks between PSAC and Treasury Board have run for about a year and a half. PSAC says the employer has refused to address job security, remote work and AI protections, three of the union's key issues in this round.

The pay dispute

PSAC says Treasury Board made a wage offer in April that averages less than 1% per year. The union describes the offer as about $58 a month over the agreement. The offer included 2% in 2025, then 0.5% in 2026, 2027 and 2028.

PSAC is seeking 4.75% per year for three years.

The dispute goes beyond pay. PSAC says the employer also wants to remove workforce adjustment and the dental plan from collective bargaining, and to widen the daily work window. Workforce adjustment covers what happens to workers when jobs are cut or moved.

A vote is not a strike

A strike vote is not a strike. The vote asks members whether they would authorize a strike if talks fail. No strike date has been set.

Members will vote over a period that runs from November 16, 2026 to January 22, 2027, after the information sessions PSAC plans to detail on October 28.

What happened in 2023

The last national PSAC strike was in 2023. In that dispute, 155,000 PSAC members struck for 12 days before reaching a deal.

That history gives this vote weight in Ottawa. The PA, TC and EB groups cover a large share of the federal public service, from administrative staff to technical workers and education and library staff.

Treasury Board had not published a response in the material reviewed for this story. The government's side had not been stated in the announcement coverage, and this story will be updated when it responds.