The Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE) continues to stand in solidarity with the hundreds of civilian staff working across six military bases in Ontario and Quebec who went on strike on January 15, and continues its call for the federal government to support public sector workers and fairly compensate them for their work and services to Canadians.
Represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada’s Union of National Defence Employees, these are federal public sector workers but do not fall under the Public Service Employment Act. Despite the critical support services these employees provide for Canadian Forces members, their families, and veterans, they remain some of the lowest-paid workers in the federal public sector, earning drastically lower wages than those doing the same work in other federal agencies. For too long, they have been denied decent wage increases and suffered from inconsistent pay grids.
Members who wish to show their solidarity are invited to join a picket line on their non-work time and share on social media the plight of these workers. You can also write to your MP through the Public Service Alliance of Canada’s automated letter on their website.
These workers, who provide important services to support military members, are fighting for better pay and job security so that they no longer need to work two jobs to make ends meet. CAPE stands firmly in solidarity with them and is working to support them in the most effective way possible to help them reach their goals.
