OTTAWA — Thousands of Canada Revenue Agency workers are ready to walk off the job as early as this Friday, if the federal government doesn’t give them a renewed contract.
According to the Union of Taxation Employees within the Public Service Alliance of Canada, CRA employees have been without a contract for over a year.
Members have voted in favour of strike action and will hit the picket lines by April 14 if talks with officials don’t go as planned.
If workers go on strike, it could mean delays and other disruptions for thousands of Canadians who have to file their income tax returns by May 1.
“Our members have sent a strong message to CRA,” said Chris Aylward, the national president of the PSAC, in a statement.
“Workers can’t wait, and we’re ready to show this government we won’t let workers fall behind.”
Union representatives have scheduled four days of bargaining talks with the CRA starting April 17.
The CRA says it is “confident that the parties will find many areas of potential compromise and trade-off” during negotiations.