Civilian strikers at military bases gathered outside of Parliament

Over a hundred striking civilian workers from nearby military bases showed up in front of the parking entrance at Parliament early Wednesday morning.

No arrests were made during the protest.

They are part of over 500 striking workers at military bases in Ottawa, Kingston, Petawawa and other cities that walked off the job on Jan. 15.

The union says non-public funds members are paid significantly less than workers doing similar jobs in the core federal public service and have been without a contract since 2022. Workers deliver food, recreation, community and financial planning services to military members and veterans.

“Now in week five of the strike, and under escalating pressure and intimidation from the employer and police, and the increasing use of replacement workers, civilian military workers recently held targeted actions at the Joint Intelligence Operations Centre in Ottawa, St-Jean Garrison outside Montreal, and Denison Armoury Drill Hall in Toronto,” said the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) in a news release on Tuesday.

While their employer, the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS), says they’re ready to get back to the negotiation table, the union fired back.

“They’re dragging the strike out by bringing in replacement workers rather than meaningfully negotiating a fair deal strike for workers,” wrote PSAC.

Last Thursday, PSAC’s regional union executive Alex Silas was arrested at the east Ottawa protest at the Joint Intelligence Operations Centre.

With files from The Canadian Press.