An attack against one is an attack against all: Unions to fight public service cuts
Labour leaders united on November 5 to condemn the recent federal budget cuts affecting the public service. Public sector unions declared their determination to resist the Liberal government's reduction plans. Representatives from the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE), the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), and other labour organizations gathered in downtown Ottawa.
Union leaders challenge government sacrifices
“Prime Minister (Mark) Carney talks a lot about sacrifices, but who’s actually making those sacrifices?” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC’s national president. “It’s ordinary working people who will bear the brunt, and these cuts won’t just hurt workers, they’ll slow down the government.”
Projected job reductions and impact
- The budget forecasts nearly 30,000 additional public service jobs will be cut after about 10,000 were eliminated last year.
- This decline will reduce the public service workforce to approximately 330,000 by 2028–29, down from a peak of 368,000 in 2023–24.
- Job losses are expected to occur mainly through attrition, supported by early retirement incentives wherever possible.
Concerns over early retirements
Vivian Funk, vice-president of health and safety for the Association of Justice Counsel, which represents public service lawyers, warned that early retirement programs could hasten the departure of experienced legal professionals from the federal government.
These collective voices emphasize the threat these cuts pose not only to government employees but also to the effectiveness of public service delivery.
Summary: Labour unions stand united against federal budget cuts that threaten thousands of public service jobs, warning these reductions will hurt workers and impair government operations.