By Lynda Powless and Lisa Iesse
Writers
Six Nations could be feeling the effects of a federal Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) strike as early as Wednesday (April 19) when nearly 124,000 employees are in a legal strike position and another 35,000 could join Friday.
That means Six Nations federal schoolteachers, who are members of PSAC, will find out at 9 p.m. tonight if they are on the picket lines Wednesday instead of in the classrooms. The potential strike also affects the First Nations communities of Tyendinaga and Cold Lake Alberta.
That will leave Six Nations working parents scrambling Wednesday morning to find babysitters for elementary school children attending the five federal schools here. Schools did not send out notices to parents of a possible strike until Tuesday, April 18th. The late notification could even affect Six Nations band services if parents are unable to find childcare at the last minute.
The sudden potential strike leaves families asking why notices were not sent at all or not sent earlier so parents could prepare for a strike?
That will leave Six Nations working parents scrambling Wednesday morning to find babysitters for elementary school children attending the five federal schools here. Schools did not send out notices to parents of a possible strike until Tuesday, April 18th. The late notification could even affect Six Nations band services if parents are unable to find childcare at the last minute.
Turtle Island News has reached out to both Six Nations teachers union president Michael Freeman who said he could not comment on PSAC plans and is in Ottawa involved in negotiations. Freeman directed Turtle to speak with a media representative from Indigenous Services Canada. Andrew MacKendrick who is the Director of Communications from the Minister of Indigenous Services office, replied promptly that they are looking into the matter. MacKendrick will respond shortly as to why parents and families were given no notice or very short notice as to the potential strike, which is leaving them scrambling to make arrangements for child care and alternative plans for education
Turtle Island News has reached out to both Six Nations teachers union president Michael Freeman who said he could not comment on PSAC plans and is in Ottawa involved in negotiations.
Talks are continuing, so far PSAC has only said it is focusing on wages as a result of the high cost of living while the federal government says it is seeking “agreements that are fair to public servants and reasonable for taxpayers.”
Should they fail to reach an agreement pickets could go up at Six Nations schools as early as Wednesday April 19.
All pickets would be in person, which means even those working at home would have to show up in person to get strike pay. There are 23 different departments and agencies that would be affected.
Those services include Agriculture and Agri-Food Centre support programs Fisheries and Oceans Canada could see reduced capacity, delays at consular services for Global Affairs Canada, Canada Revenue Agency could see delays in process income tax and benefit returns. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada services, Service Canada that issues passports, and Veterans’ Affairs Canada among others.
Federal teachers are the first union members to actually strike at Six Nations. They formed picket lines in early 2000 when PSAC went on strike.
