Collective Bargaining

Signing of the new collective agreement between the CRA and the PSAC-UTE

June 27, 2023

We are pleased to announce today that the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) signed a new collective agreement for approximately 39,000 employees represented by the PSAC-UTE.

The new collective agreement comes into effect on June 27, 2023, and covers a four-year period, from November 1, 2021, to October 31, 2025, inclusively. From the date of signing, the CRA will have 180 days to implement the provisions of the collective agreement, including retroactive pay.

We are thankful for the work done to achieve this by both bargaining teams. We also want to express our heartfelt appreciation to all CRA employees for the important work that you do every day in delivering services to Canadians.

The signing of the new collective agreement concludes this round of negotiations. We look forward to continuing to work in close collaboration with the PSAC-UTE and to support the interests of employees and Canadians in future collective bargaining.

Government of Canada approves the collective agreement between the CRA and the PSAC-UTE

June 23, 2023

The Government of Canada has approved the renewed collective agreement between the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) for approximately 39,000 employees.

Now that this new collective agreement has been ratified by the members of the PSAC-UTE, and approved by the Government of Canada, it will be signed by both parties on Tuesday June 27, 2023.

This agreement covers a four-year period, from November 1, 2021, to October 31, 2025, inclusively. It will take effect on the day the CRA and the PSAC-UTE sign it. From this date, the CRA will have 180 days to implement the provisions of the collective agreement, including retroactive pay.

Majority vote for agreement between the CRA and the PSAC-UTE

June 16, 2023

The Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE)  has informed the CRA that, on June 16, 2023, a majority of its members voted in favour of the tentative agreement reached between the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the PSAC-UTE on May 3, 2023.

The CRA must now seek approval of the agreement from the Governor in Council. Should the Governor in Council approve it, the CRA and the PSAC-UTE will meet afterward to sign the new collective agreement.

The tentative agreement will become the new collective agreement for the CRA and the PSAC-UTE, once it is signed.

The new collective agreement covers a four-year period, from November 1, 2021, to October 31, 2025, inclusively. It will take effect on the day the CRA and the PSAC-UTE sign it. From this date, the CRA will have 180 days to implement the provisions of the collective agreement, including retroactive pay.

The Canada Revenue Agency reaches a tentative agreement with the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees

May 4, 2023

Last night, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) reached a 4-year tentative agreement with the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE). Upon ratification, this agreement will apply to approximately 39,000 PSAC-UTE employees working at the CRA. Employees represented by PSAC-UTE will return to work this morning.

The tentative agreement includes wage increases of 11.5% over four years, retroactive to 2021, that will cover periods until 2025. The third year also includes an allowance of 0.5%. Employees would also see a number of improvements over the life of the agreement, as well as a one-time payment of $2,500.

The CRA continues to be committed to a modern, hybrid workplace that provides employees, where applicable, with the flexibility to continue to work up to three days from home a week. Outside of the collective agreement, the CRA and PSAC-UTE reached a tentative settlement on telework to the satisfaction of both parties. Both parties agreed to undertake a review of the Directive on virtual work arrangements, and to create a panel to advise the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner regarding employee concerns.

This agreement addresses all key priorities put forward by the PSAC-UTE. In addition, it includes improved provisions, around leave with pay for family-related responsibilities, for example. It also includes measures to further support employment equity, diversity, and inclusion, such as a new benefit for Indigenous employees who will now have access to paid leave to participate in traditional practices. This new provision represents another important step in our reconciliation journey and supports our ongoing efforts to create healthy workplaces.

The tentative agreement is subject to ratification by PSAC-UTE membership. The PSAC-UTE will present details of the tentative agreement to its members and organize ratification vote sessions in the coming weeks. Once the agreement is approved and ratified, employees will see wage enhancements within agreed to timelines.

The CRA wants to thank members of both bargaining teams for their dedication and hard work during this round of negotiations, and especially these past few weeks. Through long hours of negotiations, the CRA and the PSAC-UTE found ways to compromise and, in doing so, succeeded in reaching a tentative agreement, which is both fair to employees and reasonable for taxpayers.

The CRA has already taken measures to resume its normal operations and to fully restore services that were affected during the labour disruption. Canadians can consult the Contact the Canada Revenue Agency for more information.

The CRA values the important role its employees play from across the country in delivering services to Canadians.

Canada Revenue Agency and Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees to resume in-person negotiations

May 1, 2023

Today, The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) have resumed in person negotiations with a view to reach a new collective agreement as soon as possible, that is both fair to employees and reasonable for taxpayers.

Since the beginning of the strike, the CRA has continued discussions with PSAC-UTE and is ready to build on the progress made to date. The CRA is committed to continuing meaningful negotiations in person until an agreement is reached. The CRA is confident that the tentative agreement between the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and Public Service Alliance of Canada addresses the key priorities put forward by PSAC-UTE and will bring us to a successful resolution.

Since the beginning, the CRA has committed to being transparent with Canadians about impacts to services, and Canadians can consult the Contact Us and Labour disruptions impact at the Canada Revenue Agency pages for more information as the situation continues to evolve.

The CRA would like to remind Canadians that the tax filing deadline has not changed. Canadians are encouraged to take the necessary steps to ensure their return is filed and any balance owing is paid by today, May 1, 2023. The CRA continues to accept all returns. The vast majority of those filed electronically are processed automatically by the system, without additional delay. Canadians can make any future changes or adjustments to their income tax and benefit return by using ReFile or Change my return.

The CRA values the important role its employees from across the country play in delivering services to Canadians, recognizes their important contributions, and remains committed to reaching an agreement at the bargaining table that is fair to employees and reasonable for taxpayers.

Canada Revenue Agency’s update on negotiations with Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees

April 21, 2023

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) entered mediated negotiations this week with the goal of reaching a fair deal with the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, the CRA has tried to get parties to return to in-person negotiations since Tuesday night. In the meantime, both parties have exchanged proposals focusing on CRA specific issues.

We continue to call on PSAC-UTE to return to the table so we can continue mediated negotiations. We remain ready to have productive discussions at any moment.

The Agency remains committed to working together with the PSAC-UTE to find areas of potential compromise and reach an agreement that is fair to employees and reasonable for taxpayers. That is and always has been our goal.

Earlier this week, the CRA presented a fair, competitive offer for wage increases to the PSAC-UTE, in line with the current offer being negotiated between the PSAC and Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, on the recommendations of the third party Public Interest Commission. CRA’s offer includes a 9% wage increase over three years.

Since the beginning, the CRA has committed to being transparent with Canadians about impacts to services, and Canadians can consult the Contact Us and Labour disruptions impact at the Canada Revenue Agency pages for more information as the situation continues to evolve.

The CRA values the important role its employees from across the country play in delivering services to Canadians, recognizes their important contributions, and remains committed to reaching an agreement at the bargaining table that is fair to employees and reasonable for taxpayers.

The Canada Revenue Agency responds to the Public Service Alliance of Canada–Union of Taxation Employees' strike action

April 19, 2023

Over the last few months, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has made every reasonable effort to avoid a labour disruption affecting important services that Canadians rely on, especially during tax season. However, despite some ongoing movement at the bargaining table on key issues by both sides, the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC UTE) called for a general strike of PSAC-UTE employees across the country.

During our mediated negotiations on April 17 and 18, the CRA presented a fair, competitive offer to the PSAC-UTE. This includes a 9% wage increase over three years that mirrors the recommendations of the third-party Public Interest Commission with the PSAC and Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada. The PSAC-UTE countered with a proposal of 22.5% over the course of three years, which includes a market adjustment of 2%.

The CRA has made consistent efforts to address the PSAC-UTE’s main priorities and we remain confident that the parties can continue to find areas of potential compromise and trade-off, through honest discussions and concessions by both sides.

We call on the PSAC-UTE to work with us, build on the progress we have already made, reach an agreement and continue to deliver the important services Canadians rely on.

As a result of PSAC-UTE’s decision to begin labour action, Canadians should expect that some CRA services will be delayed or unavailable. That said, we want to assure Canadians that benefit payments will be prioritized and can confirm that the Canada child benefit will continue to be issued as scheduled.

While there are no plans to extend tax filing deadlines, the CRA will continue to accept all tax returns. Those that are filed digitally, which represent the vast majority of T1 and T2 returns, will largely be processed automatically by our systems without delay.

Since the beginning, the CRA has committed to being transparent with Canadians about impacts to services, and Canadians can consult the Contact Us and Labour disruptions impact at the Canada Revenue Agency pages for more information as the situation continues to evolve.

The CRA values the important role its employees from across the country play in delivering services to Canadians, recognizes their important contributions, and remains committed to reaching an agreement at the bargaining table that is fair to employees and reasonable for taxpayers.

Canada Revenue Agency remains committed to reaching a fair agreement

April 17, 2023

Today, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) entered mediated negotiations with the goal of reaching a fair collective agreement. Unfortunately, if an agreement cannot be reached by tomorrow night, the PSAC-UTE has announced that they will begin strike action on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.

The CRA remains committed to reaching an agreement at the bargaining table that is fair to employees and reasonable for taxpayers.

There is still time to reach an agreement before strike action begins. We are confident that the parties can find enough common ground to reach consensus on a renewed collective agreement for our employees.

The CRA values the important role its employees from across the country play in delivering services to Canadians. The CRA respects the collective bargaining process and remains committed to pursuing meaningful negotiations with the PSAC-UTE towards a reasonable solution.

In the event of a labour disruption, certain CRA services will be delayed or unavailable. We want to assure Canadians that benefit payments will be prioritized and can confirm that the Canada child benefit would continue during any labour disruption. The CRA has committed to being transparent with Canadians about impacts to services, should they happen, and Canadians can consult the Contact Us and Labour disruptions impact at the Canada Revenue Agency pages for more information. There are no plans to extend tax filing deadlines.

We are making every effort to avoid a labour disruption. We call on the PSAC-UTE to work with us to reach an agreement as quickly as possible in the interest of CRA employees and Canadians.

Canada Revenue Agency responds to Public Service Alliance of Canada–Union of Taxation Employees strike vote

April 7, 2023

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) values the important role its employees play from across the country in delivering services to Canadians. The CRA respects the collective bargaining process and remains committed to pursuing meaningful negotiations with the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) with a view to conclude a new collective agreement that is both fair to employees and reasonable for Canadian taxpayers.

A majority of PSAC-UTE members who exercised their right to vote voted to give their union a strike mandate. This means they will be in a legal strike position, starting April 14, 2023. While our priority is reaching a deal at the bargaining table, we recognize the right of employees to engage in strike activities.

As we announced in our March 31, 2023 statement, the CRA and the PSAC-UTE agreed to meet to resume negotiations with the goal of reaching a new collective agreement, from April 17 to 20, 2023. We are confident that the parties will find many areas of potential compromise and trade-off, through honest discussions and concessions by both sides, during the upcoming negotiations.

The CRA is committed to being transparent with Canadians about impacts to services, should they happen, and Canadians can consult the Contact Us page for more details and current wait times.

The CRA is committed to doing everything it can to resolve this labour dispute, to resume negotiations and to continue to bargain in good faith and make every reasonable effort to reach an agreement at the bargaining table that is both fair to employees and reasonable for taxpayers.

March 31, 2023

The Canada Revenue Agency to Begin Mediation with Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees in mid-April

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) values the important role its employees play from across the country in delivering services to Canadians. The CRA respects the collective bargaining process and remains committed to pursuing meaningful negotiations with the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) with a view to conclude a new collective agreement that is both fair to employees and reasonable for Canadian taxpayers.

Today, the CRA is pleased to announce that the PSAC-UTE and the CRA have agreed to meet to resume negotiations with the goal of reaching a new collective agreement. Talks are scheduled to resume from April 17 to 20, 2023.

Returning to the negotiation table follows the recommendation of the Public Interest Commission report, issued to the parties on February 14, 2023. As stated by the Commission, the CRA is confident that the parties would find many areas of potential compromise and trade-off, requiring honest discussions and concessions by both sides.

The CRA is committed to ongoing and constructive negotiations. However, we recognize and respect that if an agreement is not reached, employees have the right to strike.

In the event of a labour disruption, certain CRA services may be delayed or unavailable. The CRA is committed to being transparent with Canadians about impacts to services, should they happen, and Canadians can consult the Contact Us page for more details and current wait times.

The CRA is eager to resume negotiations and committed to continuing to bargain in good faith and making every reasonable effort to reach an agreement at the bargaining table that is fair to employees and reasonable for taxpayers.

February 16, 2023

On January 27, 2023, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) met before the Public Interest Commission (PIC) that was established after the PSAC-UTE declared bargaining impasse in September 2022.

The PIC was established by the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (FPSLREB) to review the outstanding issues of both parties and to provide recommendations for resolution. The PIC’s recommendations are not binding; however, they may help the parties reach a settlement.

During the PIC hearing, the CRA presented its proposals, which are essentially intended to modernize the collective agreement, to reflect the new realities of virtual work and to provide more flexibility for management and employees in terms of work arrangements. The CRA also commented on the union's demands.

The PSAC-UTE also presented their position on their key priorities, including wage increases, remote work, job security, work-life balance, as well as the introduction of years of service (seniority) in the scheduling of hours of work. The CRA tried to address some of these priorities over the course of the six negotiation sessions before the PSAC-UTE declared impasse.

Wage increases

The PSAC-UTE has put forward proposals seeking economic increases totalling 29.5% over the course of three years, with increases of 4.5% in 2021, 8% in 2022 and 8% in 2023. This increase is in addition to the ask for an initial market adjustment of 9%, to reflect salaries offered to the Border Services (FB) group at the Canada Border Services Agency, which the union claims is the appropriate comparator for the PSAC-UTE. In previous PIC reports, the FPSLREB clearly confirmed that the PSAC-UTE most comparable group in the core public administration is the Program and Administrative Services (PA) group, not the FB group.

In addition to economic increases, the PSAC-UTE has tabled over 200 other demands that would have significant financial costs.

In negotiating a new collective agreement that is both fair for employees and reasonable for Canadians, the CRA has the responsibility to provide Canadians with the best possible service in an accountable, responsible, and cost-effective manner. In doing so, it must reach the right balance between fair compensation, fiscal responsibility, and proper care of public funds.

On February 14, 2023, the PIC issued its report to the parties. The PIC report acknowledges the CRA’s small number of proposals and recommends that the parties focus their efforts on identifying their true priorities so that they can engage in more focused discussions when negotiations resume.

As stated in the report, the CRA was seeking guidance from the PIC on the parties’ priorities, as well as a recommendation that the parties resume negotiations. Although the PIC report does not provide any recommendations on the outstanding proposals, the PIC expressed confidence that the parties will find many areas of potential compromise and trade-off, which will require honest discussions and concessions by both parties.

The CRA values the important role its employees play from across the country in delivering services to Canadians. The CRA respects the collective bargaining process, remains committed to meeting and pursuing meaningful negotiations with the PSAC-UTE with a view to conclude a new collective agreement that is both fair for employees and reasonable for Canadians.

January 13, 2023

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) values the important role its employees play from across the country in delivering services to Canadians. The CRA respects the collective bargaining process, and is ready to return to the bargaining table at the earliest opportunity to resume negotiations. The CRA continues to bargain in good faith and is committed to reaching an agreement that is both fair to employees and reasonable for Canadian taxpayers.

Today, the CRA filed an Unfair Labour Practice complaint with the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (Board) against the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) for failing to observe its duty to bargain in good faith and duty to make every reasonable effort to enter into a collective agreement.

Through this complaint, the CRA is seeking the Board’s authority under the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act to recognize that the PSAC-UTE did not bargain in good faith and did not make every reasonable effort to enter into a collective agreement. The CRA is also asking the Board to direct the parties to return to the bargaining table before allowing the PSAC-UTE to declare or authorize a strike.

On September 1, 2022, the PSAC-UTE left the bargaining table during the sixth negotiation session and declared an impasse. When it declared impasse, the PSAC-UTE still had over 200 outstanding bargaining demands, many of which involve significant costs to the CRA and taxpayers. The Board recommended both the establishment of a Public Interest Commission (PIC) and mediation leading up to the PIC, to help the parties resolve many of the 200 proposals submitted by the PSAC-UTE that remain in dispute.

On December 20, 2022, the first day of the agreed-upon mediation, the PSAC-UTE decided to withdraw from the process. This mediation would have assisted the parties in reaching an agreement.

In addition, the PSAC-UTE has clearly stated its intention to move to a strike position as soon as possible, in advance of the PIC conclusion and in a manner that would impact the CRA’s tax filing season, without first engaging in good faith bargaining.

The CRA is disappointed that the PSAC-UTE has chosen these actions, against every effort made by the CRA to try to come to an agreement. 

The CRA remains committed to meeting and pursuing meaningful negotiations with the PSAC-UTE with a view to conclude a new collective agreement that is both fair for employees and reasonable for Canadians.

December 21, 2022

Following the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) declaring impasse, and as per the decision of the Chair of the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (FPSLREB) to appoint a mediator to assist the parties in making progress towards a settlement, both parties had agreed to meet for a 3-day mediation session from December 20-22, 2022. Both bargaining teams convened downtown Ottawa on December 20, 2022.

On the opening day of the mediation, when the mediator appointed by the FPSLREB met with both negotiators, the PSAC-UTE negotiator imposed a condition on the CRA, demanding that, unless the CRA withdraw its recent return to work directive, the union would not participate in mediation. The CRA was surprised by this ultimatum. It informed the PSAC-UTE negotiator that there were other avenues to address the topic of return to work and that the CRA wanted to continue the mediation process to which both parties had committed. Unfortunately, the PSAC-UTE refused to remove this condition. As a result, the mediation process could not proceed as planned.

The CRA is disappointed with the PSAC-UTE’s decision to not take advantage of this opportunity and engage in discussions to resolve many of the outstanding issues, in an effort to reach an agreement. The CRA was hopeful that, with the assistance of a mediator, the parties could have made significant progress, even to the extent of the CRA submitting an economic increase proposal. The CRA recognizes that this is at the heart of its employees' concerns.

In terms of next steps, the CRA will address its concerns with the FPSLREB before the parties attend the Public Interest Commission hearing on January 27, 2023. On that day, the parties are scheduled to present their respective position on the over 200 outstanding items submitted by the PSAC-UTE.

The CRA remains committed and available to meet with the PSAC-UTE to reach a new collective agreement that is both fair to employees and reasonable for Canadian taxpayers.

The CRA will update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

November 3, 2022

On October 4, 2022, the Chairperson of the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board advised that a federal mediator would be appointed to assist in discussions between the Public Service Alliance of Canada - Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) during the period leading up to the Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearing.

The mediator has now been appointed, and the mediation session is scheduled to take place from December 20 to 22, 2022.

The CRA is hopeful that a settlement can be reached at mediation.

The CRA remains committed to reach a new collective agreement that is fair and reasonable to employees and Canadians and is available to meet with the PSAC-UTE at the earliest opportunity.

The CRA will update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

October 19, 2022

Following the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees’ (PSAC-UTE) declaration of bargaining impasse on September 1, 2022, during the sixth negotiation session, the union submitted a request to the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (FPSLREB) requesting that the Chairperson of the FPSLREB forgo the establishment of a Public Interest Commission (PIC).

The purpose of a PIC is to review the outstanding proposals of both parties and to provide recommendations for potential resolution. The PIC plays an important role in the collective bargaining process in attempting to bring the parties closer to a settlement. In addition to its proposal on economic increases, the PSAC-UTE still has over 200 outstanding proposals, some of which have considerable financial implications for the CRA. In forgoing the PIC option in this bargaining process, the PSAC-UTE would move closer to a strike position without exploring a very valuable option.

On October 4, 2022, the Chairperson of the FPSLREB recommended the establishment of a PIC, and advised that she would appoint a mediator to further assist the parties in the period leading up to the PIC. Dates for mediation and the PIC hearing have yet to be confirmed.

The CRA is hopeful that a settlement can be reached at mediation.

The CRA remains committed to reach a new collective agreement that is fair and reasonable to employees and Canadians and is available to meet with the PSAC-UTE at the earliest opportunity. The CRA will update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

September 20, 2022

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) collective bargaining team and the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) agreed to meet from August 31 to September 2, as part of the sixth collective bargaining session.

During the session, the CRA put forward concrete proposals to respond to some of the PSAC-UTE’s key concerns. However, despite the CRA’s best efforts to make progress and to negotiate in good faith, the PSAC-UTE declared an impasse mid-afternoon on the second day of negotiations.

The CRA is disappointed with the PSAC-UTE’s decision to walk away from the bargaining table and declare an impasse at this early stage in the negotiation process. The parties have only met for six bargaining sessions and there remains a large volume of outstanding proposals to be discussed.

The CRA recognizes that economic increases are a priority for its employees, especially in the current environment. However, given that the PSAC-UTE still has over 200 outstanding bargaining demands, many of which involve significant costs to the CRA, the CRA responded that it was not in a position to present an economic proposal at this point in the bargaining process. The economic increases alone tabled by the PSAC-UTE equate to 29.5% over the course of three years, which includes a market adjustment of 9%.

Prior to the union declaring impasse, the CRA shared with the PSAC-UTE that it had a proposal to present during this session which, in the CRA’s view, would provide constructive solutions to the parties’ concerns related to the hours of work, a key priority for both parties. Unfortunately, the negotiations ended without the CRA having the opportunity to present its proposal.

In terms of the PSAC-UTE’s priority to address remote work, the CRA already tabled proposals that would provide enhanced flexibilities for employees working from home, at the first bargaining session in January 2022. The CRA’s Transition Plan: towards a hybrid model of working provides more information on the hybrid work model at the CRA.

In response to the PSAC-UTE’s proposals to include years of service (seniority) criteria for the scheduling of hours of work, the CRA has stated on several occasions that it is not in favour of the introduction of provisions related to years of service in the collective agreement due to impacts that this would have on its workforce. The inclusion of years of service criteria provides advantages to certain employees at the detriment of others. It also limits the CRA’s ability to maintain its current practice of scheduling hours of work on an equitable basis amongst qualified employees.

In addition, to the PSAC-UTE’s concerns related to contracting out of services, the CRA previously indicated that it had to quickly rely on a third-party service provider during the pandemic to assist with a dramatic increase in call volume due to the new COVID-19 benefits and the 2021 tax-filing season. This was a short-term contract used under exceptional circumstances, after exhausting all internal options and in consultation with the union. This situation did not impact the employment status of any CRA employees.

The CRA must now consider the next steps in the collective bargaining process to assist in the resolution of the outstanding issues in accordance with the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act, including returning to the bargaining table and resuming negotiations in good faith, at the earliest opportunity.

The CRA remains committed to reach a new collective agreement that is fair and reasonable to employees and Canadians and is available to meet with the PSAC-UTE at the earliest opportunity. We will keep you informed of relevant information as it becomes available.

July 22, 2022

The Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) collective bargaining team and the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) met as part of a fifth negotiation session, from July 12 to 14, 2022.

At this session, the PSAC-UTE tabled its wage proposal. The union is seeking a market adjustment to reflect salaries offered to the Border Services (FB) group at the Canada Border Services Agency. In support of their proposal, the union indicated that the FB group is the appropriate comparator for the PSAC-UTE. The CRA was surprised to hear this argument. In the latest 2014 and 2020 Public Interest Commission (PIC) reports, the chair of the PIC clearly confirmed that the PSAC-UTE most comparable group in the core public administration is the Program and Administrative Services (PA) group, not the FB group. It is worth noting that the salaries offered at the CRA exceed those of the PA group.

In addition to the wage proposal, the union tabled new proposals during this session on other topics. The CRA now has an overall understanding of the PSAC-UTE global demands for this round of collective bargaining.

The CRA also addressed the PSAC-UTE’s concerns related to contracting out of services. The CRA explained that during the pandemic, after exhausting all internal options, and in consultation with the union, it had to quickly rely on a third-party service provider to assist with a dramatic increase in call volume due to the new COVID-19 benefits and the 2021 tax-filing season. This was a short-term contract used under exceptional circumstances, which did not impact the employment status of any PSAC-UTE member.

Although the CRA presented some proposals to address various union issues, no significant progress was made. The CRA remains committed to reaching a collective agreement that is fair to employees and Canadians and is mindful of the current context.

The parties will resume negotiations from August 31 to September 2, 2022.

The CRA will update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

May 20, 2022

The Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) collective bargaining team and the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) met as part of a fourth negotiation session, from May 10 to 12, 2022.

During this session, the CRA made proposals to address the PSAC-UTE’s concerns about conducting union business activities in the new work environment. The CRA also made a proposal to limit the environmental impacts related to the printing of the collective agreement.

As part of the discussions on virtual work, the CRA pointed out that virtual work arrangements are already addressed in the CRA’s policy instruments, which are available to employees on its intranet.

Despite the CRA’s efforts to respond to some of the union’s concerns, the parties were not able to come to an agreement on any of the proposals tabled by the CRA during this session.

The parties will meet next to pursue negotiations from July 12 to 14, 2022.

The CRA is committed to reaching a collective agreement that is fair to employees and Canadians and is mindful of the current context.

The CRA will update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

April 6, 2022

The Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) collective bargaining team and the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) met as part of a third negotiation session from March 28 to 30, 2022.

During this session, the CRA proposed changes to the collective agreement which would give employees greater flexibilities in their daily work hours. Unfortunately, the parties were unable to come to an agreement on this matter.

The CRA and the PSAC-UTE discussed issues related to the scheduling of vacation leave and were successful in agreeing to amended language which will clarify the provisions related to the scheduling of vacation leave.

The parties will meet next to pursue negotiations from May 10 to 12, 2022.

The CRA is committed to reaching a collective agreement that is fair to employees and Canadians and is mindful of the current context.

The CRA will update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

February 21, 2022

The Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) collective bargaining team and the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) met as part of a second negotiation session on February 16 and 17, 2022.

During this session, the parties discussed the hours of work provisions of the collective agreement, which the PSAC-UTE has identified as one of its four key priorities, and is also a priority for the CRA. As part of the discussion, the CRA expressed that the current language related to the hours of work is outdated and changes are required in order to adapt to the CRA’s new realities.

In response to the union’s proposal to include telework provisions in the agreement, the CRA presented information related to the CRA Transition Plan: towards a hybrid model of working.

The parties will meet next to pursue negotiations from March 28 to 30, 2022.

The CRA is committed to reaching a collective agreement that is fair to employees and Canadians and is mindful of the current context.

The CRA will update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

January 17, 2022

The Canada Revenue Agency's (CRA) collective bargaining team met with the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE), from January 11 to 13, 2022, as part of the first session to renew the collective agreement.

The parties exchanged their proposals and initiated discussions. During this session, the parties were able to come to an agreement on several editorial amendments which contribute to the modernization of the provisions of the collective agreement.

The parties have agreed to meet again from February 15 to 17, 2022 and from March 28 to 30, 2022.

The CRA is committed to reaching a collective agreement that is fair to employees and Canadians and is mindful of the current context.

The CRA will update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

November 17, 2022

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) have agreed on dates for the first negotiation session. This session will take place January 11 to 13, 2022 and will be held virtually.

The parties are currently discussing dates for additional negotiation sessions.

The CRA will provide further updates as information becomes available.

October 27, 2021

The collective agreement between the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE) and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will expire on October 31, 2021.

The PSAC-UTE served notice to bargain to the CRA on October 15, 2021. As a result, and in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act, the current terms and conditions of employment must remain in effect, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties.

The CRA has confirmed its collective bargaining team for the upcoming round of negotiations, and is currently in discussion with the PSAC-UTE to agree on dates to begin negotiations for the Program Delivery and Administrative Services Group.

The CRA will provide more information as it becomes available.

Signing of the new collective agreement between the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group

December 14, 2023

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada for the Audit, Financial and Scientific (PIPSC-AFS) Group signed a new collective agreement for approximately 16,000 employees represented by the PIPSC-AFS Group.

The new collective agreement comes into effect on December 14, 2023 and covers a four-year period, from December 22, 2022 to December 21, 2026, inclusively. From the date of signing, the CRA will have 180 days to implement the provisions of the collective agreement, including retroactive pay.

We are thankful for the work done to achieve this by both bargaining teams. We also want to express our heartfelt appreciation to all CRA employees for the important work that you do every day in delivering services to Canadians.

The signing of the new collective agreement concludes this round of negotiations. We look forward to continuing to work in close collaboration with the PIPSC-AFS Group and to support the interests of employees and Canadians in future collective bargaining.

Majority vote for agreement between the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group

November 24, 2023

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada for the Audit, Financial and Scientific (PIPSC-AFS) Group has informed the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) that, on November 24, 2023, a majority of its members voted in favour of the tentative agreement reached between the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group on September 16, 2023.

As a separate employer, the CRA must now seek approval of the agreement from the Governor in Council. Should the Governor in Council approve it, the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group will meet afterward to sign the new collective agreement.

The tentative agreement will become the new collective agreement for the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group, once it is signed.

The new collective agreement covers a four-year period, from December 22, 2022 to December 21, 2026 inclusively. It will take effect on the day the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group sign it. From this date, the CRA will have 180 days to implement the provisions of the collective agreement, including retroactive pay.

The new collective agreement is both fair to employees and reasonable for taxpayers, and we are thankful for the work done to achieve this by both bargaining teams.

September 19, 2023

On September 16, 2023, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada for the Audit, Financial and Scientific Group (PIPSC-AFS Group) reached a tentative agreement for approximately 16,000 CRA employees.

As per established protocol, the PIPSC-AFS Group will provide more information on the tentative agreement and ratification process, as well as prepare a ratification package for PIPSC-AFS Group members.

In the coming weeks, the PIPSC-AFS Group will explain the terms of the tentative agreement and hold ratification votes for its members. If a majority of the PIPSC-AFS Group members vote in support of the tentative agreement, it will become the new collective agreement for the PIPSC-AFS Group, once it is signed. For more information, please visit the PIPSC website.

The CRA thanks members of both bargaining teams for their dedication and hard work during this round of negotiations. Through extensive negotiations, the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group worked to find common ground and ultimately reached a tentative agreement which is both fair to employees and reasonable for taxpayers.

The CRA values the important role its employees play from across the country in delivering services to Canadians.

August 18, 2023

The Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) collective bargaining team met with the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) for the Audit, Financial and Scientific (AFS) Group, from July 19 to 21, 2023.

During this eighth negotiation session, the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group came to an agreement on a number of important topics including improvement on certain benefits, hours of work including flexible hours, and virtual work arrangements. Finally, the CRA is encouraged by the progress that was made and by the productive discussions that occurred regarding economic increases.

The CRA values the important role its employees play from across the country in delivering services to Canadians. The CRA recognizes that economic increases are a priority for its employees, especially in the current environment, and understands that this is an important component of a successful settlement.

The CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group have scheduled an additional negotiation session from September 13 to 15, 2023.

The CRA remains committed to reaching a collective agreement that is both fair to employees and reasonable for Canadians. For an overview of negotiations between the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group so far, go to the Current round of bargaining. For information on key terms used in collective bargaining, go to Terminology – Collective Bargaining. Information on the collective bargaining process, collective agreements and much more is available on the Unions and collective agreements InfoZone page.

The CRA will continue to update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

August 18, 2023

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) collective bargaining team met with the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) for the Audit, Financial and Scientific (AFS) Group, from June 27 to 29, 2023.

During this seventh negotiation session, the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group were able to advance discussions regarding hours of work and virtual work arrangements.

The Employer also provided a response to the union’s economic proposal, which furthered the discussion and concluded with the PIPSC-AFS Group presenting a global settlement package.

The CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group also met July 19 to 21 and have scheduled an additional session from September 13 to 15, 2023.

The CRA remains committed to reaching a collective agreement that is both fair to employees and reasonable for Canadians. For an overview of negotiations between the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group so far, go to the Current round of bargaining. For information on key terms used in collective bargaining, go to Terminology – Collective Bargaining. Information on the collective bargaining process, collective agreements and much more is available on the Unions and collective agreements InfoZone page.

The CRA will continue to update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

June 29, 2023

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) collective bargaining team met with the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) for the Audit, Financial and Scientific (AFS) Group, from May 30 to June 1, 2023.

During this sixth negotiation session, the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group continued to make progress and resolved certain topics related to leave, employee access to performance review files, and overtime.

The parties are working diligently to reach a new agreement. The CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group are meeting again this week and have scheduled an additional session from July 19 to 21, 2023.

The CRA remains committed to reaching a collective agreement that is both fair to employees and reasonable for Canadians. For an overview of negotiations between the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group so far, go to the Previous Updates.

The CRA will continue to update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

June 1, 2023

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) collective bargaining team met with the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) for the Audit, Financial and Scientific (AFS) Group, from April 24 to 26, 2023.

During this fifth negotiation session, the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group made significant progress on a number of proposals. The PIPSC-AFS Group also tabled its group specific pay demands, including an overall increase to salaries of 19% over two years. The CRA is currently reviewing this proposal.

The CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group will meet again from May 30 to June 1, and from June 27 to 29, 2023.

The CRA remains committed to reaching a collective agreement that is both fair to employees and reasonable for Canadians. For an overview of negotiations between the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group so far, go to the Previous Updates.

The CRA will continue to update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

May 31, 2023

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) collective bargaining team met with the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) for the Audit, Financial and Scientific (AFS) Group, from March 7 to 9, 2023.

During this fourth negotiation session, the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group made progress on a number of proposals, including access to members’ information, and addressed certain topics that will be further discussed in upcoming sessions.

There has been a significant change to the work environment at the CRA since the COVID-19 pandemic. While this has resulted in employees being able to work both from home and from the office, this new work reality is not reflected in the current collective agreement. Amendments to the collective agreement are now needed to recognize the difference in how much employees are personally inconvenienced when having to travel to the workplace as opposed to working from home. This aspect is already reflected in some other collective agreements in the core public service. The CRA remains engaged to find a way, with the PIPSC-AFS Group, to fairly reconcile this issue.

The CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group met again from April 24 to 26, and will meet again from May 30 to June 1, and from June 27 to 29, 2023.

The CRA remains committed to reaching a collective agreement that is both fair to employees and reasonable for Canadians. For an overview of negotiations between the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group so far, go to the the Previous Updates.

The CRA will continue to update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

February 16, 2023

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) collective bargaining team met with the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) for the Audit, Financial and Scientific (AFS) Group, from January 17 to 19, 2023.

During this third negotiation session, the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group continued discussions to better understand each other’s proposals. The PIPSC-AFS Group made presentations related to when and where employees work as well as family and care. These presentations were very helpful in assisting the CRA to better understand certain issues as well as the PIPSC-AFS Group’s perspective in proposing these items.

The parties will meet again from March 7 to 9, 2023 and have a fifth session scheduled from April 24 to 26, 2023.

The CRA remains committed to reaching a collective agreement that is both fair to employees and reasonable for Canadians. For an overview of negotiations between the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group so far, go to the Previous Updates.

The CRA will continue to update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

December 13, 2022

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) collective bargaining team met with the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) for the Audit, Financial and Scientific (AFS) Group, from November 29 to December 1, 2022.

During this second negotiation session, the CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group made progress on a number of points and continued their discussions to better understand each other‘s proposals.

The parties will meet again from January 17 to 19, 2023 and have a fourth session scheduled from March 7 to 9, 2023.

The CRA remains committed to reaching a collective agreement that is fair to employees and Canadians and is mindful of the current context.

The CRA will continue to update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

November 3, 2022

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) collective bargaining team met with the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) for the Audit, Financial and Scientific (AFS) Group, on October 19 and 20, 2022.

After exchanging their respective proposals the previous week, the parties began discussions to better understand each other's points of view. Discussions over the two days were cordial and very productive.

At the end of the session, the PIPSC-AFS Group presented their first specific proposal package and responded to clarification questions. The CRA has begun its analysis of these proposals and is looking forward to further discussions with the PIPSC-AFS Group. Subsequent negotiation sessions are scheduled from November 29 to December 1, 2022, and from January 17 to 19, 2023.

The CRA is committed to reaching a collective agreement that is fair to employees and Canadians and is mindful of the current context.

The CRA will update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.

September 7, 2022

The current collective agreement between the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, Audit, Financial and Scientific Group (PIPSC-AFS) and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will expire on December 21, 2022.

The PIPSC-AFS Group served notice to bargain to the CRA, on August 22, 2022. As a result, in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act, the current terms and conditions of employment must remain in effect, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties.

The CRA and the PIPSC-AFS Group have confirmed their respective collective bargaining teams for the upcoming round of negotiations

The parties are scheduled to meet for their first negotiation session on October 19 and 20, 2022.

The CRA will update you on the status of negotiations throughout the collective bargaining process as more information becomes available.