Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) National President Chris Aylward speaks to striking members protesting on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, on April 26, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)

On April 19, one of Canada’s biggest unions went on strike. The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) represents federal civil servants from two bargaining groups, totalling 155,000 workers in all.

The government and the union clashed over wages, working from home, hiring contractors, and job security during layoffs. It was one of the biggest and most disruptive strikes in recent history.