November 15, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
Last week, the Commissioner of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced to all employees that significant national budget restrictions were being put in place, and that some Branches and Regions might implement further measures. These measures included decisions concerning the contracts of term employees (contract workers).
Well, the Agency didn’t waste any time. Some 600 employees working in Revenue Collections and Audit were informed yesterday afternoon that their contracts were being prematurely terminated. Some will lose their jobs as of November 29, and all affected employees will terminate their employment with the Agency by Friday, December 13, 2024.
The announcement came as a bombshell among employees, especially considering that it comes just before the Holiday Season.
“These massive job cuts at the CRA are a blow not only to our members, but also to the maintenance of quality public services. Hundreds of families across the country will now find themselves in a precarious financial situation. The remaining employees will be under more stress and pressure to do more with less. There will also be a negative impact on the delivery of quality services, and Canadian taxpayers and businesses will suffer the consequences. Fewer staff means longer processing times. We strongly oppose these decisions, which will result in the loss of quality jobs,” deplores Marc Brière, National President of the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE).
It’s worth remembering that the average Canada Revenue Agency tax collector collects between $1 and $5 million in unpaid taxes every year. The departure of these employees represents an annual loss of revenue of several hundred million dollars for the federal government, which is much more than the cost of their salaries. “This decision makes no financial sense,” adds Marc Brière.
Our union will continue to monitor the situation closely, and we will reiterate our strong concerns and opposition to these budget cuts. We will do everything in our power to limit the negative impact of these decisions.
Media Contact
Please contact Daniel Camara, Executive Assistant to the UTE National President, by email at camarad@ute-sei.org or by phone at (613) 290-1548, for all media requests.