Canada's largest federal public service union is now defending itself against at least three separate legal actions launched by high-ranking officials it suspended, according to court documents. The Ottawa-based Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), which represents close to 240,000 workers, is being sued for negligence, defamation, and alleged abuse of power.
Roots of the Conflict in 2023 Labour Deal
The legal disputes stem from internal union discord over the tentative national labour agreement reached between PSAC and the federal government in May 2023. Court filings reveal that two of the lawsuits involve executives from the Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU), one of PSAC's 15 component unions.
According to documents filed with the Ontario Superior Court, the CEIU's national executive initially voted to campaign against the proposed deal that the parent union, PSAC, had negotiated. Two members of that executive—President Eddy Bourque and Executive Vice-President Sargy Chima—were accused of supporting that motion before reconsidering their participation due to their roles within PSAC.
Allegations of High-Handed Behaviour and Abuse of Power
PSAC subsequently accused Bourque and Chima of breaching the broader union's constitution and conducted investigations into their actions. The union imposed membership suspensions of one year for Bourque and two years for Chima. These suspensions effectively barred them from their paid executive positions within the CEIU.
In response, both men have launched individual lawsuits. They are each seeking more than $1 million in compensation, along with full reinstatement of their PSAC memberships and their CEIU jobs. In a statement of claim filed in June, Chima accuses PSAC of "malicious, oppressive and high-handed behaviour."
Bourque's claim, filed a month later, alleges an "abuse of power" by PSAC's leadership. He states that the union announced his suspension to members nationwide and warned them they could face discipline for communicating with him. Although his one-year suspension ended in June 2024, he claims PSAC and CEIU have refused to reinstate him to a position his term is supposed to hold until September 2026.
Ongoing Legal Battle and Union Silence
The court may consider an interim injunction early in the new year that could see Bourque reinstated within the union structure. Lawyer Chantal Beaupré, who represents both Bourque and Chima, declined to comment, directing inquiries to the court documents. PSAC has not responded to multiple requests for comment from the media.
The CEIU, the component union at the centre of two lawsuits, represents a majority of employees at key federal departments including:
- Service Canada
- Employment and Social Development Canada
- The Immigration and Refugee Board
The lawsuits highlight significant internal strife within one of Canada's most influential labour organizations, stemming from the landmark 2023 contract negotiations that affected hundreds of thousands of federal workers.
