The union representing thousands of striking public-service workers came out swinging this afternoon in an update on the labour dispute.

Public Service Alliance of Canada president Chris Aylward walked up to the microphones and immediately lambasted the federal government, specifically Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, for not yet responding to union proposals delivered on Thursday.

“In a meeting yesterday (Fortier) said they’re working hard to get a deal,” Aylward told reporters on a sidewalk outside a downtown Ottawa hotel.

“PSAC gave a good package Thursday night (and) the feds said they will get a response on one of their demands. But the union hasn’t heard yet. Our members are fed up.”

Aylward was joined at the 15-minute briefing by PSAC national executive vice-president Sharon DeSousa, and regional executive vice-president for the National Capital Region, Alex Silas.

The union and the federal government have been negotiating for more than two weeks about key issues including wages and telework.

Going into bargaining, PSAC called for 4.5-per-cent annual wage increases, or 13.5 per cent over three years, for Treasury Board members.

A day before the strike began on Wednesday, Treasury Board insisted the government had offered a “fair, competitive offer” to PSAC of a 9 per cent increase over three years and that they had “responded to all their demands,” including proposals related to working from home, shift premiums, improved leave with pay for family-related responsibilities and measures to support employment equity and diversity and inclusion, though they didn’t provide details on what proposals had been made.

Also today, Aylward confirmed that people scheduled to work this weekend “apparently are picketing.”

The union says almost a third of all federal public servants are involved in the job action.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada is the largest federal public service union in the country, representing nearly 230,000 workers nationwide.