Charges dropped against union leader arrested at PSAC rally

Article content

The Public Service Alliance of Canada’s (PSAC) national executive vice president Alex Silas has been freed of all charges after being arrested while at a rally for military base workers in February.

Silas was arrested by police as Non-Public Funds workers blockaded Star Top Road, near Innes Road in Ottawa’s east end, outside a National Defence building.

He was charged with mischief, intimidation by blocking or obstructing a roadway, causing a disturbance by impeding, counselling an uncommitted indictable offence and being a member of an unlawful assembly.

Article content

In a news release Friday, PSAC said the Crown had dropped all charges, noting that the arrest “should never have been made in the first place.”

“These shameful intimidation tactics were used to discourage and instill fear in our members,” said PSAC’s national president Sharon DeSousa. “We have a legal right to strike, and this union will continue to defend it.”

Silas said in the news release that he was “happy about this outcome.”

“This situation has only strengthened my resolve,” said Silas. “Our fight is a just fight. And we will continue to fight for workers everywhere.”

Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed.

Share this article in your social network