 The Institute was founded to protect the interests of professional public employees and became a bargaining agent following the implementation of the Public Service Staff Relations Act (PSSRA) in 1967.The Institute is the bargaining agent for more than 41 knowledge-based groups and negotiates with 27 different employers in six different jurisdictions.The Institute serves its members with approximately 140 full-time staff in its national office in Ottawa, and regional offices in Halifax, Montréal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.