UNE has endured a long-standing internal Union matter with respect to the representation of Passport Program Employees employed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and operationally administered by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
A ruling by current PSAC President Chris Aylward in April 2021 has upheld a previous ruling by former PSAC President Robyn Benson in 2015.
UNE has relied on Sections 8,9 and 27 of the PSAC Constitution with respect to past and current jurisdictional matters associated with Component allocation of membership.
From the PSAC Constitution Section 8, sub-section 3 (a) under “Components”:
“The members of the Components listed in Sub-Section (2) of this Section may continue to enjoy the right of membership in their respective Components regardless of whatever employer reorganization takes place.”
Passport Program used to belong to the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) (now Global Affairs Canada) before a government reorganization by the Harper Conservatives in 2013. Passport Program employees performed – and continue to perform – a well-defined function within distinct directorates of IRCC and the operations of Passport Program client services through ESDC.
UNE is proud to represent its 2000 plus Passport members that give Canadians the opportunity to obtain passports for business and personal reasons, along with consular services for diplomatic missions outside of Canada.
Should issues arise with allocation of PSAC membership within IRCC or ESDC, UNE will ensure that all represented PSAC incorrectly assigned members to our Component will be reassigned to the correct PSAC Component with minimal delay; the same arrangement applies with other Components that share membership with other departments and agencies that have unionized employees under the same bargaining certificate.
You will find the recent decision by PSAC National President Chris Aylward with respect to Passport Program members below.
Museums in Quebec and museums throughout Canada, in all regions of the country, are places of conservation, production and dissemination of knowledge, as well as research.
Furthermore, they are places of education and transmission of culture, most notably in the fields of history, heritage, archeology, and art.
Organized on May 18 or thereabouts, the events and activities planned to celebrate International Museum Day (IMD) can last for a day, a weekend, or even a week. Museum Day was first celebrated 40 years ago. Its objective is clear: to spread the message that museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures, and they encourage common knowledge, cooperation, and peace among peoples.
International Museum Day brings together a growing number of museums around the world. Last year, more than 37,000 museums participated in the event in nearly 156 countries. The theme for International Museum Day 2021 is “The Future of Museums – Recover and Reimagine”, which invites museums, professionals, and their communities to create, imagine and share new practices of (co-)creation of value, new business models for cultural institutions and innovative solutions for the social, economic, and environmental challenges of the present.
Therefore, I invite you, on International Museum Day 2021, to visit a museum near you, either virtually or in person, health conditions permitting.
André Miller UNE Regional Vice-President, NCR-Separate Employers
PSAC has kicked off negotiations with the employer to improve the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP), which provides benefits to most federal public service workers and retirees.
The focus will be on making gains for all members since the health care plan hasn’t been reviewed since 2006. There are many issues we will be pushing to improve including vision care, paramedical maximums, coverage for psychological services and many other benefits that impact members’ health and well-being.
We have made some progress on updating coverage, but the employer is insisting that changes made to the plan must not result in any additional costs. In fact, they are telling us that they will only agree to changes if they ultimately cost the plan less money. We have told the employer that’s simply unacceptable. The health care plan is not adequately responding to members’ needs and lags behind similar health care plans. A real overhaul is necessary.
PSAC will continue to push for improvements to the health care plan and will update you on progress as negotiations continue through May and June.
I am writing to inform you about the May 17th, 2021, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT).
Currently around the world we are all living in a with a very difficult time, as COVID-19 causes havoc. I wanted to recognize that this has also had an increased negative affect on marginalized groups. One way to mitigate the negative effects is to have safety nets, areas or groups of people that are able to provide comfort and safety. These safety nets have grown more difficult to maintain in this virtual world we have been thrust into. We are aware that this time has affected all of us, but there is a need to realize how this has affected many even more.
I have over the last year taken some time to realize the privilege I have and the supports I have access to and how I am able to maintain my networks. These tools are not readily available to everyone. Not everyone has access to housing, internet, family, safe drinking water, food and even more.
I have looked at my learned history, my current biases and my privilege to see what I can do, what I can learn and tools that are out there to help me retrain, adapt and reprogram what programing I have received from a lens of privilege, culture and history. To start, I want to say that we are all human beings, the social constructs set up around the work are only there because we allow them. Rights are there because people fought for them and continue to fight for them and even to keep what they may have. We have been taught that rights are finite and that for others to have rights we need to give something up. This is not correct. Rights are not a piece cake. Those that have the whole cake do not need to give up slices of their cake so that others can have rights. I do not want a piece of your cake. I want my own cake. By giving me a whole cake does not make your cake worth less either. This type of past programing needs and can be changed. Marginalized groups have been told that they need to compete with every other marginalized group to gain time to be heard and to be able to state their case for inclusion and equity. I ask that as marginalized groups we take the time to link arms in solidarity to find common ground to move forward through our intersectionality. We are stronger, louder and better organized if we all work together in solidarity. Let’s make real change.
Across the world there has been an increase of hate and violence. The 2SLGBTQ+ community has been a major focus of that hate. This includes increased conversion therapy organizations, countries creating LGBTQ+ free zones, countries with concentration camps for LGBTQ+ people and countries changing law to reduce protections for LGBTQ+ people. There are currently 6 countries in the world where being LGBTQ+ is punishable by death, 27 countries where being LGBTQ+ would get 10 years to life in prison and 43 countries with no protection at all. This is all because of Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. The definition of Phobia is an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something.
Here in Canada, we work hard to ensure that our laws protect. One such positive move forward is Bill C-6 (An Act to amend the Criminal Code (conversion therapy)). Conversion therapy refers to any of several dangerous and discredited practices aimed at changing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. For example, that could mean attempting to change someone’s sexual orientation from lesbian, gay, or bisexual to straight or their gender identity from transgender or nonbinary to cisgender. And it could include efforts to change a person’s gender expression (to make a person act more stereotypically masculine or feminine, for example), or to reduce or eliminate sexual or romantic attraction or feelings toward a person of the same gender.) This bill has passed second reading in the House of Commons and is working towards Royal Assent. This is a great move to inclusion, safety and equity within this great nation of Canada. Bills like this one are something we all need to know about and support so that small groups of loud people do not cause them to fail.
I hope that on this May 17th, 2021 you take the time to reflect on privilege, your biases, your lives and your knowledge. Remember that privilege does not mean that you have not had a difficult time, what it does mean is that you may not have had to experience adversity because of who you inherently are. You may not have had to experience life from the world of someone who is racialized, 2SLGBTQ+, a woman, Indigenous or a person with access needs, and others).
Take the time to look at some of the amazing resources out there and help make a positive change for the lives of those who are struggling for the basic rights that we have. Here is one of those resources.
Christopher Little-Gagné UNE National Equity Representative for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People
In May 2002, the Government of Canada signed a declaration designating May as Asian Heritage Month. Adopted by the Senate in 2001, this was proposed by Vivienne Poy, the first Canadian Senator of Asian Heritage. This Month is meant to recognize and acknowledge the various achievements and contributions of Asians in Canadian Society. Along with this, it is also a celebration of their rich and diverse cultural practices and traditions, Asia being the largest continent and comprised of about fifty-four countries.
There is a long list of Canadians of Asian descent who have excelled in the fields of politics, economics, science, sports, medicine, education, music and service but it is fitting to add all Canadians of Asian heritage to this list. When they came to Canada, they were determined to strive and work hard to achieve their goals and realize their dreams. There were a lot of challenges and struggles but in their own diverse little ways, directly or indirectly, they have contributed to the growth and development of their communities, their workplaces and of Canadian society.
Asian Heritage Month is an opportune time to learn and experience the rich and diverse culture of Asia. Join and celebrate. Check out the activities and festivities that have been organized by Asian Heritage Month Societies or other Asian groups in your communities. Check out this link as well from the Asian Heritage Society of Manitoba.
Appreciate and learn more about the diverse cultures of Asia by listening to music, watching a film, reading a book, doing some craft, exploring different tastes and flavours and indulging yourself in Asian culinary delight.
As we mark this year’s Asian Heritage Month, it is also important to take note of what is happening in our surroundings that is greatly affecting Canadians of Asian heritage. They are facing challenges and fear, and some are struggling to live in harmony and peace. This is because of the ongoing hate crimes and racial discrimination that are becoming more prevalent especially during this time of pandemic. Discrimination and hate crimes may come in different forms. It is our duty as Canadians to be aware of these acts of injustice and the plight of Asians and become allies especially in communities where their voices are not being heard.
Happy Asian Heritage Month!
Shirley Torres Regional Vice-President, B.C. and Yukon
During this Mental Health Week, the first question that comes to my mind is, will this pandemic—despite all the negativity that it causes—sensitize society and the public to the problems of mental health? When I hear the most common prejudices like “schizophrenic people are violent”; “depressed people lack drive”; “anxious people are weak-minded”; “bipolar people are hard to manage”, all these prejudices lead to stigmatization and discrimination and show a lack of information on the subject.
I believe that as an advanced and progressive society, we have to start at the start, i.e. education. We say that to have good mental health, the key to success is to lead a balanced life—yes, but the greatest hurdle is that no one is the same, we are all different people, we all have our own histories, and during a global pandemic, what exactly does a balanced life look like? It would be a good idea to focus specifically on the needs of those among us who are vulnerable. Let’s learn to notice changes in behaviour in our loved ones, our colleagues and our friends. Let’s try to understand what mental illnesses are, to differentiate between anxiety disorders, panic attacks and agoraphobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders, depression, bipolar disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, mood disorders and others.
Anyone of us can have mistaken perceptions, but people struggling from mental illnesses have more problems with their thoughts and perceptions. Very often, those close to them are confronted with this reality and their own thoughts and behaviours are greatly affected by it.
Discrimination against people suffering from mental health problems or addictions is often linked to prejudiced attitudes, negative stereotypes, as well as the generalized stigmatization of mental problems and addictions.
The best present that you can give to someone with a mental health problem is to listen to them, recommend that they consult with someone, support them, and show them a great deal of empathy. As you can see, this proves the necessity of increasing education and communication on this subject, in order to fight against taboos, fake news and concerns about mental health. Even nowadays, mental illnesses evoke fears and shame in some people. These behaviours reflect mistaken beliefs, misunderstandings, and ignorance regarding mental illnesses.
We must lead the way as union leaders in helping our community adopt a healthy and positive dialogue and demonstrate that it’s possible to render this topic less taboo, so that people can talk about it freely, without any concerns.
In closing, take care of yourselves and those close to you, and keep in mind that a positive mental attitude leads to positive feelings, which in turn results in positive outcomes.
Daniel Toutant National Vice-President for Human Rights
After months of waiting, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has rejected our request to review the taxability of Phoenix damages. This is directly due to Treasury Board’s refusal to provide CRA with a joint statement of facts which corrects CRA’s understanding of the purpose of our damages settlement agreement.
In an April 27 letter from the CRA, the Agency states:
As discussed in our meeting on February 3, 2021, we consented to reconsider our position only if the Employer and PSAC provided us with an agreed-upon statement of facts. As this did not happen, we have not considered any of the assertions in your draft statement of facts.
After numerous requests for Treasury Board’s cooperation, and direct appeals to Minister Duclos, they have refused any and all cooperation on the matter.
“It’s clear they’re still angry that PSAC forced them to deliver a better deal for our members,” said PSAC President Chris Aylward.
“They’re frustrated that they have to honour the top-up clauses signed with the other unions to match our general damages agreement, and now they’re taking it out on PSAC members by sabotaging attempts to get a positive tax ruling.”
Our union carefully worded the agreement to reflect a wide range of impacts suffered by PSAC members, including for “stress, aggravation, and pain and suffering” and for the late implementation of collective agreements. There is a strong precedent of damages for those purposes being deemed non-taxable by CRA. The tax treatment of the general damages should reflect the purpose of that compensation as outlined in the agreement.
It is unacceptable that Treasury Board refuses to affirm these facts. Instead they informed CRA that the agreement’s purpose is to resolve a policy grievance between the employer and the union – something that may be true for other unions, but not for PSAC’s damages agreement.
We will not let this stand without a fight.
While we continue to explore every legal avenue to appeal CRA’s decision, please take a moment to join our efforts by sharing your outrage directly with Minister Duclos and the Prime Minister.
Our goal is to ensure all PSAC members receive the full compensation they deserve and that we avoid any time consuming and complex tax disputes for individual members. We are also pushing Treasury Board to expedite the availability of the claims process for all former members and retirees who are still waiting to receive their Phoenix general damages.
We will provide additional updates to members about this ongoing work as we move forward.
PSAC members from the PA, SV, EB and TC groups came together for the first-ever virtual National Bargaining Conference April 26-29 to discuss the bargaining issues that will drive the next round of Treasury Board (TB) bargaining.
The pandemic has had a profound impact on the way we live and work, exposed glaring inequalities for marginalized workers and raised other major issues that we need to address through collective bargaining.
Over the last few months, we’ve asked Treasury Board members to send us their feedback about how the pandemic has impacted them and put forward their proposals to help reshape the federal public service in the wake of COVID-19.
At the conference, delegates prioritized their proposals for the next round of bargaining that kicks off this summer and elected their respective bargaining teams.
Key bargaining issues discussed at the conference include:
Remote work
We believe that provisions governing remote work will be most effective when they are negotiated into collective agreements. We must also ensure that remote work is free from remote surveillance and unreasonable performance expectations, that employers cover associated expenses, and that concerns relating to accommodations, ergonomics and health and safety are addressed.
Technological changes
New and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence are poised to play a bigger role in supporting government decision-making and the delivery of public services. We must be properly notified and consulted on these changes, and ensure that any impacts on members are addressed.
Fair wages
In every round of bargaining it is imperative that we maintain our hard-fought gains – and that includes making sure that we secure increased wages that reflect the rising cost of living, and our members’ hard work and dedication.
Many PSAC members are also experiencing a widening wage gap compared to their private-sector counterparts. To continue attracting strong candidates for public service jobs, we must negotiate compensation in line with that of workers in similar occupations in industry.
Contracting out and privatization
Contracting out and privatization of public services increases costs and risk to taxpayers, reduces quality of services, erodes the internal capacity of the public service, creates precarious work, and undermines initiatives that address pay equity and systemic racism.
We must tackle the alarming increase in contracting out of government work, including through temporary staffing agencies.
Work-life balance
With the shift to remote work, we must secure the right of members to disconnect from electronic work devices outside of working hours. We must also expand leave provisions (e.g. 699 leave, family-responsibilities leave, sick leave) to improve work-life balance, which is especially critical for women, caregivers and those with disabilities.
We also need to negotiate flexible work options that allow members to shape their workday to match their personal and family responsibilities.
Classification and gender pay gaps
The outdated classification system used in the public service continues to be completely unresponsive to the work done by many PSAC members. It doesn’t meet the needs of this century’s workplaces and discriminates against work categories dominated by women. We must close the gender pay gap and move towards a gender-neutral classification system that properly measures the work that members do and fully complies with pay equity laws in Canada.
Systemic racism in the workplace
Systemic racism continues to prevent the public service from reaching its full potential. We must actively address the barriers and discrimination faced by racialized and Indigenous workers and ensure that all our members’ workplaces not only reject racism, but actively work to dismantle the structures that sustain it.
We also plan to call on the federal government to provide education to public service workers on the history of Indigenous peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Indigenous rights, Indigenous law, and Indigenous–Crown relations.
Job security
The current period of economic uncertainty emphasizes the need for a fairer workforce adjustment (WFA) process in case of layoffs. The current WFA process threatens more employees with potential displacement than is necessary and forces workers to re-interview for their own jobs, resulting in serious stress and other mental health impacts on affected members.
We must oppose all forms of precarious employment and ensure that all members have timely access to indeterminate employment.
Next steps
Over the next few months, the elected bargaining teams for the PA, SV, EB and TC groups will meet and discuss the bargaining issues prioritized at the National Bargaining Conference and will work on a final package of bargaining demands that will be exchanged with the employer over the summer.
Make sure to keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to receive all the latest updates as we prepare to negotiate your next contract.
Today is April 28, a day set aside by an Act of Parliament we honour and remember all the people who died or were hurt from work related illness and injuries on this National Day of Mourning.
In light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we encourage organizations, communities, and individuals to consider holding or supporting a virtual event, or simply pause at 11:00 am on April 28 for a moment of silence. These acts of remembrance help to honour the lives lost or injured due to workplace tragedy, while also acknowledging the sacrifices of frontline and essential workers who have died or become ill serving during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We also demand that employers in federal and other jurisdictions to respect the rules on workplace health and safety committees and urge them to collaborate more with those committee members to ensure safe workplaces.
In 2020, over 1000 workers died in workplace related accidents in Canada, a similar statistic as in 2019; which is about 3 workers a day; 3 workers a day too many.
We join with the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety in their messaging:
We remember workers who have died, became injured, or have suffered from occupational disease while being on the job.
We commit to remember workers and preventing further workplace tragedies.
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat announced that their planned implementation date for Program and Administrative Services (PA) group’s new job evaluation standards is October 2022. This target requires department and system readiness, so it is subject to change.
Although the mapping of actual positions to sub-groups has not yet taken place, we still believe that the PA group will be restructured to five new sub-groups as per our previous update.
Your current rights will be protected regardless of the outcome of this process. This means no one will suffer a reduction in salary due to their classification potentially being converted to a lower wage level. You will be guaranteed to remain at your current salary (this is enshrined in the collective agreement as Salary Protection Status). This protection will apply until the position is vacated. In addition, as wages for your new classification exceed your current salary, your pay will be increased to the new classification level.
