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Public Interest Commission provides its recommendations for EB group

February 5, 2020

PSAC has now received the Public Interest Commission’s (PIC) recommendations on issues that are specific to the Education and Library Science (EB) group. The PIC’s recommendations on issues common to all Treasury Board groups will be made available when the Commission submits its recommendations for the Program and Administrative Services (PA) group.

While the PIC recommendations are non-binding, which means the union and/or the employer can accept or reject the recommendations, we are pleased to note that the PIC agreed with some of the union’s proposals specific to the EB group.

Wage parity with comparable jobs

While the PIC did not fully address all of our key demands around wage parity and adjustments, it recognized that the employer’s wage offer was inadequate for the two parties to reach an agreement.

New national rate of pay for teachers who work for 12 months (ED-EST)

The PIC also recommended that the new national rate of pay for 12-month teachers (ED-EST) be included in the new collective agreement. The PIC pointed out that a joint committee composed of both the employer and union representatives had already reached an agreement on a new national rate of pay and that this agreement should be implemented.

Allowance for union members who teach Indigenous languages

The PIC agreed with PSAC’s position that teachers who provide First Nation language instruction should be entitled to the specialization allowance. The Commission “was struck” by the fact that the union’s proposal aligns with the recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and with the federal government’s Bill C-91, the Indigenous Languages Act.

Unfortunately, the PIC didn’t address many of PSAC’s proposals and even agreed to some of the employer’s concessions, such as on Education Leave Without Pay and Career Development. Other examples can be read in the full document on the PIC’s recommendations. In order to reach the fair deal that our members deserve, PSAC will continue to mobilize its membership through increased workplace action, up to and including a strike, until a fair settlement is reached. Stay up to date with the latest on bargaining by signing up for email updates.

Source: PSAC Website

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UNE Convention and Resolutions Call-out

The 2020 UNE Triennial Convention will be held at Hotel Fairmont Queen Elizabeth in Montreal from August 24-28, 2020. Before we start paving the way forward for our union, there are a few important things you need to do.

Make sure your Local is in Conformance
You can only attend convention if your Local is in conformance. For a complete list of documents needed from your Local, see the Convention section of the UNE website.

Elect Delegates and their Alternates
Delegates and alternates are elected during general local meetings. The number of delegates per Local is determined by the number of members in good standing six months before the start of Convention as per UNE Bylaw 6, Section 11:

  1. Four to 100 members = one delegate;
  2. One delegate for each 100 members or portion thereof to a maximum of five delegates for any given local.

Observers
Locals in conformance can also send observers to convention at the Local’s expense. These members can attend convention, but they cannot participate in debate or vote. There is a $75 registration fee for observers, to cover the cost of Convention materials.

Submit Credential Forms
Credential forms for each delegate, alternate and observer must be submitted to UNE. Credential forms for delegates and alternates must include a copy of the general Local meeting minutes showing the election of those members. The credentials forms are available for download on the Convention section of the UNE website.

Registration Deadline

To be recognized as a delegate to Convention, members must complete the online registration and submit the following documents by April 24, 2020 at 4pm Eastern Standard Time:

  1. Credential forms, including meeting minutes showing election of delegates and alternates;
  2. Local financial documents in conformance with UNE Bylaws and Policies.

Members who miss the deadline will not be able to participate on convention committees and are considered late delegates. Late delegates are seated at Convention by way of procedural motion during the early stages of the opening of our Convention.

Questions about Convention Logistics and Registration?
We hope you will find all the answers on the Convention section of our website.

If you require additional information, please contact Suzanne Boucher, Convention Coordinator, at events@une-sen.org or by phone at 613-560-4359 or 1-800-663-6685.

RESOLUTIONS

Option 1

Locals should appoint a convention resolutions committee; these are normally made up of three to five members. Some Locals may prefer to appoint a committee for each resolution topic: constitution and bylaws, finance, and general resolutions. Your Local should issue a notice asking members to submit resolutions to your convention resolutions committee. Allow plenty of time for the committee to prepare a report. Members of the committee should also be encouraged to submit their own resolutions. Each committee’s report and additional resolutions should be presented during a general membership meeting. This meeting should provide ample time to debate resolutions before members cast a vote.

Option 2

Any member in good standing can submit a resolution to Convention by having it cosigned by five other members in good standing.

Submit Your Resolution Online

You should submit your resolutions electronically on our website. Completing this process significantly reduces the time required to prepare resolutions for committee review in June. If you do not have internet access, you can submit your resolutions by mail or fax.

Submit Supporting Documentation

The resolutions you submit online must also be supported by hardcopy versions of either the signed minutes verifying that the resolution was adopted during a general membership meeting or the resolutions form cosigned by five other members in good standing. You can download the resolution template on our Convention page here.

Please send these hard copies to the attention of Ateau Zola by email at resolutions@une-sen.org.

You can also submit by fax at 613-560-5208, or by mail at: Union of National Employees 900-150 Isabella St. Ottawa, ON  K1S 1V7.

Resolutions received after April 24, 2020 at 4pm Eastern Standard Time will be deemed late and will be dealt with after all other resolutions.

Questions about resolutions? Please contact Ateau Zola at resolutions@une-sen.org or by phone at 613-560-4343 or 1-800-663-6685.

 

In Solidarity,

Kevin King
National President
Union of National Employees

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Parks Members Head to Public Interest Commission This Week

January 27, 2020

Parks Canada bargaining team members will head to their Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearings January 27, 28 and 30 in Ottawa. Parks members are one of nine PSAC bargaining units who are moving through the PIC process as negotiations reached an impasse last July.

During the hearings, PSAC will present our proposals for a fair and progressive collective agreement for Parks Canada workers, which includes:

  • A competitive wage increase
  • Introduce protections to guard against the impacts of Phoenix
  • Improvements to leave provisions, work-life balance, parity with the core public service, and improvements for seasonal workers
  • Access to domestic violence leave
  • Measures to achieve pay parity for Park Wardens and Park Warden Supervisors
  • An Indigenous language allowance
  • The creation of a joint committee on child care
  • A plan to further increase parity for Parks Canada by joining the National Joint Council

Watch members of the Parks negotiating team discuss the important issues on the table

What is a Public Interest Commission (PIC)?

Under the law that governs contract negotiations in the federal public service, once impasse is reached at the bargaining table, a PIC is established to help the parties reach an agreement.

The PIC is a panel of three people – a chairperson appointed by the Labour Board and nominees appointed by the union and management. The union and the employer submit briefs and explain their positions on the outstanding issues at a hearing with the PIC. The PIC then issues a report with recommendations for settlement. The recommendations are not binding. Once the PIC releases its reports for the various PSAC units, the union’s respective bargaining teams will meet to discuss the recommendations.

Stay up to date!

It’s important that all Parks Canada workers are receiving the latest bargaining news especially at this critical time in the process. You can help spread the word by:

Source: PSAC

 

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TB bargaining: Government squanders mediation opportunity

Last week, mediation between Treasury Board and PSAC ended without a tentative agreement as government representatives refused to make progress on PSAC’s key demands. The session covered both common issues as well as those specific to the PA unit – 90,000 federal public service workers in Program & Administrative Services.

After four years of Phoenix problems, the employer didn’t come to the table ready to get to a deal, instead they arrived with the same proposals PSAC has been rejecting for months. 

PSAC is standing firm on our core demands, including fair wage increases, Phoenix-related demands, and the working conditions that make balancing family and work possible.

Unfair wages

The government is proposing wage increases of about 7% for the 2018-2021 period. This is below inflation, which is projected at about 8% for the same period. In order to meet inflation, the government wants us to forgo an additional 1% market adjustment meant to raise earnings for specific groups that are below industry averages, and instead use that 1% to increase the overall wage offer. It’s not fair for the Employer to ask all PSAC members to pay for market adjustments. It should be their responsibility.

To be clear, we won’t accept any offer that doesn’t keep up with the rising cost of living while also addressing group specific market adjustments.

Phoenix-related demands

The impact of the Phoenix pay system is a central issue on the bargaining table for each of PSAC’s federal public service bargaining units. To mitigate ongoing pay problems and avoid such debacle in the future, PSAC is asking for key provisions to be put into our collective agreements.

PSAC is demanding a penalty clause in the collective agreement so that members are properly compensated when they are not paid properly or on time. Also, we want an end to the recovery of overpayments before an employee’s pay issues are completely resolved. Although PSAC has secured a temporary agreement to halt this practice, we want this protection permanently included in our collective agreements.

PSAC is also seeking reimbursement for members who are forced to seek accounting and financial management counselling due to pay problems cause by the Employer.

Finally, to avoid future disasters, we are asking for more and proper consultation before any technological changes are put in place affecting our members.

Extended parental leave

PSAC has proposed that members choosing the newly extended 18-month parental leave option receive a 93% top-up for the entirety of the leave period (i.e., combined maternity and parental leave lasting 18 months). Currently, members opting for the extended parental leave option receive a 93% top-up for the first twelve months (i.e., combined and maternity and parental leave), followed by an Employment Insurance payment of 33% of their salary for the next six months of parental leave.

However, the government is insisting on a new formula that would provide members taking the extended parental leave with only a 55.8% top-up for the parental leave period. This is a major concession and a stunning proposal from a “feminist” government that claims to support improved work-life balance.

Workforce Adjustment

PSAC is proposing to recognize years of service in a WFA situation, so that those with seniority are prioritized for alternate positions. Besides, our proposal seeks to ensure that when an employee is deemed to be in surplus, a guaranteed reasonable job offer will be made within a 40-kilometer radius.

In contrast, the government wants to open the door wide to relocating workers in the event of a workforce adjustment. This would create situations where workers would have to either uproot and move their families or lose their jobs without access to the WFA options.

What’s next

PSAC’s answer to this latest insult by Treasury Board is simple: while the report from the Public Interest Commission should be tabled anytime soon, we’re moving forward towards workplace action and a strike mandate until a fair settlement is reached.

Keep an eye out in your workplaces for upcoming information sessions and strike training. And make sure you’re getting bargaining updates by email.

Source: psacunion.ca

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B.C. & Yukon Regional Seminar

Click here to register online.

The B.C. and Yukon Regional Team invites you to participate in their Regional Seminar scheduled to take place at the Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront, Vancouver, B.C. on March 13 – 15, 2020.

This event will offer presentations and workshop training that will give you the knowledge and confidence to help your members. It’s also a great place to meet active members just like you and forge long-lasting friendships.
For a sneak-peek at what else we have in store for you, check out the Seminar agenda.

UNE will fund the following delegates per Local:

  • A Local President or designate should be one of the delegates;
  • A member who has not previously attended a seminar should be given priority;
  • Locals will elect a youth delegate to attend the Regional Seminar (age 35 or younger as of December 31, 2020).

Locals are required to encourage the participation of equity members. Locals may send additional members at their own expense.
You must register by Friday, February 7. Unfortunately, we will not consider late registrations.

Should you have any questions about the Seminar please contact Suzanne Boucher at events@une-sen.org.

Delegates to the Regional Seminar should arrive for registration at 7pm Friday, March 13. Accommodations will be arranged for delegates to spend two nights at the Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront for the Friday and Saturday night of the Seminar as activities are scheduled to take place into the evenings. The Seminar ends on Sunday, March 15 at 12:30pm.

In solidarity,

Shirley Torres, Regional Vice-President, British Columbia and Yukon
Brian Bakker, Assistant Regional Vice-President, British Columbia and Yukon
Linda Woods, Assistant Regional Vice-President, British Columbia and Yukon
Chelsea Cameron, Regional Representative for Human Rights, British Columbia and Yukon

Click here to register online.

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The UNE Regional Teams from the National Capital Region are getting together!

The NCR Separate Employers, Outside Canada, Ottawa-Treasury Board and Gatineau-Treasury Board Regional Teams invite you to participate in their combined Regional Seminar scheduled to take place at the Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel, in Gatineau on February 21 – 23, 2020.

This event offers presentations and workshop training that will give you the knowledge and confidence to help your members. It’s also a great place to meet active members just like you and forge long-lasting friendships.
For a sneak-peek at what we have in store for you, check out the Seminar agenda.

In the NCR, UNE will fund the following delegates per Local:

  • A Local President or designate should be one of the delegates;
  • A member who has not previously attended a seminar should be given priority;
  • Locals will elect a youth delegate to attend the Regional Seminar (age 35 or younger as of December 31, 2020).

In the Outside Canada region, UNE will fund the following delegates per Local:

  • Ten (10) members from each Local, of which one (1) must be a Youth (age 35 or younger as of December 31, 2020);
  • A member who has not previously attended a seminar should be given priority.

Locals are required to encourage the participation of equity members. Locals may send additional members at their own expense.

You must register by Friday, January 17, 2020. Unfortunately, we will not consider late registrations.

Should you have any questions about the Seminar please contact Suzanne Boucher at events@une-sen.org.

Delegates to the Regional Seminar should arrive for registration at 7 pm on Friday, February 21, 2020. Accommodations will be arranged for delegates to spend two nights at the Hilton Lac Leamy Hotel for the Friday and Saturday night of the Seminar as activities are scheduled to take place into the evenings. The Seminar ends on Sunday, February 23 at 12:30 pm.

Patrice Rémillard, Regional Vice-President, NCR-Separate Employers
André Miller, Assistant Regional Vice-President, NCR- Separate Employers
Mylène Séguin, Assistant Regional Vice-President, NCR- Separate Employers
Evelyn Beckert, Regional Representative for Human Rights, NCR- Separate Employers

Rose Touhey, Regional Vice-President, Outside Canada
Isabelle Beaudoin, Assistant Regional Vice-President, Outside Canada
Archie Campbell, Assistant Regional Vice-President, Outside Canada
Behiye Cinkilic, Regional Representative for Human Rights, Outside Canada

Cindy D’Alessio, Regional Vice-President, Gatineau -Treasury Board
Steve Racicot, Assistant Regional Vice-President, Gatineau – Treasury Board
Éric Poitras, Assistant Regional Vice-President, Gatineau – Treasury Board
Elizabeth Guerrero, Regional Representative for Human Rights, Gatineau – Treasury Board

Virginia Noble, Regional Vice-President, Ottawa – Treasury Board
Carla Ross, Assistant Regional Vice-President, Ottawa – Treasury Board
Janet Eileen Connor, Regional Representative for Human Rights, Ottawa – Treasury Board

Click here to register online.

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UNE Triennial Convention 2020 – ADVANCE NOTICE

The UNE’s 18th Triennial Convention will be held in Montreal, Quebec in August 2020. Now is the time to start thinking about electing delegates, preparing resolutions and ensuring your local is in conformance.

A) Convention Location & Dates

August 24-28, 2020

Hotel Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth

900 René-Lévesque Blvd W, Montreal (QC) H3B 4A5

B) Delegate Status

The deadline for submitting Delegate application forms will be April 24, 2020. Delegates must be elected at a general meeting of the local members.

C) Convention Resolutions

The deadline for UNE Convention Resolutions will be April 24, 2020.  Remember, resolutions from your Local must be approved at a general meeting of the local members.

Detailed information on Convention will be provided in the formal Convention and Resolutions callout letter in January.

If you have any questions or comments regarding Convention, I encourage you to visit www.une-sen.org/events/convention or contact your Regional Team.

In solidarity,

Kevin King
National President
UNE

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SSO Bargaining Conference Readies the Issues for Intense Round of Bargaining

Ottawa, ON – The Statistical Survey Operations (SSO) Regional Office and Field Interviewer teams met for three days to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly as they prepare to head to the bargaining table in (MONTH). Their current agreement expired in 2018 and UNE members are eager to get back to the table and negotiate a fair deal.

UNE National President Kevin King addressed the members:

“Our members at SSO do important, not-for-profit work that is a benefit to all Canadians. And yet, they remain underappreciated by the employer. This needs to change. We are proud to support these two bargaining units and hope that UNE can enforce a fair and just agreement.”

The SSO National Bargaining Conference was an opportunity for members to discuss the intent and prioritize demands submitted by workers from across the country.

Congratulations to the following delegates, elected to the SSO (RO & FI) Bargaining Teams:

Regional Offices
Edmonton Yun-Csang Ghimn
Winnipeg Donna Fidelak
Sturgeon Falls Michelle Rivet
Sherbrooke Alice Vallée
Halifax Neville David
 
Alternate #1 Anna Goldfeld
Alternate #2 Imane Meddah
Alternate #3 Helen Anderson

Field Interviewers
At Large #1 Phyllis Allen
At Large #2 Elyse Jones
Western Linda Woods
Central (ON & NCR) Shelly Daudlin
Eastern (QC & ATL) Claude-André Leduc
 
Alternate #1 Kelly Marshall
Alternate #2 Joanne Bekker
Alternate #3 Nilesh Patel

 

 

 

 

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Labour Board sides with Parks Canada workers, moves forward with Public Interest Commission

The Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Board has upheld PSAC’s decision to declare impasse in Parks Canada bargaining. In August, the employer disputed PSAC’s determination that both parties had reached an impasse in bargaining. They sent a request to the Labour Board arguing that declaring impasse was “premature” and that both parties had not sufficiently bargained.

The Labour Board disagreed with the employer and denied their request to delay the establishment of a Public Interest Commission (PIC). In a letter outlining the verdict, the Labour Board stated that PSAC’s Parks Canada bargaining team had “negotiated sufficiently and seriously” and therefore they would be recommending the establishment of a PIC.

Employer backs out of mediation

Both PSAC and the employer indicated that they would be open to mediation. Therefore, in August, the Labour Board assigned a federal labour mediator so that both parties could engage in mediation while waiting for the establishment of the PIC. PSAC told the Labour Board that it expected the employer to come to mediation with a complete monetary proposal and with a response to the union’s pay and workforce adjustment (WFA) proposals. In September, the employer responded that they were no longer willing to move forward with scheduled mediation because they have no mandate, despite initially requesting continued negotiations and mediation.

The Labour Board has scheduled a Public Interest Commission for Parks Canada bargaining January 27 to 30, 2020.

What is a Public Interest Commission (PIC)?

Under the law that governs contract negotiations in the federal public service, once impasse is reached, a PIC is established to help the parties reach an agreement. The PIC is a panel of three people – a chairperson appointed by the Labour Board and nominees appointed by the union and the employer. The union and the employer submit briefs and explain their positions on the outstanding issues at a hearing with the PIC. The PIC then issues a report with recommendations for settlement. The recommendations are not binding.

Once the PIC releases its report on Parks bargaining, PSAC’s bargaining team will meet to discuss the recommendations. Traditionally, following this, PSAC’s negotiating team and government representatives return to the table to resume negotiations.

Will we strike?

Regardless of which party forms government after the fall federal election, PSAC will continue pressing for a fair deal that addresses Parks members’ demands. However, if PSAC and the government are still unable to reach an agreement after the PIC report is issued, Parks members will have the legal right to strike. All members impacted will have the opportunity to vote in favour or against strike action. In preparation for this possible situation, PSAC will ensure that strike training is offered to members in the coming months.

Source: PSAC

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October 4, Sisters in Spirit

Sisters in Spirit Vigils celebrate, honour and support Indigenous women, girls and their families. The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls has been shared online.

Indigenous women and girls suffer higher rates of violence and homicide than non-Indigenous women and girls. There are many personal and systemic changes we need to make in this country. Can we join the Native Women’s Association of Canada to enhance, promote and foster the well-being of Indigenous women?

I am grateful for the recent learnings I have received from Colleen Hele-Cardinal, in Algonquin territory, and Hummingbirds Rising Consulting, in Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil waututh territory. I am encouraged by my worker union’s initiation of a Reconciliation paper. There is much to learn.

All my relations,

Ruby Langan
UNE National Equity Representative for Aboriginal Peoples