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Common issues: Team focuses on equity, remote work

October 1, 2021

During talks with Treasury Board September 27-29, the common issues team focused on improvements to equity and remote work measures for more than 120,000 federal public service workers.

Throughout this round of bargaining, PSAC aims to negotiate fair collective agreements that recognize the way the  pandemic has radically changed work in the federal public service. We’ll continue to focus on the issues that matter most to PSAC members – remote work, technological changes, job security in an uncertain economy, work-life balance and the effects of major inequalities for marginalized groups.

In this session, the bargaining team focused on:

  • Remote work: To ensure members are treated fairly, provisions governing remote work must become part of the collective agreement. PSAC is proposing measures to ensure accessibility, safety, and flexibility for members seeking remote work arrangements.
  • Right to disconnect: Despite the advantages of remote work for many members, it can lead to social isolation, as well as making it harder to “turn off” at the end of the workday, which can increase stress and anxiety. PSAC is negotiating for employees to shut off work-related communications outside of normal hours of work, and will not face discipline or reprisals in exercising this right.
  • Training on Indigenous issues: In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 57th Call to Action, the union is proposing comprehensive education on Indigenous issues for public service workers. In line with the Commission’s recommendation, this would cover the “history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations.”
  • Leave for traditional Indigenous practices: As part of the ongoing reconciliation process, PSAC proposed new specific leave for Indigenous members to pursue traditional cultural practices. This includes paid time off for hunting, fishing and harvesting, among other traditions.
  • The common issues team returns to the table November 2-4.

PSAC is committed to pushing for a fair deal that addresses the issues raised by members at the National Bargaining Conference, and rejecting any concessionary proposals from the employer.

Show your support

Meet your bargaining team, learn why they got involved in this round of negotiations and show your support with our bargaining graphics:

Stay in touch

Please be sure to keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to receive all the latest updates as we negotiate your next contract.

Source: Common issues: Team focuses on equity, remote work | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca)

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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 29, 2021

September 30, 2021, marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The day honours the children found and the Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process. It should be considered the same as Remembrance Day. It is a solemn day and there should be events associated with it.

There were 140 federally run Indian Residential Schools which operated in Canada between 1831 and 1998. The last school closed only 23 years ago. Survivors advocated for recognition and reparations and demanded accountability for the lasting legacy of harms caused.

The idea of having a commemorative day was one of the 94 recommendations in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report. 

The move came shortly after the remains of about 215 children were discovered in late May by the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.

More remains have been found since then, and more searches are underway across the country. Presently more that 6,000 children have been found, although many people expect the number to be much higher.

We encourage you to learn more about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada calls to action, including an organization’s responsibility to provide educational opportunities for management and staff on the history of Indigenous peoples, including the history and legacy of Residential Schools.

Lenora Maracle
UNE National Equity Representative for Indigenous Peoples

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SV Bargaining: team proposes improved working conditions and work-life balance

September 28, 2021

The Operational Services (SV Group) continued bargaining with Treasury Board on September 21-23, 2021, discussing fair wages, improved working conditions and work-life balance.

The bargaining team proposed several improvements, including: 

  • Fair wages, allowances and premiums by closing the gap between SV members’ wages and those in the private sector while protecting and improving access to overtime, premiums, and allowances. 
  • Improving ships’ crews’ working conditions by addressing issues stemming from time spent at sea. The bargaining team is also pushing to have existing leave policies, such as Family Related Responsibility Leave, altered to make sense for the types of schedules worked by ships’ crews. 
  • Expanding flexible working arrangements to ensure members have access to numerous options to do their work where and when it is possible, all while making sure this doesn’t come at the cost of existing premiums and allowances or a healthy work-life balance. 
  • Strengthening protections against contracting out and finding ways to increase the recruitment and retention of employees in SV positions. 

The SV bargaining team returns to the table October 25-28, 2021. 

PSAC is committed to negotiating a fair deal that addresses the issues raised by members at the National Bargaining Conference, and rejecting any concessionary proposals from the employer. 

Show your support

Meet your SV bargaining team, learn why they got involved in this round of negotiations and show your support by using our virtual background for all your work meetings and swapping out your social media profile picture: 

Stay tuned for updates

To ensure that you receive all updates, make sure to keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to receive all the latest updates as we negotiate your next contract. 

Source: SV Bargaining: team proposes improved working conditions and work-life balance | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca)

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Next Generation Human Resources and Pay Pilot by the Federal Government – Update

September 27, 2021

The federal government announced last week that Ceridian HCM Holding Inc., an American company founded in Canada in 2009, had been awarded an important contract to replace the wretched Phoenix payroll system.

The Next Generation Human Resources and Pay pilot will start at Canadian Heritage where a new “cloud-based human resources software platform” called Dayforce will be used, as part of the pilot.

“With our global leadership in human capital management, complemented by our deep and longstanding commitment to Canada, we are in a unique position to support Canada’s digital-first vision for modern, mobile, and accessible HR and pay processes,” said David Ossip, Chairman and CEO, Ceridian. “We look forward to continuing our work with the Government of Canada, unions, and employees by providing our intelligent HR and payroll solutions to our hard-working federal public servants.”

UNE is happy to see that the Next Generation Human Resources and Pay pilot is entering a new phase but wants to make sure unions are consulted during the entire pilot process, especially UNE because our members at Canadian Heritage will be the first ones using that software.

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PA bargaining: Team proposes leave improvements, more flexible hours

September 24, 2021

The Program and Administrative Services (PA) bargaining team discussed expanding a range of leave options and flexible hours of work during talks with Treasury Board September 21-23.

The bargaining team proposed several improvements, including:

  • Enhancing sick leave by increasing the amount of sick leave that can be advanced to members as well as limiting when a medical note may be requested, while ensuring the employer covers any associated fees.
  • Expanding leave for family-related responsibilities by increasing the hours provided. This would be applicable to care for any family member, along with care for children whose daycare or schools have closed. The proposal would also remove the cap of 7.5 hours for legal appointments and specify that the leave can be used to visit a terminally ill family member.
  • Expanding bereavement leave by increasing the number of days provided in the event of the death of a family member. The proposal would also allow employees to benefit from bereavement leave in the event of a miscarriage and in the event of the death of an aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, sibling-in-law, or a person for whom the employee was on compassionate care leave.
  • Expanding the possibility for flexible working arrangements by allowing employees to request flexible hours between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
  • Strengthening injury on duty leave by requiring that a certified workers’ compensation authority determines the length of leave rather than individual managers, who do not have the same expertise or impartiality.

The PA team returns to the table October 25-28. The common issues table will meet  September 27-29.

PSAC is committed to pushing for a fair deal that addresses the issues raised by members at the National Bargaining Conference, and rejecting any concessionary proposals from the employer.

Show your support

Meet your bargaining team,  learn why they got involved in this round of negotiations and show your support with our bargaining graphics:

Stay in touch

Please be sure to keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to receive all the latest updates as we negotiate your next contract.

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EB group: Team discusses expanded leave, flexible work

September 21, 2021

The Education and Library Science (EB) bargaining team focused on expanding a range of leave options and potential flexible work arrangements during talks with Treasury Board September 14-16.

Expanding leave options

The bargaining team proposed several improvements, including:

  • Enhancing sick leave by increasing the amount of sick leave that can be advanced to members, and limiting when a medical note may be requested while ensuring the employer covers any associated fees.
  • Expanding leave for family-related responsibilities by increasing the hours provided. This would be applicable to care for any family member, along with care for children whose daycare or schools have closed. The proposal would also remove the cap of 7.5 hours for legal appointments and specify that the leave can be used to visit a terminally ill family member.
  • Strengthening injury on duty leave by requiring that a certified workers’ compensation authority determines the length of leave rather than individual managers, who do not have the same expertise or impartiality.
  • Providing leave for medical appointments to those with chronic medical conditions, since these members may struggle to access time off for medical needs and resort to using vacation leave.

Flexible work arrangements

Treasury Board is exploring non-traditional working hours for employees. PSAC welcomes this initiativeand will ensure that any change to hours of work is implemented fairly, made accessible to as many members as possible, and entirely voluntary. Any change must also respect members’ health and safety and right to disconnect.

The EB team returns to the table November 8-10. The common issues table will meet on September 27-29.

Show your support

Meet your bargaining team, learn why they got involved in this round of negotiations and show your support with our bargaining graphics:  

Stay in touch  

Please be sure to keep your contact information up to date with the member portal to receive all the latest updates as we negotiate your next contract. 

Source: EB group: Team discusses expanded leave, flexible work | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca)

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TC group: Team discusses flexible work, health and safety

September 17, 2021

The Technical Services (TC) bargaining team met with the Treasury Board September 14-16 to continue negotiations.

Only non-monetary issues were discussed this round. The bargaining team is looking to make progress on these important issues before moving into discussions around wages and other monetary changes.

Some issues the bargaining team is prioritizing include:

  • Maintaining flexibility for hours of work to ensure members have numerous options to do their work. Members have shown resilience and dedication to their work throughout the pandemic and should have maximum flexibility going forward.
  • Improving health and safety for all members by including clear language ensuring that the employer is obligated to provide personal protective equipment to employees, and that they also provide proper training for workplace health and safety representatives.
  • Language protecting members who blow the whistle on wrongdoing. The existing whistleblower system does not adequately protect members who report wrongdoing in the workplace. All members should be protected from reprisals in such situations.
  • Occupational Group Structure (OGS) because getting a fair and modern classification system is at the root of getting members paid fairly for the work that they do. The OGS is the first step of this process. 

The bargaining team expects to meet with the employer again in the fall. They are firmly focused on getting a strong and fair deal for all TC members. 

Show your support

Member support through this process is critical to our success. Meet your bargaining team and learn why they got involved in this round of negotiations. And show your support with our bargaining graphics: 

Please be sure to keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to receive all the latest updates as we negotiate your next contract. 

Source: TC group: Team discusses flexible work, health and safety | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca)

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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Eligibility for the new statutory holiday

August 31, 2021

In June, the federal government passed new legislation  making September 30 a national statutory holiday commemorating National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The designation of this day is in response to one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and is meant to honour survivors, their families, and communities. It also ensures the ongoing commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools will remain a vital part of the reconciliation process.

This new designated paid holiday applies to federally regulated public and private sectors — specifically, the federal public service and employers subject to the Canada Labour Code.

PSAC’s collective agreements negotiated with the federal government include provisions for an additional designated holiday if one is proclaimed by an act of Parliament. As a result, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will become a designated paid holiday and will allow employees in the federal public service and federally regulated workplaces to observe and participate in this important day.

Employees eligible for this new statutory holiday do not need to request leave. It will be treated like any other statutory holiday. If September 30 is a non-working Saturday or Sunday, employees will be given the day immediately preceding or following the holiday.

Unfortunately, the new holiday does not apply to provincially regulated employers unless a provincial legislature makes similar amendments to provincial employment standards legislation.

Source: http://psacunion.ca/national-day-truth-and-reconciliation-eligibility?fbclid=IwAR0-M-OEz9SLCmdo1DgcPUbusbZE3nUtH8BLwFnRL7fSYa5pYrC0stfdPXE