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International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

November 25, 2020

November 25, 2020 is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Why is this important, many will ask? Here are just a few facts provided by the United Nations.

  • Alarming Figures 1 in 3 women and girls experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, most frequently by an intimate partner
  • Only 52% of women married or in a union freely make their own decisions about sexual relations, contraceptive use, and health care
  • Worldwide, almost 750 million women and girls alive today were married before their 18th birthday, while 200 million women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM)
  • 1 in 2 women killed worldwide were killed by their partners or family in 2017, while only 1 out of 20 men were killed under similar circumstances
  • 71% of all human trafficking victims worldwide are women and girls, and 3 out of 4 of these women and girls are sexually exploited
  • Violence against women is as serious a cause of death and incapacity among women of reproductive age as cancer, and a greater cause of ill health than traffic accidents and malaria combined

We are in 2020 and these are facts that women are still facing daily. We all have a role to play in ending gender-based violence against women, girls and LGBTQ2+ individuals. It is time to join the uncomfortable conversations around what is violence towards women and how to be part of the solution.

Becoming an Ally to Women!

  • Listening: be open to learning from the experiences of others
  • Believing: support survivors and those affected by violence
  • Speaking out: add your voice to call out violence
  • Intervening: find a safe way to help when you see acts of gender-based violence
  • Acting: give your time to organizations working to end violence 

We need to start somewhere, and this is the one place I am passionate about – Not only because I am a woman, BECAUSE I am a woman. No woman should feel powerless, EVER! We are not the weaker sex. We are just as powerful as men in different ways!

EMPOWERED WOMEN EMPOWER WOMEN!

No woman should ever feel powerless! I grew up being told I was strong, smart, beautiful and I could be anything I wanted, and I only owned my body. Listen to your gut, it never lies to you. I have been lucky. I am sure I have put myself in places I should not have. I have never been a survivor of violence; here I have been blessed.

I have, like all other women, had attention and things said to me that should never have been said to me growing up. Not knowing how to handle it or what to say or do. Being told it is just the times or just part of the job. I worked as a waitress in bar, all was part of getting tips.

Awhile ago, a friend of mine showed me a picture of a woman holding a sign and on it was a sentence crossed out and below was another. The one below was powerful and true!

She was raped.

He raped her.

This sign changed how I looked at the words we say and how we view them. What they say are powerful tools to fight against violence towards women. I went searching for more examples and found many others.

We have all heard the saying” Stick and stones can break your bones, but words can never hurt you.” This is so not true. When these statements are what you see and what you hear, society believes them and passed on and it becomes the norm. Let us start by breaking that cycle.

Here are a few more things we need to change:

Educate our sons

Will fight for our safety until we get it!

No such thing, an underage woman is a child. Children cannot give consent. They are RAPED, rape victims, sexual assault victims, sexual assault SURVIVORS!

This is a polite weasel word for RAPE and rapists do not deserve politeness. Victims deserve validations for what they have been through.

Will be held accountable for their actions. This is not an excuse! (Just like girls are).

Clothes are just clothes; they do not talk! No girl, woman or LGBTQ2+ individuals asks to be RAPED!

I am not naïve to know that violence towards women, girls and LGBTQ2+ individuals will stop over night just by changing a few sentences though it is a great first conversation. It is a step forward in understanding how we look at women, blame them for the violence against them, and how we usually victimize the victim in the crime. This is a necessary element to highlight in the elimination process of violence against women. It is a step in the right direction to stop this preventable epidemic.

Diana Walker

UNE National Equity Representative for Women

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Trans Day of Remembrance: COVID-19 has increased barriers faced by trans and non-binary people, especially if racialized

November 20, 2020

Today, we mourn trans, two-spirit, non-binary and gender non-conforming people who have lost their lives to transphobia. November 20th is Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR) which began in 1999 by trans advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a trans woman who was murdered in 1998. On this day, PSAC mourns the loss of those who were loving partners, parents, family members, friends and community members. 

Although there have been many recent gains in trans inclusion in Canada, trans people, especially racialized trans feminine people, continue to be disproportionality affected by gender-based violence. COVID-19 has only exacerbated the discrimination and inequities these individuals face. 

COVID-19 & Its Impacts on Trans People 

The pandemic has been a challenging time for everyone, but individuals in trans and non-binary communities have faced additional barriers during the spread of COVID-19. Accessing hormones and gender-affirming surgeries has been especially difficult. Since trans and non-binary people are more likely to work precarious jobs, they have also experienced a loss of income and job security.  

A survey conducted prior to COVID-19 indicated that 12% of respondents avoided going to the emergency room because they were trans or non-binary. Discrimination and these pre-existing health barriers have been heightened due to COVID-19.  

Trans and non-binary people have also faced an increase in the impacts of domestic violence in their homes in times of isolation. Furthermore, social distancing measures have had a detrimental impact on the mental health of many.  

Racialized Trans & Non-Binary People 

Reports show that racialized trans and non-binary people in Canada experience additional challenges and discrimination. In 2019, Trans Pulse Canada conducted a survey with 2873 trans and non-binary people across the country. Racialized respondents reported higher levels of discrimination, violence and assault than their non-racialized counterparts. 73% of respondents expressed fear towards police and expected unfair treatment by the legal system. Nearly 3 in 4 respondents reported being verbally harassed within the last 5 years. 

Many Black trans people report feeling disproportionately targeted and harassed by police. The recent death of Coco, a 30-year-old Black trans woman living in Toronto, while she was in the custody of the Toronto Police Services, is another stark reminder of the dangers racialized trans women face regularly. 

What can you do commemorate TDOR? 

You can participate in TDOR by attending and/or organizing a vigil on November 20th to honor  trans and gender non-conforming people whose lives were lost due to transphobia. We encourage you to participate in a digital vigil taking place online. If you are attending a vigil in person, we remind all members to take appropriate COVID-19 safety precautions (wear a mask, physical distancing, wash hands, etc.) 

You can also encourage your Member of Parliament to pass the Conversion Therapy Bill (Bill C-6) once and for all. Conversion therapy is the damaging practice of denying LGBTQ2+ people their dignity and trying to coerce individuals to change their identity. It hurts children, adults and tears families apart. You can read more information on the legislative action against conversion therapy, endorsed by PSAC.   

What can you do beyond TDOR? 

There are ways you can support trans and gender non-conforming people every day: 

  • Demonstrate your trans allyship through respecting the trans people in your life. 
  • Never assume another person’s pronouns, and always use the ones you are asked to. 
  • Upon meeting someone new, share your pronouns with them to demonstrate your solidarity. 
  • Include your pronouns in your email signature, business cards or in your displayed name during video conference calls. 

Source: http://psacunion.ca/trans-day-remembrance-covid-19-has-increased?_ga=2.89560594.829289535.1605885128-1121130890.1580157739

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Phoenix: Government resumes recovery of new overpayments; now collecting pension arrears

November 13, 2020

The Public Service Pay Center has restarted its work to recover new overpayments caused by the Phoenix pay system. Back in April, due to the pandemic, the Pay Centre announced it would pause the recovery process for new overpayment cases to help alleviate financial hardship caused by the spread of COVID-19. Members who already had a repayment plan in place were unaffected.

In addition to restarting the recovery of new overpayments, the government will also start collecting pension arrears. When the Phoenix pay system first launched in 2016, it delayed pension plan enrolment for numerous employees. The Pay Centre was unable to process pension arrears until spring 2020, however the spread of COVID-19 delayed the recovery process until now.

PSAC has fought for a clear and fair policy that determines when the government can recover any overpayments from public service workers. The government can only recover payments when all three of the following conditions are met:

  1. all monies owed to the member have been paid;
  2. the member has received 3 consecutive correct pay cheques;
  3. a recovery agreement has been established with the member.

All public service workers have the option to pay the outstanding amount in one lump sum if they do not wish to implement a payment plan. Any member experiencing financial hardship can also request an overpayment recovery plan that is less than 10% of their gross bi-weekly pay.

All overpayments will continue to be taxable, therefore members who have an overpayment identified by the Phoenix pay system will be issued a new tax slip for the corresponding year. Please note, PSAC’s victory to ensure that members only have to reimburse the net pay, rather than the gross amount, still stands.

If you are experiencing Phoenix pay issues, please follow our step-by-step guide to access help available to you from both the union and your employer.

Source: https://psacunion.ca/phoenix-government-resumes-recovery-new?_ga=2.31321279.1258062331.1605638172-1121130890.1580157739

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Elections Canada – Safeguard of the Canadian Electoral System and Democracy

November 16, 2020

In light of the election turmoil that has been unfolding south of the border, it is legitimate to ask ourselves if a similar situation could happen here. The simple answer is no or very unlikely because of the way the Canadian electoral system works and because of the Westminster parliamentary system.

Elections Canada, an independent and non-partisan federal agency, created a century ago, oversees federal elections in all provinces and territories. All Canadian voters gets the same experience at the polling station wherever they reside.

Tweet from Elections Canada

We are fortunate that all of Canada has Elections Canada, as an organization, as compared to state-run voting organizations in the United States that are prone to political partisan influences.

Our union is proud to represent Elections Canada workers with their unbiased professionalism, and their total respect for the Canada Elections Act.

Visit Elections Canada’s 100th Anniversary to learn more about this important agency and the work these members do.

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PSAC and Treasury Board sign EB and SV deals

PSAC and Treasury Board today signed new collective agreements for the Education and Library Sciences (EB) and Operations Services (SV) groups that were ratified by members on September 29 and October 5, respectively. The two bargaining units account for over 10,000 federal public service workers. PSAC has now signed collective agreements for around 120,000 federal public service workers. 

Implementation period begins 

The formal signing of the agreements today means that with the exception of monetary provisions, which are retroactive, new contract terms are in effect. Treasury Board now has 180 days to implement wage increases, wage adjustments and allowances. As explained in the contract ratification kits, in view of this extended implementation timeline which is normally 90 days, PSAC negotiated a $500 lump sum payment for members into these new contracts. 

Parks and CFIA units 

Members in the Parks and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) groups also recently ratified their tentative agreements. PSAC is working with both agencies to finalize the text and pay grids of the new agreements and expects to sign the new deals in the coming weeks.  

* * * 

Please keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to continue receiving information about implementation of collective agreements and the Phoenix settlement. 

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PSAC members ratify new agreements with Parks Canada and CFIA

November 4, 2020

PSAC members in the Parks Canada and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) bargaining units have voted in favour of their respective tentative agreements. The two units represent over 10,000 federal public service workers who have gone above and beyond to support Canadians during this pandemic. PSAC has now concluded collective agreements for nearly 130,000 federal public service workers. 

The new collective agreement for Parks covers the 2018-2021 period, while the new collective agreement for CFIA members covers the 2019-2021 period. All agreements provide for fair wages, no concessions and improved working conditions.  

“I am proud of the elected members of our bargaining teams for their unwavering dedication during this round of talks,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC National President. “Thanks to their hard work and the solidarity shown by thousands of members across the country, we were able to negotiate a fair deal. We’re now in a strong position to build on these improvements in the next round of bargaining.”  

Next Steps  

In the coming weeks, PSAC will meet with Parks and CFIA representatives to sign the new collective agreements. With the exception of monetary provisions, which are retroactive, new contract terms come into effect on the date of signing.  

Both employers have 180 days from the signing of the contracts to implement wage increases, wage adjustments and allowances. As explained in the ratification kits, in view of this extended implementation timeline, PSAC negotiated a $500 lump sum payment into all contracts.  

PSAC will update members when contracts are signed. Please keep your contact information up to date via the member portal. 

FB group still in talks 

Members in the Border Services (FB) unit are still in contract negotiations with the Canada Borders Services Agency.

Source: http://psacunion.ca/psac-members-ratify-new-agreements-parks-canada

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Halt to automatic leave cash-out extended for Treasury Board members

In order to reduce the pressure on the Phoenix pay system and allow compensation advisors to focus on fixing outstanding pay issues, PSAC and Treasury Board have agreed to suspend the automatic cash-out of vacation and compensatory leave for public service workers until March 31, 2022.

In most cases, compensatory leave that is earned in a fiscal year and remains outstanding on September 30 of the following fiscal year is subject to an automatic cash-out provision.

The extended moratorium will prevent the normally automatic transactions from causing additional pay issues for members. Members will still be able to request a cash-out of their leave. PSAC is aware that many members value time off over money and when consulted by Treasury Board, we agreed to the change in policy. We believe this is a prudent decision, allowing members to use compensatory time over a longer period of time while alleviating some of the pressure around Phoenix pay-related matters.

The overtime articles in PSAC’s five Treasury Board collective agreements (PA, TC, EB, SV and FB groups) provide employees with the option for overtime to be paid by compensatory leave rather than pay in a fiscal year.

Where automatic cash-out provisions currently exist in the collective agreement, Treasury Board will be directing departments to suspend the automatic cash-out for all hours earned during the 2021/2022 fiscal year, unless the cash-out is specifically requested by the employee.

The next cash-out date of excess hours will follow the provisions stipulated in the relevant collective agreement.

Source: http://psacunion.ca/halt-automatic-cash-out-extended-TB-members

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Changes to 699 leave: PSAC to take further legal action

October 29, 2020

PSAC is filing a second policy grievance against Treasury Board for its most recent discriminatory changes to 699 leave that will force federal workers to exhaust all other leave – including sick leave and vacation leave – before they can request “other leave with pay” for COVID-19-related reasons.  

For the past eight months, federal public service workers have been giving their all to help Canadians grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. PSAC members have been unwavering in their dedication despite the physical risks for those doing front-line work, in additional to ongoing school and daycare closures, and the extra burden of taking care of vulnerable family members.  

In some cases, workers have been forced to use 699 leave when they simply could not work remotely because of child care or elder care responsibilities, including waiting in long lines for COVID-19 testing. 

Despite the modest use of 699 leave, in May Treasury Board changed the guidelines on 699 leave to restrict how public service workers use “other leave with pay” to fulfil childcare needs related to COVID-19. 

PSAC warned Treasury Board that tightening the guidelines would discriminate against marginalized groups, potentially lead to serious human rights violations and violate members’ collective agreements. Workers have a right to use 699 leave because we negotiated it into collective agreements; it cannot be taken away at the whim of managers. 

They didn’t listen.  

Shortly thereafter, PSAC filed a policy grievance against Treasury Board on the grounds that the revised policy disproportionately impacts women, people with disabilities and people with family obligations.  

New policy forces members to exhaust all other leave 

Even before PSAC’s first hearing date with the Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board, Treasury Board doubled down on their restrictions around 699 leave, revising their policy to state that 699 leave could only be considered if workers have depleted all other paid leave available to them, even if they are suffering from COVID-19 symptoms or are unable to work because of child care or family obligations.  

PSAC will therefore be filing another policy grievance for the latest 699 leave policy changes that come into effect on November 9.  

Every day, parents are pulling their sick kids out of schools and daycares and will be forced to use up their vacation and sick leave. Workers caring for elderly relatives must make the impossible choice of putting their loved ones at risk if they go to work and bring COVID-19 home with them. These changes violate both members’ collective agreements and the Canadian Human Rights Act based on family status, sex and disability. The Canadian Human Rights Commission also plans to make submissions on behalf of federal public service workers.  

Without the availability of a vaccine, and with many parts of Canada experiencing a second wave of the pandemic, Treasury Board’s proposed changes are premature and do not reflect the current reality of this public health crisis and its mental health impacts on public service workers. 

PSAC is committed to ensuring that our members, and in particular, women, caregivers and those with disabilities, continue to have the necessary support and leave with pay they need during the pandemic. 

Source: http://psacunion.ca/changes-699-leave-psac-take-further-legal-action

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PSAC and Treasury Board sign PA, TC and Phoenix deals

PSAC and Treasury Board today signed new collective agreements for the Program and Administrative (PA) and Technical Services (TC) groups that were ratified by members on September 29. The two bargaining units account for over 80,000 federal public service workers. PSAC and Treasury Board also signed the Phoenix damages agreement reached this summer. 

Separately, the parties signed the protocol agreement on the negotiation of working conditions for civilian members in the RCMP who are slated to be deemed into PSAC bargaining units. 

Implementation period begins for PA and TC groups 

The formal signing of the agreements today means that with the exception of monetary provisions, which are retroactive, new contract terms are in effect. Treasury Board now has 180 days to implement wage increases, wage adjustments and allowances. As explained in the contract ratification kits, in view of this extended implementation timeline which is normally 90 days, PSAC negotiated a $500 lump sum payment for members into these new contracts. 

Phoenix settlement implementation 

PSAC expects Treasury Board to pay Phoenix general damages (i.e., the $2,500 lump sum) within the abovementioned 180-day collective agreement implementation period. Furthermore, information on how current and former members who have suffered severe losses due to the Phoenix pay system can claim additional compensation will be provided by Treasury Board in the coming months. We will continue pressing the government for an efficient implementation of this settlement. 

Other bargaining units 

Members in the Education and Library Science (EB), Operations Services (SV) and PSAC-UTE (Canada Revenue Agency) groups also recently ratified their tentative agreements. PSAC is working with Treasury Board to finalize the text and pay grids of the new agreements and expects to sign the new deals in the coming weeks.  

Members in the Parks and CFIA bargaining units have until November 4 to vote for their tentative agreements. 

* * *

Please keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to continue receiving information about implementation of collective agreements and the Phoenix settlement. 

Source: http://psacunion.ca/psac-and-treasury-board-sign-pa-tc-and-phoenix

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Legal battle begins to protect use of 699 leave during the pandemic

October 16, 2020

PSAC’s legal challenge against Treasury Board’s regressive and discriminatory changes to 699 leave for federal public service workers is set to begin October 19.  

In June, PSAC filed a policy grievance after the government tightened its guidelines around when public service workers can use “Other Leave with Pay” (699 leave) to fulfill child care needs during the pandemic.  

The new policy fails to recognize that some parents may have to keep their children at home for legitimate reasons despite the availability of schools or child care. For example, some parents may choose to keep their children at home to protect members of their household who suffer from underlying health conditions that make them vulnerable to COVID-19 symptoms.  

PSAC will meet with the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board in order to determine the scope of the policy grievance and set dates for the hearing.  

PSAC made it clear that the new policy adversely impacts women who continue to bear a disproportionate burden of domestic responsibilities including child care, eldercare and household operations. It could also result in discriminatory outcomes for people with disabilities and people with family obligations, violating both members’ collective agreements and the Canadian Human Rights Act based on family status, sex and disability. The Canadian Human Rights Commission has also notified the Board that it intends on making submissions on this issue. 

The proposed policy amendments would result in a patchwork of unfair outcomes for public service workers and give managers too much discretion in applying the policy.  

PSAC pushes back against the use of sick leave for COVID-19 

PSAC will also be contesting language in the policy that says employees who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or who self-isolate would be required to use available sick leave instead of 699 leave if they are unable to work.  

This egregious change to the policy is discriminatory to public service workers and flies in the face of sound public health advice. Without the availability of a vaccine, and with many parts of Canada entering a second wave of the pandemic, Treasury Board’s proposed changes are premature and inconsistent with the current public health crisis.  

There is also no evidence that employees have abused 699 leave during the pandemic. In fact, the Parliamentary Budget Officer has reported that 699 leave in the federal public service has been used modestly and cost very little. And as departments adapted to working from home, the number of employees forced to use 699 leave dropped by 84 per cent from April to June.  

PSAC is committed to ensuring that our members, and in particular, women, caregivers and those with disabilities, continue to have the necessary support and leave with pay they need during the pandemic. 

Source: http://psacunion.ca/legal-battle-begins-protect-use-699-leave-during?_ga=2.93968989.1519805114.1603113136-1121130890.1580157739