Empowerment on International Women’s Day

By Hayley Millington

Canada’s theme for the 2016 International Women’s Day (IWD) is Women’s Empowerment Leads to Equality. On a global scale, the United Nations (UN) calls for “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”. You may question the validity of this or wonder if the goal itself is too lofty. Despite one’s feelings of apprehension, I can say that the goal is an achievable one and unequivocally state that gender equality is a goal worth accomplishing.

Empowerment on its own merit is an essential component to achieving equality amongst the sexes. Empowerment also allows the female of our species to better attain goals that they set for themselves as well as enable them to take the helm of their individual lives whilst becoming positive contributors to their societies at large. Women and girls embracing empowerment means that better choices can be made that will allow their needs and those of their families to be met.

The Status of Women in Canada states that Empowerment includes: “Having access to education, getting involved in the community, becoming financially independent, understanding your right to live free from violence, knowing how governments works and exercising your domestic rights”. Canada has been touted as a world leader when it comes to the empowerment of women and gender equality plays a significant role in many of its development programs. In many parts of the world, women and their governments are still playing “catch up” and the idea of gender equality is still only a concept.

The UN calls for an accelerated 2030 agenda whereby we are able to implement a new set of sustainable goals. As well, they are focusing on …”new commitments under the UN Step It Up initiative, and other existing commitments on gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s human rights”.

It is beneficial to humanity to have their female populous empowered and able, through equality and gender parity, the chance and tools to reach their full potential allowing for an enriched society for all.

Empowered Woman, Unfettered by life’s once cumbersome details

Mindful of self and surroundings, desires and needs now relevant, never again curtailed

Primed and full of confidence, she soars past her inconsolable self and rises

Owning the experiences that create the memories of her life, once Tethered

Warrior spirits abound, never waning and in full fight regalia

Eager to take flight

Revealing the strengths of her character, no longer held in abeyance

Much to their chagrin

Emancipated and able, ready to ascend to a new understanding of oneself

Notwithstanding the powers of governments and societies

Tantamount to the oppressive beliefs now outlawed and waylaid by what she understands of herself and her place for she alone commands the niche now carved and indelible, never again invisible and on display for all to see.

Hayley Millington is the UNE’s National Equity Representative for Women.

2016/03/032016/05/19

Check Your Pay Stubs – Phoenix Pay System Coming Online

After years of development, the federal public service’s Phoenix pay system is now being rolled out for UNE members who are paid through Public Services and Procurement Canada (formerly known as Public Works and Government Services Canada). Like most major service upgrades, members should expect there to be some glitches along the way. However, this is not a small issue; this could directly affect the livelihood of families if problems with the system result in lower or missing financial income.

So what are members to do?

First, check pay stubs and direct deposits. If you notice any problems, there is a process to follow.

The government’s Pay Centre Escalation Process describes who workers should contact in cases where pay is inaccurate or untimely.

Contact your manager to confirm your paperwork was sent to the Pay Centre. If it was not, acquire the paperwork to request a salary advance and follow up with your manager to send the paperwork. It is also important that you advise your human resources department right away.
If the paperwork was sent, call the Pay Centre at 1-855-686-4729 to speak to a compensation advisor.
If the compensation advisor doesn’t follow up within three days or you are unsatisfied with their response, contact the Client Satisfaction Bureau at pwgsc.clientsatisfactionbureau-bureausatisfactionclientele.tpsgc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca
Please share your experiences with us. Did a problem with your pay occur? Did you resolve it yourself? Was the process an ordeal? Send us an email at info@une-sen.org so that we can work together with the employer and make certain our members are being paid.

There is a handy flow chart describing service standards and the problem-resolution process here: http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/remuneration-compensation/paye-centre-pay/service-eng.html#a3

We anticipate each organization will have different approaches to solving issues with the Pay Centre. In addition to following the process provided, we highly encourage you to contact your human resources department.

As your union, we are here to help.

2016/02/172016/03/21

OLG Rideau-Carleton Raceway Slots Lockout Enters 3rd Month; workers vow to bring struggle to Queen’s Park

16 February 2016 — Workers at the Rideau-Carleton Raceway Slots in Ottawa are today entering the third month of being locked out from their workplace. The 124 workers were first locked out by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) on December 16, 2015, after they overwhelmingly refused to accept a contract that would keep their wages frozen for two out of three years, and also force them to give up existing pension language from their current collective agreement.

To mark the beginning of the lockout, workers will be holding a barbecue in front of the Slots on February 18 to celebrate their collective strength over the last two months.

BBQ will be held between 3pm and 5pm on Thursday February 18 at 4837 Albion Rd.
Workers and union representatives will be available for interviews.
Photo opportunities will be available.

“When OLG locked out these workers back in December, management thought they wouldn’t last more than a couple of weeks,” said Doug Marshall, President of the Union of National Employees, a component union of PSAC. “But the workers stood up for themselves and refused to be pushed around. They weathered the blistering cold and snow, maintained a strong picket line every day of the week, and met with provincial and municipal politicians to put pressure on OLG to end the lockout.”

The beginning of the third month of the lockout also coincides with the return of the Ontario Legislative Assembly from its winter adjournment, and locked-out workers are now determined to bring their situation to Queen’s Park and pressure the Liberal government to end the lockout fairly.

“We will make sure that Premier Kathleen Wynne and Finance Minister Charles Sousa hear from us,” said Larry Rousseau, Regional Executive Vice President of the National Capital Region for the PSAC. “And we will also let them know that our much larger unit at the OLG Woodbine Slots in Toronto will commence bargaining in the coming weeks, and they too will not accept attempts by OLG to take away pension language from their contract—we will stand united!”

2016/02/112016/03/21

UNE Local Presidents’ Conference

The Union of National Employees Local Presidents’ Conference is just a few short months away. Local Presidents are invited to join us in Gatineau, QC from April 21 – 24 for an exciting chance to meet with fellow local presidents and discuss the many issues currently facing our union.

We ask that UNE Local Presidents register by Friday, March 11, 2016.

You can quickly register online and find out more about the conference at:
http://en.une-sen.org/conf2016.

Your Local’s participation is very important. If you are unable to attend, we encourage you to designate another member of your local executive to participate in the conference.

If you are unable to register please contact Suzanne Boucher at 613-560-4359 or at suzanne.boucher@une-sen.org

2016/02/08

Treasury Board bargaining: new government, old mandate

Treasury Board bargaining teams met this week for the first time since the election of the new Liberal government.

We brought forward proposals addressing the needs that were identified by the membership and continue to work toward achieving a fair collective agreement.

Given the Liberals’ election promises, we expected this government to bring forward a new bargaining mandate. In fact there was little indication of a change in approach.

We will not trade away sick leave

Treasury Board negotiators tabled a proposal similar to that of the previous Conservative government, that would replace our existing sick leave plan. It takes away existing rights and leaves members worse off. The proposed short term disability plan would fall outside of the collective agreement and allow the government to make unilateral changes any time.

We remain open to improvements on sick leave but we will not negotiate concessions or agree to any proposal that forces members to choose between losing pay or going to work sick.

Fair bargaining and Bill C4

We are pleased to see the government move to repeal Bill C59 (division 20), but there is still another unfair labour law on the books. The unconstitutional changes to labour laws governing the collective bargaining process under C4 remain a key issue.

It is a mystery why the government is not repealing this legislation in light of the clear pronouncements made by the Supreme Court in the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour case. We will continue to move forward with our litigation and take all necessary steps to ensure that there is free and fair collective bargaining for the federal public service.

At the bargaining table, PSAC will continue to focus on measures to improve the delivery and quality of public services and make the federal public service an efficient and healthy place to work. This benefits all Canadians.

EB: Our team focused on the issue of class sizes and making sure that our recommendations about the pay study are recognized and followed. For more info: psacunion.ca/eb.
FB: We put forward proposals to protect against the elimination of officer positions due to the introduction of technological change. The team also sought to protect compressed work weeks and prevent management from making unilateral changes to schedules. For more info: psacunion.ca/fb.

PA: We focused on working conditions in contact centres and the need to implement minimum standards in these workplaces. Our team also emphasized the importance of implementing shift scheduling by seniority. For more info: psacunion.ca/pa.
SV: Our ship’s crew subcommittee finalized the proposals that we will bring to the next round of bargaining. For more info:psacunion.ca/sv.

TC: Discussions focused on the need to better protect health and safety and to expand the definition of “family,” to remove discriminatory language. The team discussed hours of work, and the need to provide more allowances that recognize the unique and difficult nature of TC members’ work. For more info: psacunion.ca/tc.

Source: psacunion.com

2016/02/022016/03/03

OLG Refuses to Withdraw Ultimatum, Shows No Movement at Bargaining Table

Ottawa — Workers at the Rideau Carleton Raceway Slots (RCRS) in Ottawa met with Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) management on Friday, January 29 for the first time since they were locked out on December 16, 2015. The workers, represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), were hopeful that OLG would show some flexibility at the bargaining table. However, they were quickly disappointed to learn that OLG remains unwilling to change its last position, insisting that the union concede to its demands on wages and pensions—the two key issues in the dispute—before it will negotiate in any meaningful way:

Back in December, OLG insisted on freezing wages for the first two years of any new contract, and then providing a 1.75% increase for the third year. Workers had rejected this given that they had not received a raise since 2009, even though the cost of living in Ottawa has increased by about 9% in that period. Moreover, the locked out workers are currently paid around 8% less than workers doing comparable work at other sites, such as OLG Casino Brantford. At Friday’s meeting, however, OLG continued to insist that the total wage increase for the new three year contract will still be 1.75%.
Prior to the lockout, OLG insisted that workers agree to the removal of pension language from their current contracts. The workers had rejected this then, but on Friday, OLG continued to insist that workers agree to the complete removal of existing pension language.

“It is reprehensible that OLG would ask to meet with the workers again just to try to force the same substandard contract onto them once more,” said Doug Marshall, President of the Union of National Employees, a component union of the PSAC. “The workers already voted by 96% to reject OLG’s attempts to freeze their wages and remove pension language.”

“I want to be clear with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne: we will bring this battle to Queen’s Park if her government does not end this shameful attack on OLG workers here in Ottawa,” added Larry Rousseau, Regional Executive Vice President of the PSAC in the National Capital Region. “And we will not stop until her government treats these workers with the fairness and respect they deserve.”

OLG management at the RCRS locked out 124 of its workers on December 16. The workers served in a variety of roles, including as parking attendants, housekeepers, slot attendants, slot technicians, cashiers and money room clerks.

2016/02/012016/02/01

February is Black History Month – And Yes, it is still meaningful

By Hayley Millington

As recently as January 20^th, 2016, during a conversation about the 2016 Oscars, U.S. actress Stacy Dash said on Fox News that she wants to eliminate Black History Month (BHM). According to Ms. Dash as she addressed the ongoing outrage over the lack of minority nominees in major categories;

“I think it’s ludicrous,” Dash, 49, said about the response to the lack of diversity surrounding the Oscar nominations. “We have to make up our minds. Either we want to have segregation or integration. If we don’t want segregation, then we need to get rid of channels like BET and the BET Awards and the [NAACP] Image Awards, where you’re only awarded if you’re black.”

Ms. Dash went a step further by saying “there shouldn’t be a Black History Month. We’re Americans, period.”

In 2005, Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman said that having a Black History month was “ridiculous” and that the best way to end racism today is to “stop talking about it”. When questioned as to why, Mr. Freeman stated “You’re going to relegate my history to a month”.

The statements quoted here are a set of widely used, tried and tested propaganda used in America daily. The ideas themselves are used at any given time in discussions with other proponents who would like to remove Black History Month from the calendar with the premise that it hinders us (black folks) more than it helps us in achieving the American dream, not as a black person in America but as an American.

On this side of the border, attitudes towards BHM differ. All Canadians are invited to participate in BHM festivities as the legacy of black Canadians are remembered and celebrated. Canadians take the time to celebrate what Canadian people of colour have brought to the cultural mosaic that is Canada’s multicultural diversity.

It is important to recognize and not lose sight of the fact that Black History Month carries a significance that far outweighs the negativity as it allows people of colour to showcase their past and their present.

So while some to the south of us continue to devalue and misconstrue the importance of Black History Month, my point of view is that it certainly has a role to play in educating Canadians about its historical context and perspective.

For the next 29 days I am engaging my colleagues and friends with a BHM quiz that has been ongoing for the past 13 years in my place of work. When it opens up and creates a space for dialog about black history, the conversation becomes an opportunity to share my experiences openly and proudly with all who are interested.

Hayley Millington is the UNE’s National Equity Representative for Women.

2016/01/182016/02/08

Meeting of the National Executive

The National Executive of the Union of National Employees will be meeting from Tuesday, January 26 to Thursday, January 28, 2016 in Ottawa.

Should your Local have any item to be placed on the agenda for this meeting, please contact your Regional Vice-President and provide him or her with the necessary information in order that he or she will be in a position to place this matter before the Executive.

2015/12/142016/02/08

Rideau Carleton Raceway Slots Workers Facing Lockout During Holiday Season

Workers at the OLG-Rideau Carleton Raceway Slots (RCRS) facility in Ottawa are facing a lockout as early as 12:01am on December 16.

The 124 affected workers, represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), have been negotiating to reach a fair contract since May 2014 but have so far been unsuccessful. Key outstanding issues are reasonable wage increases and the future of the pension plan. Workers at the RCRS have not received a raise since 2008, and now earn significantly less than workers in comparable positions at other OLG facilities.

Workers will once again return to the bargaining table on December 14 in an attempt to reach a negotiated agreement that is fair and equitable.

On December 10, Slots management notified workers that if there was a labour dispute they would be denied access to health and dental benefits. PSAC has assured its members that should the RCRS not agree to the continuation of benefits, the union will provide health and dental coverage to all those involved in the labour disruption.

“We believe it’s only fair that after not receiving raises since 2008, the RCRS’s management should come to table with a reasonable offer that reflects the good work that our members do,” said Larry Rousseau, Regional Executive Vice-President for the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

“As we enter the busiest part of the holiday season, we really hope that this can be resolved at the bargaining table, without disruption to the RCRS’s operations, as we are sensitive to how many banquets and events have been booked at this location,” added Doug Marshall, President of the Union of National Employees, a component union of PSAC.

The 124 workers at the RCRS serve in a variety of roles, including as parking attendants, housekeepers, slot attendants, slot technicians, cashiers and money room clerks.

2015/12/092015/12/09

Register today for the NCR-SE Regional Seminar

The NCR – Separate Employer regional seminar is fast approaching and it’s the best place to learn about our union and the many things we do.

Join us February 26-28, 2016 for an event jam-packed with lectures and workshops to help you gain the knowledge and confidence you’ll need to help our members. It’s also a great place to meet active members just like you and forge long-lasting friendships.

During the seminar, youth delegates will elect two of their peers to represent them as delegates to our 2017 convention.

You must register by Friday, January 22, 2016.

Visit the events page for more information and register today.