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Receive your strike pay via Interac e-transfer

April 12, 2023

Last weekend, members in the TB and CRA bargaining units received an email asking them to sign up to register for e-transfer for strike pay. Here’s what you should know about registering for Interact e-transfer. 

Q: I received an email with the subject line: Strike pay: sign up for e-transfer. Is this an official email from PSAC? 

Yes. This is an official email from PSAC, to ask you to register for strike pay to be transferred securely through e-transfer with your personal e-mail address. The email is unique to each member and linked to their individual PSAC ID. It cannot be forwarded to other members. 
 
Q: If I do not provide an e-mail address for an e-transfer, will I continue to receive strike pay? 
 
Yes, you will still receive strike pay. If we do not have your consent and preferred e-mail address, your strike pay will be processed by cheque and distributed to the PSAC region you are in to pay you when you are on the picket line with PSAC members.  

Q: I deleted the email by accident, what should I do? 
 
Nothing. If you received the email, that means you are already in our membership database, and we will be re-issuing the email on Thursday, April 13 for members who have not yet signed up.  
 
Q: I did not receive this email, what do I do? 

This means we may not have your personal e-mail address to communicate with you. You can add your email through PSAC’s member portal. You will not be able to use an email that was forwarded to you by another member because the original email is unique to each member and linked to their individual PSAC ID. 

Q: Can my regional office re-send the e-mail directly to me? 
 
Yes, Regional Office staff can re-send emails directly. We strongly encourage members to have updated contact information through the member portal.  

Visit our member portal to keep your contact information up to date.  

Q: What is strike pay? 

For more about Treasury Board bargaining and strike pay, check our FAQ about Treasury Board Bargaining.

Source: Receive your strike pay via Interac e-transfer | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca)

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120,000 Treasury Board members secure strike mandate

April 12, 2023

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has received a strike mandate from members in the Program and Administrative Services, Operational Services, Technical Services, and Education and Library Science bargaining groups, which collectively represent more than 120,000 federal government workers employed by Treasury Board.  

“The cost of living has hit highs we haven’t seen in 40 years, and people are struggling. Every day, we see that our dollar doesn’t go as far at the grocery store or at the gas pump,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC national president. “Today, PSAC members are sending a clear message that they won’t be taken for granted, they won’t fall further behind, and they’re ready to fight for better.” 

The strike mandate follows nationwide strike votes that took place from February 22 to April 11, and comes on the heels of the strike vote mandate announced last week for 35,000 PSAC-UTE members working at the Canada Revenue Agency. A strike by PSAC members working for the federal government would be the largest against any single employer in Canada’s history. 

“Our members won’t take the decision to strike lightly. They know that a strike will be difficult for them and for the Canadians who depend on the services they provide,” said Aylward. “But they’re exercising their bargaining power because they just can’t wait any longer. Their bills can’t wait. Their families can’t wait. None of us can.” 

PSAC is the largest federal union representing federal public service workers, including workers who got vital new financial aid programs like CERB and emergency business loans up and running for Canadians in record time during the pandemic. They’re also cleaners and cooks on military bases, clerks and maintenance workers, tradespeople, Coast Guard search and rescue teams, teachers, firefighters and the people Canadians rely on to help process employment insurance, passport applications and immigration documents.  

Negotiations between PSAC and Treasury Board began in June 2021, but reached impasse in May 2022. The two sides met again during mediation in September and Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearings in December before a PIC report was issued in February with non-binding recommendations. 

Source: https://psacunion.ca/120000-treasury-board-members-secure-strike

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Update: Phoenix damages taxability and deadline to object

April 6, 2023

In 2020, PSAC negotiated Phoenix general damages for approximately 165,000 PSAC members to compensate for the stress, aggravation and pain and suffering they endured because of the broken pay system. 

Treasury Board treated Phoenix general damages as taxable income – deducting tax from the payment PSAC members received – but the Union maintains that these damages should be tax-free like just like other damages agreements.

Initially, despite numerous appeals by PSAC, Treasury Board and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) refused to revisit the taxability of Phoenix general damages. That has changed, however, and the Minister of National Revenue has agreed to PSAC’s request to put a test case before the Tax Court to determine this issue. The joint reference was filed last week.

In the event that the damages payments are declared non-taxable, the CRA can re-assess the taxes of impacted individuals that make a claim at that time and reimburse them. However, we cannot guarantee at this time that they will do so.

In order to guarantee your right to the reassessment, as we recommended in our previous updates, we urge all those who received general damages for Phoenix to file an objection before the end of April 2023. If for whatever reason you cannot do so in time, we will send further updates in May on how you can request an extension to the time period to object.

It is not possible to determine the length of time the Tax Court will take to render their decision, but PSAC will provide an update to all members as soon as possible. For future Phoenix updates make sure to subscribe to PSAC’s e-newsletter and visit psacunion.ca/phoenix. 

Source: https://psacunion.ca/update-phoenix-damages-taxability-and-deadline

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PSAC and SSO sign collective agreement

March 31, 2023

After more than two years of negotiations began for workers at Statistical Survey Operations (SSO), and five months since an arbitration victory, PSAC and the employer have signed a new contract including key gains for workers that we will continue to build on. 

The collective agreement for more than 1,300 federal public service workers was signed on March 13 and covers the period from 2018 to 2023, expiring on November 30, 2023. 

The new rates of pay, including the five per cent market adjustment, have already been processed and retroactive pay has been issued to members. The $500 implementation payment will be added to members’ March 29 pay. All other changes are effective as of the March 13 signing. 

This new collective agreement closes a long round of negotiations that took place during a merger of two SSO units (field and regional offices) as well as the transfer of senior interviewers into the core public administration. The new contract replaces two previous contracts for SSO members and ensures consistency with the terms and conditions of employment for all PSAC members at SSO. 

What’s next? 

With this new agreement, we will begin preparing for the next round of negotiations, which should begin by the end of 2023. 

Information on the input call and the national bargaining conference will be released soon. Keep your contact information up to date to receive all the latest bargaining updates. 

Source: PSAC and SSO sign collective agreement | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca)

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BC & Yukon Territory Regional Seminar: Experienced and New Activists Coming Together

March 7, 2023

A diverse group of UNE Local activists gathered in Victoria from March 2-5 for their annual Regional Seminar. Shirley Torres, UNE Deputy Trustee for the BC & Yukon Territory Region opened the event with a powerful message for all the delegates : ‘’Your commitment to the union is a commitment to yourself’’. UNE Trustee Sharon De Souza gave an update on the ongoing trusteeship and answered questions.

It was the first time attending a UNE event for many members and learning about Local finances and the grievance process provided by UNE staff was the perfect opportunity for them to dig into what a UNE Local representative does as a volunteer. Denis St-Onge (Local 20088) explained the basics of bargaining and gave a brief update on the Parks Canada ongoing negotiations. James Little, from the BC PSAC Regional Office, went through strike mobilization.

During the second day of the event, Johanne Labine, from PSAC, held an interactive and energetic session on governance. The all-day session called UNE: Empowering our Future was the opportunity for the delegates to brainstorm, engage and learn about good union governance and sound leadership.

Youth Delegates Elections for Convention also took place. Congratulations to Sterling James (Local 20278, Delegate), Jonathan Shivam Jeet (Local 20278, Delegate), Oscar Rodriguez, (Local 20214 , 1st Alternate), Alexandra Lausanne (Local 20280, 2nd Alternate), and Carina McDonald (Local 29266, 3rd Alternate)!

The last day, Ann Birnie (Local 20278) gave a practical presentation on how to engage with members at the Local level, with plenty of useful examples for the delegates to take back to their respective Locals.

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NCR Combined Regional Seminar: a productive Weekend for UNE Members

February 27, 2023

With four UNE Regions coming together at the Hilton Lac-Leamy from February 16-19 (NCR-Separate Employers, Gatineau-TB, Ottawa-TB, and Outside Canada), it was a great opportunity for activists to come together to discuss, learn and share ideas.

“The pandemic has changed the way people work and how we, as a Union, engage with the membership. An event like this is the perfect opportunity to reconnect, meet new activists and learn new tools to assist our members in the workplace through an intersectional lens,” said UNE Deputy Trustee Chris Little-Gagné.

Throughout the seminar, members had a refresher on Local finances and grievance handling. Chris gave a great presentation on pronouns and the importance of language. February is Black History Month, and  an excellent presentation was given by Gwen Madiba, founder of Equal Chance.

Jesus Adrian Napoles, PSAC Regional Education Officer, gave an inspiring training session called UNE: Empowering our Future. Members had a chance to dig into governance and the importance of interaction in a respectful and constructive manner in a Union context where workplace issues can be overwhelming for the member and for the Local executive.

Youth elections for the upcoming Convention were held. Congratulations to the elected Youth delegates!

Fae Johnstone, Executive Director and Co-Owner of Wisdom2Action (W2A), provided the delegates basic and concrete tools to engage with members in a digital world.

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Passport Program in 2023: Another busy Year ahead for UNE Members

January 26, 2023

Despite the recent update made by Minister Gould, the passport crisis is not over just yet. The minister acknowledged the commitment and professionalism of our hard-working members. We expect a spike in demand with the 10-year passport period ending with many waves of renewal submissions to come. The minister mentioned that our members have been working overtime to tackle the passport chaotic situation. They still do and this is not sustainable.

“For months, UNE has provided recommendations and best practices to ESDC about the overload our members and the department would experience,” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC’s National Executive Vice-President. “The department did not prepare adequately, and our members had to face the crisis last year, but we continue to work with the employer to improve work conditions and services to Canadians.”

The department has hired a lot of new employees to prepare for the next influx of passport requests. Although ESDC hired intake personnel and changed its training curriculum to certify the Citizen Services Officer, it remains that only qualified Passport Officers can entitle all types of passports, including more complex files. As such, the “passport integrity”, mentioned by the minister, is still a big concern to the UNE. 

It is thanks to the commitment and professionalism of our members that the backlog of passports is “virtually eliminated”, as stated by the minister.

UNE has continually raised concerns about low morale in the workplace, stress and mental health. Our members are as frustrated as the general public about wait times and we continue to work with the department on resolutions.

Finally, the minister briefly talked about looking at different new ways to deliver passports to Canadians. We are hopeful that any changes will involve consultation with the Union.

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PSAC files complaint as Treasury Board delays dental plan negotiations

August 12, 2022

PSAC has filed an unfair labour practice complaint against Treasury Board for refusing to begin talks to negotiate a new dental care plan for tens of thousands of federal public service workers.  

After surveying members, receiving thousands of responses, and preparing a package of proposals, PSAC has been pushing the government to come to the table to begin negotiations for the dental plan. However, Treasury Board continues to delay talks to address the important issues our members have identified with their current plan. 

PSAC negotiates changes to the dental plan separately from the regular collective bargaining process. This process is also different than the recently concluded negotiations for the Public Service Health Care Plan agreement. PSAC negotiates the dental plan independently of other federal public sector unions.   

Once talks begin, we will publish our proposals and update members as talks proceed. You can learn more about your current dental care plan and follow the latest on negotiations here.  

Source: PSAC files complaint as Treasury Board delays dental plan negotiations | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca)

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Multiculturalism Works

August 12, 2022

Op-ed

Canada is fortunate to have a population that is made up of numerous distinct ethnic and cultural groups. Since the 1970s the Canadian Government officially adopted the ideology of Multiculturalism because of its emphasis on the social importance of immigration.

In the early days of the promotion of Multiculturalism, the dominant culture was very intimidated by the influx of various ethnic and cultural groups. It was often said that “if you come to Canada, you should be forced to adopt the Canadian culture”. This confused me because I didn’t fully understand what exactly “Canadian culture” was? My Canadian friends identified as Italian, French, or even European. Should I be adopting one of these cultures to be considered Canadian? Should I be eating more poutine, or adopting the word “eh” into my vocabulary? I was already using a tuque and ordering a double, double from Timmy’s. I even bought a Two-Four from the beer store for the May 2/4 long weekend, but I was still not considered Canadian enough.

When local governments began promoting multicultural events in various cities, that is when I “came out of the closet” and openly practiced my ethnic culture. I was no longer afraid to be me. I did not have to be embarrassed about practicing my culture openly in public. I could freely wear my ethnic clothing, eat my ethnic food and observe my culture’s art and music being appreciated by all. It also gave me the opportunity to learn about and appreciate the food, art and music of other cultures. It made me a more aware and appreciative person. To me, appreciating the cultures of all communities is what made me a true Canadian.

Multiculturalism is intended to encourage the various cultures to thrive in our society. I believe that a true “melting pot” would only flourish in a society that shows respect and appreciation for all cultures within that community. Some people believe that the promotion of multiculturalism would promote tribalism…. It would cause people to only interact within their own communities. That is not true. People tend to be intimidated by what they don’t know or understand. When people don’t understand the language that you speak or the religion that you follow or the food that you eat, they tend not to make the effort to integrate. This gives rise to tensions between people of different cultural backgrounds. People are too afraid that multiculturalism would result in their culture being eroded. However, the more one is exposed to other cultures, the more comfortable one become with integrating.

I believe that there are a lot more advantages to Multiculturalism than most people realize. It promotes a higher level of tolerance towards minorities, which in turn leads to a more peaceful society. When we learn from different cultures, life becomes much more exciting. It helps us to be more respectful of others and appreciate the cultural values and social norms of all. Beyond the Food and the Festivals, interacting with people of various backgrounds helps us to breakdown the ethnic or social stereotypes that one may have previously adopted. This helps us to look at things from various points of view and to work collaboratively in diverse ethno-social groups. In a multicultural society one is exposed to new ways of doing things and a different perspective of looking at things. This could only benefit us as a society.

The most important benefit of Multiculturalism is that it promotes the adoption of social justice for all. On this Multiculturalism Day let us all celebrate the diversity of all the communities in Canada and to affirm our commitment to democracy, equality, and mutual respect to all cultures in our world.

Sam Padayachee
National Equity Representative for Racialized Members

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Victory: PSAC secures important gains in new Public Service Health Care Plan agreement

August 8, 2022

PSAC has successfully negotiated long overdue improvements to the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP), which provides benefits to most federal public service workers and retirees.  

As part of the agreement, PSAC secured improvements to vision care and massage therapy benefits. Plan members will also see a major increase to psychological services, as well as an expansion of eligible psychological practitioners covered. Acupuncture will now be covered when performed by a licensed acupuncturist, and a prescription will no longer be required to access paramedical benefits like massage therapy or chiropractic treatment. 

PSAC also won a significant victory to protect the rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ members, increasing coverage for gender-affirming care and procedures. 

These improvements reflect priorities identified by PSAC’s membership during a comprehensive survey. The changes will take effect on July 1, 2023. 

The PSHCP hadn’t been reviewed since 2006 and needed significant updates, especially to reflect increased health care service costs. 

PSAC negotiates the health care plan directly with Treasury Board, alongside other bargaining agents of the National Joint Council and the National Association of Federal Retirees, representing retired members. This is done outside the regular bargaining process for collective agreements. This final agreement is subject to Treasury Board approval. 

Detailed list of benefits improvements

See full list of improvements to the health care plan (PDF) 

Source: Victory: PSAC secures important gains in new Public Service Health Care Plan agreement  | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca)