The Treasury Board PA, TC, SV and EB collective agreements will expire in 2025.
Program and Administrative (PA) group expiry date: June 20, 2025
Technical Services (TC) group expiry date: June 21, 2025
Operational Services (SV) group expiry date: August 04, 2025
Education and Library (EB) group expiry date: June 30, 2025
In preparation for the next round of bargaining, PSAC will host a bargaining conference for PA, TC, SV, and EB group members on February 19-23, 2025, in Montréal.
The conference will bring members together to review, discuss, and prioritize issues for bargaining with Treasury Board. Conference delegates will also be electing their bargaining team.
PSAC is issuing a call-out for equity group members to attend the Treasury Board national bargaining conference.
The participation of all groups in collective bargaining is critical and we encourage equity group members – Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, Access (members with disabilities), women and young workers (35 years old or younger) – to participate.
Applicants must be a member of the PA, TC, SV, or EB bargaining unit as well as hold office in their Local and demonstrate evidence of union activism.
Please note that the next National Executive meeting will be held November 25-28, 2024 at the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday. The first day will start with a training session on social justice from the Joint Learning Program (PSAC). In the afternoon, members will hear from UNE’s Director of Member Representation & Labour Relations, Douglas Hill, on how to meet the union’s duty of fair representation.
In accordance with UNE Bylaw 2, Sec 7: “Locals may send observers to executive meetings, at the expense of the Local”.
Should your Local have any item to be placed on the agenda for this meeting, please contact your Regional Vice-President and provide them with the necessary information in order that they could be in a position to place this matter before the Executive.
About the National Executive: The National Executive is responsible for the policies, programs and direction of the Union of National Employees. Between conventions, it makes important decisions and creates policies that help look after our union. The executive also carries out resolutions adopted by the members during the last convention. Its members meet at least three times per year to review the union’s activities and ensure that they reflect the will of the membership.
Karsten Heuer was a biologist, wildlife and landscape defender, storyteller, best-selling author, husband, father, son and friend. He was also a UNE member at Parks Canada who passed away November 5. Our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to Karsten’s family and friends.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has the primary responsibility for collective bargaining.
However, the Union of National Employees (UNE) supports this process in several ways:
Before negotiations begin, the UNE is responsible for soliciting bargaining demands from its members.
This is your chance to have your say and address specific issues that require improvement in your collective agreement.
Your PSAC bargaining teams, which include UNE members, negotiate with your employer to bring about the change that the members demand.
This Input Call is your chance to make your voice heard and submit demands for the upcoming round of bargaining.
The primary purpose of this communiqué is to explain what you or your Local members need to do, to submit your demands and how local members can get involved in the process.
Key Dates:
Deadline for Submission of Bargaining Demands through the PSAC portal – November 15, 2024.
Deadline for National Bargaining Conference Applications – December 13, 2024.
How Can I Submit Demands?
Locals are encouraged to schedule a membership meeting to discuss their priorities and proposed bargaining demands.
Individual members are also permitted to submit demands
Once bargaining demands are agreed upon or crafted, members are encouraged to submit their bargaining input by submitting them to:
During this review process, the UNE ensures that the demands conform to the needs and values of the union.
The UNE also conducts basic editing and establishes a priority list based on the bargaining demands submitted.
For the upcoming round of bargaining, PSAC has established that demands will be capped at 25 demands per bargaining unit (25 for PA, 25 for TC, 25 for SV and 25 for EB).
Therefore, all demands will be evaluated to ensure they represent the interests of the membership, as a whole.
How Does PSAC Prioritize Demands?
PSAC holds a National Bargaining Conference, currently scheduled for February 19-23, 2025, at the Westin Montréal.
It’s during this bargaining conference that delegates review bargaining demands, identify priorities, and plan the upcoming round of bargaining.
How Can I Get Involved?
National Bargaining Conferences are where members of the bargaining team are elected.
If you attend this conference as a delegate, you may decide to run for a spot on the bargaining team.
If you would like to attend this conference, please submit your name to the UNE for consideration by filling out the attached questionnaire.
The UNE national officers will review all applications and select delegates to the bargaining conference.
Please note that UNE Policy NG 1 dictates that when delegates are selected by UNE to attend national bargaining conferences, priority will be given to delegates from locals that have submitted bargaining proposals.
Space is limited! Therefore, selection is conducted with the goal of ensuring geographic, occupational and equity group diversity.
By Sam Padayachee Social Activist & Proud UNE Member
Featurism is a form of discrimination that operates subtly but very powerfully in society. It refers to the practice of judging people based on how closely their physical features align with European or Eurocentric beauty standards. While the concept may be unfamiliar to some, its effects are deeply felt by those from racialized communities, shaping how they are perceived, treated, and evaluated in various aspects of life.
To fully grasp featurism, it’s important to understand that it is not just about race, but about specific physical characteristics within various racial groups that are either appreciated or diminished. These traits include skin tone, hair texture, eye shape, nose size, and lip fullness, among others. Featurism occurs when features that are typically associated with European ancestry such as lighter skin, straighter hair, smaller noses, and thinner lips are considered more attractive or more acceptable than features that vary from these standards.
Eurocentric beauty standards have been shaped by centuries of colonialism and cultural domination, where European traits have been idealized as the standard of attractiveness and desirability. These standards have been reinforced through media, advertising, and entertainment, thus making them seem “normal.” For many people who are not racialized, these beauty norms or standards may go unnoticed because they reflect their own appearance or the images they are used to seeing.
However, for racialized individuals, particularly those of African, Asian, Indigenous, or Latin descent, these standards can be harmful and makes one feel isolated, especially if one lives in a Eurocentric country. Featurism also plays into a broader system of racial discrimination, where people with features that are farther from the Eurocentric ideal may experience bias, exclusion, or negative judgment.
Racialized individuals, especially women, are often pressured to alter their appearance to fit Eurocentric standards. This may mean straightening naturally curly hair, lightening their skin, or undergoing cosmetic procedures to alter facial features. These pressures are not just about aesthetics, they are tied to how society assigns value and opportunity. For instance, individuals with “acceptable” features may be seen as more beautiful, intelligent, or successful, while those with non-Eurocentric features may be viewed as less attractive, less capable, or even “unprofessional.”
Featurism often influences how people are treated in professional settings. A person with straighter hair or lighter skin might be perceived as more “presentable” or “trustworthy,” while someone with coarser hair or darker skin might be considered “too ethnic.” This, very often, can lead to inequalities in hiring, promotions, and workplace dynamics, where people with Eurocentric features are favored, either consciously or thoughtlessly.
Media and entertainment are powerful in shaping our perceptions of beauty. When racialized people are represented, those with more Eurocentric features tend to be cast in more desirable roles, reinforcing a narrow vision of attractiveness. In contrast, individuals with non-Eurocentric features are often sidelined or cast in stereotypical roles, further marginalizing their representation and reinforcing harmful standards.
Growing up in a world that privileges Eurocentric features can severely impact the self-esteem of racialized individuals. For children and adolescents of color, being constantly exposed to images and messages that suggest that their natural features are “less than”, would lead to feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and even self-hatred. Over time, this affects their mental health and one’s sense of belonging.
Non-racialized people need to recognize that featurism begins with understanding that beauty standards are socially constructed. What has been normalized as “beautiful” is deeply tied to power dynamics, where certain traits are valued over others for reasons that have more to do with historical dominance than any measure of beauty.
To challenge featurism, we must recognize that beauty comes in all forms. Celebrate diversity in appearance and reject narrow beauty standards that elevate Eurocentric features. We all have unconscious biases, and these can affect how we perceive others. Reflect on how you may be favoring certain features over others and work to challenge those biases. This could involve small changes in how you interact with people at work, in social settings, or even how you compliment or comment on people’s appearance. Pay attention to the lived experiences of racialized people who speak out about featurism. Listen without defensiveness and use your awareness to help challenge discriminatory practices, whether it’s in your workplace, community, or personal relationships.
Featurism may not be as widely discussed as racism, but it is an equally damaging form of discrimination. By understanding it and its impact on racialized people, we can begin to dismantle the harmful beauty standards that perpetuate inequality. For non-racialized individuals, this means actively questioning societal norms and supporting efforts to create a world where all features are valued, not just those that align with a Eurocentric ideal.
In a truly inclusive society, beauty should not be defined by a narrow set of standards but by the rich diversity that exists in human appearance. By embracing this diversity, we can create a more equitable and compassionate world for everyone.
The UNE initiated discussions with PSAC, in January 2024, regarding the plight of our Data Collection Clerks (DCC’s). The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) filed a policy grievance on March 12, 2024, against Treasury Board regarding the impacts of the transfer of former Statistical Survey Operations (SSO) workers to the core federal public administration and the application of the Programs and Administrative Services (PA) collective agreement.
That policy grievance, presented at the final level by UNE, has unfortunately been denied and Treasury Board continues to deny our members redress. We have recommended that case be referred to adjudication in our pursuit of justice for UNE members.
… our downtown was a more appealing place to live, work and play
… we reduced congestion on our roads
… our neighbourhoods had everything we needed within walking distance
… there were more hours in the day to take care of all the things that matter most
… we could turn the corner on the housing crisis
We can achieve all of this and more. We are launching a community coalition on October 29 based around the Cities Reimagined Pledge – sign your organization up for it today!
Remote work can help us transform not only where and how we work, but the places we live.
Come join the labour movement and community sector for a panel discussion and celebration of the opportunities of converting Ottawa’s office spaces into better uses and transforming our downtown. Together, we believe that remote work is a powerful tool for building more efficient, healthier, and dynamic cities.
Remote Work to Reimagine the City
Date: Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Times: Panel discussion: 6:30 pm to 8 pm; Dance party ft DJ Trinidaddy: 8 pm to 11 pm
Where: Ottawa Art Gallery – Alma Duncan Salon
Light refreshments will be provided.
Please feel free to invite family, friends and neighbours who are also interested in how remote work can help us transform not only where and how we work, but the places we live.
“O’Siyo ᎣᏏᏲ “o-si-yo,” (Cherokee: I see you) Hello and Bonjour Union Sibling,
I am very pleased to announce that Douglas Hill will be joining the Union of National Employees as Director, Member Representation & Labour Relations, as of November 1, 2024. I had the honour of seeing him in action representing members with passion, empathy, and legal expertise. I witnessed a man ready to fight for the injustice faced by every member when their collective agreement and human rights were being violated with relentless determination.
Doug joins us from PSAC’s Representation and Legal Services Branch where he worked as a Grievance and Adjudication Officer for over 20 years. In addition to his primary duties of mediation and litigation, he has provided advice to components, mentored several colleagues and has enjoyed facilitating training sessions at various conferences.
Doug prides himself on being able to resolve most matters through mediation, however, he has successfully litigated countless cases before Labour Relations Boards and Human Rights Tribunals. Notably, the Grierson-Heffernan v. Canada Border Services Agency case which was featured in Lancaster’s Public Service & Employment Law. Dyson v. Department of Fisheries and Oceans involved a rejection on probation and was upheld at the Federal Court of Appeal. Reeves v. Department of National Defence awarded large damages for racial discrimination, Doro v. Canada Revenue Agency awarded precedent-setting maximum damages under the Canadian Human Rights Act for gender discrimination and sexual harassment and Nada Bastasic v. PublicService Alliance of Canada regarding breach of duty of fair representation.
Doug’s in-depth experience, knowledge and proven track record in mediation and litigation on issues regarding grievances and human rights makes him invaluable to the role and we look forward to his professional leadership for UNE’s members and staff.
Please join me in giving Doug a warm UNE welcome to our team.
Alisha Kang National President, Union of National Employees
While the municipality, the province and federal government bicker over the handling of the fire, over 250 Parks Canada staff have returned to ground zero with asbestos signs posted on fences with uncovered potential toxins including heavy metals.
I arrived at Jasper the morning of September 26th with my National Executive Vice President at about 10 a.m. local time. Within two hours of us setting foot in town, the National Executive Vice President was on the ground suffering a major asthma attack.
Our members don’t have the results of the particulates tests from the clean-up nor is the air quality testing for particulates of asbestos or heavy metals.
Of course, the health and safety of my members are the primary reason for our visit to Jasper. Parks Canada is evicting a member of UNE whose home was one of the few to survive to give it to a manager. The Park Superintendent lives alone in a four-bedroom house unaffected by the fires while members are put up in accommodations with no kitchen and are cut off from their per diems. Parks’ Superintendent has not allowed a lot of firefighting staff to go off on 699 leave, including those that found their young colleague deceased in the fire.
Allow me to paint you an accurate picture of the life of our members in Jasper. The member works, live and eats within the park. Most of our members make under $65,000 a year. Now that might sound reasonable but remember that the prices of everything in Jasper are high because the town is built on tourism alone. Eating, gas and groceries are often five times the average for a town of similar size. Their housing comes to them either through an employer much like the old mining company, at unreasonably high amount due to the location or at an extremely long commute. They don’t own the land and if they don’t do as their employer says, they could be out of a job and a home. You can’t be homeless in Jasper, or they put you on a bus out of town.
I, however, can’t avoid sounding the public safety alarm as the implications of what the National Executive Vice President experienced and the lack of properly scoped toxins and particulate testing mean that not only are my members being exposed but also those that visit.
Whether this is happening due to a decision to get Jasper up and running without the hindrance of clean up faced in Fort Mac with the fire retardant or to ensure the cash cow to the province is back in business. I do not wish to know a decade or so from now that my members and their families were unnecessarily exposed for political and capitalist ends.
Please support your union siblings by demanding answers from them.
Alisha Kang, National President, Union of National Employees
This is a pivotal moment in the fight for justice, and we need to stand together! We are invited to join in person for the Black Class Action Court Hearing.
Show up. Stand up. Be heard.
Your presence will make a powerful statement, and together, we can continue to push for equality and fairness for Black public servants and racialized communities.
