Craig Reynolds Becomes PSAC REVP for Ontario

September 22, 2020

Due to the vacancy created in the position of Ontario REVP, Craig Reynolds who was elected Alternate Ontario REVP at the 2017 Ontario Convention, will assume the role.  

Craig is an experienced activist at all levels of our union, including serving as the Local President within his local (UNE 00087), Chair of the Toronto Racially Visible Committee and has served on Ontario Regional Council for several years. He has also been very active in his component and is currently serving his second term as Assistant Regional Vice-President for the Union of National Employees, Ontario Region. 

Sharon DeSousa Becomes PSAC National Executive Vice-President

Following the resignation of Magali Picard, Sharon DeSousa has been named PSAC’s National Executive Vice-President (NEVP).  

As per the PSAC Constitution, in the event of a vacancy in the position of NEVP, the Alternate NEVP assumes the role. Sharon DeSousa was elected Alternate NEVP at PSAC’s 2018 National Convention. 

Sharon DeSousa leaves the position of Regional Executive Vice-President (REVP), which she has held since May 2011. After her initial election in 2011, Sharon was re-elected to a second term as REVP in June of 2014 and acclaimed at the 2017 Ontario Convention.

Sharon is a passionate and experienced leader within the labour movement, with a strong focus on grassroots activism and political action.  

“Both Sharon and Craig have worked tirelessly for our union,” said PSAC National President Chris Aylward. “PSAC members will be fortunate to draw on their vast experience and commitment to improving the lives of our membership.” 

Source: http://psacunion.ca/sharon-desousa-becomes-national-executive-vice

Parks Canada workers to join over 100,000 PSAC members in strike votes

March 11, 2020

National President Chris Aylward has authorized strike votes for members of the Parks Canada bargaining unit. Parks members will have the opportunity to join 90,000 Treasury Board bargaining members to vote at strike meetings to be held from March 16 to May 7. Strike votes for the 27,000 members of the Canada Revenue Agency bargaining unit are already underway.

A strong strike mandate from members will force the Parks Canada Agency to come back to the bargaining table with a new mandate so that your Parks bargaining team can get a fair settlement quickly.

In the coming weeks members will receive notices of strike vote meetings via email and through your locals and regional offices. The information will also be posted on the front page of the national website, as well on PSAC regional websites.

Source: PSAC

One year later, Parks Canada claims it still has no mandate to bargain

February 7, 2020

The Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearing for Parks Canada bargaining took place January 27 to 28, with mediation January 29 to 30. Your Parks bargaining team came to the PIC ready to resolve outstanding issues, yet the Parks Canada Agency came to the hearing singing the same old tune.

Read the PSAC’s PIC brief and the employer’s PIC brief

After a solid year of bargaining, the employer still hasn’t tabled a formal pay proposal, neither has it taken a position on implementation, Work Force Adjustment (WFA) or Phoenix. The agency continues to claim it doesn’t have a mandate from Treasury Board despite the fact that Parks Canada members have been working without a contract since August 2018.

Limited progress

The Parks bargaining team was able to make limited progress on a few items in mediation. They achieved a letter of understanding (LOU) for a Joint Learning Program (JLP) pilot project with money attached. They also got the employer to drop concessions on hours of work, overtime, callback and reporting. Concessions for seasonal and term workers remain outstanding.

Future bargaining

As the employer seems unwilling to bargain in a meaningful manner, no further meeting dates have been set. PSAC expects the PIC report in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned for further updates that will detail the report’s recommendations.

Will we strike?

Your bargaining team continues to seek parity and fairness, improved work-life balance, increased job security and fair compensation for all Parks Canada workers, and they will not concede to anything less. Our expectation is that the employer will get a revised mandate in the near future that brings both parties closer together, but each time they squander an opportunity to negotiate, it seems unlikely this will happen without increased pressure.

If PSAC and the employer are still unable to reach an agreement after the PIC report is issued, members will have the opportunity to join Canada Revenue Agency workers and take a strike vote. History has taught us that the best way to avoid strikes is to prepare for one. A strong strike mandate from our members often persuades the employer to come back to the table with a better offer.

In order to reach the fair deal that our members deserve, PSAC will continue to mobilize its membership through increased workplace action, up to and including a strike, until a fair settlement is reached.

Attachments:

Source: PSAC Website

 

 

Black History Month – Celebrating our Members: Celine Ahodekon

February 7, 2020

Celine works for Parks Canada at the Fort Langley National Historic Site as a heritage presenter, telling visitors about our shared history – something she is very passionate about.

Celine has been very active within her component and local and has held many positions, including serving on the Parks Canada bargaining team and as the equity representative for racialized members for the Union of National Employees (UNE). She sat on the organizing committee of PSAC BC’s first ever conference for racially visible members. Celine is also involved in her local PSAC BC Area Council and Human Rights Committee, where she is currently busy helping to organize a Black History Month celebration in Abbotsford, BC.

We asked Celine why she felt Black History Month was important and she explained: “We still have much more work to do in order to create a society where everyone feels equal. Having Black History Month is one way to remember, teach and learn about Black people’s contributions to the economy, politics and social life in Canada.”

Source: PSAC Website

 

Public Interest Commission provides its recommendations for EB group

February 5, 2020

PSAC has now received the Public Interest Commission’s (PIC) recommendations on issues that are specific to the Education and Library Science (EB) group. The PIC’s recommendations on issues common to all Treasury Board groups will be made available when the Commission submits its recommendations for the Program and Administrative Services (PA) group.

While the PIC recommendations are non-binding, which means the union and/or the employer can accept or reject the recommendations, we are pleased to note that the PIC agreed with some of the union’s proposals specific to the EB group.

Wage parity with comparable jobs

While the PIC did not fully address all of our key demands around wage parity and adjustments, it recognized that the employer’s wage offer was inadequate for the two parties to reach an agreement.

New national rate of pay for teachers who work for 12 months (ED-EST)

The PIC also recommended that the new national rate of pay for 12-month teachers (ED-EST) be included in the new collective agreement. The PIC pointed out that a joint committee composed of both the employer and union representatives had already reached an agreement on a new national rate of pay and that this agreement should be implemented.

Allowance for union members who teach Indigenous languages

The PIC agreed with PSAC’s position that teachers who provide First Nation language instruction should be entitled to the specialization allowance. The Commission “was struck” by the fact that the union’s proposal aligns with the recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and with the federal government’s Bill C-91, the Indigenous Languages Act.

Unfortunately, the PIC didn’t address many of PSAC’s proposals and even agreed to some of the employer’s concessions, such as on Education Leave Without Pay and Career Development. Other examples can be read in the full document on the PIC’s recommendations. In order to reach the fair deal that our members deserve, PSAC will continue to mobilize its membership through increased workplace action, up to and including a strike, until a fair settlement is reached. Stay up to date with the latest on bargaining by signing up for email updates.

Source: PSAC Website

Parks Members Head to Public Interest Commission This Week

January 27, 2020

Parks Canada bargaining team members will head to their Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearings January 27, 28 and 30 in Ottawa. Parks members are one of nine PSAC bargaining units who are moving through the PIC process as negotiations reached an impasse last July.

During the hearings, PSAC will present our proposals for a fair and progressive collective agreement for Parks Canada workers, which includes:

  • A competitive wage increase
  • Introduce protections to guard against the impacts of Phoenix
  • Improvements to leave provisions, work-life balance, parity with the core public service, and improvements for seasonal workers
  • Access to domestic violence leave
  • Measures to achieve pay parity for Park Wardens and Park Warden Supervisors
  • An Indigenous language allowance
  • The creation of a joint committee on child care
  • A plan to further increase parity for Parks Canada by joining the National Joint Council

Watch members of the Parks negotiating team discuss the important issues on the table

What is a Public Interest Commission (PIC)?

Under the law that governs contract negotiations in the federal public service, once impasse is reached at the bargaining table, a PIC is established to help the parties reach an agreement.

The PIC is a panel of three people – a chairperson appointed by the Labour Board and nominees appointed by the union and management. The union and the employer submit briefs and explain their positions on the outstanding issues at a hearing with the PIC. The PIC then issues a report with recommendations for settlement. The recommendations are not binding. Once the PIC releases its reports for the various PSAC units, the union’s respective bargaining teams will meet to discuss the recommendations.

Stay up to date!

It’s important that all Parks Canada workers are receiving the latest bargaining news especially at this critical time in the process. You can help spread the word by:

Source: PSAC

 

TB bargaining: PSAC heads into mediation

January 14, 2020

PSAC’s bargaining team representing 90,000 federal public service workers in the Program & Administrative Services (PA) unit has agreed to mediation on January 16 and 17.

The session is being convened by the Public Interest Commission (PIC) and will cover both common issues as well as those specific to the PA unit (information for the other Treasury Board units will be forthcoming).

PSAC and the government presented their respective bargaining positions at a PIC hearing on December 4-7.

PSAC will provide an update on the mediation session once it is complete.

What is a Public Interest Commission (PIC)?

Under the law that governs contract negotiations in the federal public service, once impasse is reached at the bargaining table, a PIC is established to help the parties reach an agreement.

The PIC is a panel of three people – a chairperson appointed by the Labour Board and nominees appointed by the union and management. The union and the employer submit briefs and explain their positions on the outstanding issues at a hearing with the PIC. The PIC chairperson also has the option of convening additional talks. The PIC then issues a report with recommendations for settlement. The recommendations are not binding.

Once the PIC releases its report, the union’s bargaining team will meet to discuss the recommendations. Traditionally, following this, PSAC and government representatives have returned to the table to resume negotiations. We expect the PIC reports to be issued in 2020.

Source: PSAC

Press Release – NBC Workers in Favour of the Agreement in Principle reached between PSAC and NBC

Ottawa – After 25 days on strike, an agreement in principle was reached between PSAC and the National Battlefield Commission (NBC) on Monday, July 16. The members voted overwhelmingly in favour of the agreement today.

Here are the highlights:

• Seniority is conserved for 24 months after being laid off
• Four members granted paid union leave to take part in bargaining sessions
• Fewer years of service required to obtain vacation leave
• Maximum days for union leave have been eliminated
• Thirty minutes paid to allow the Union to meet with new employees
• Possibility of schedule changes for employees on call
• Sick leave broken up in 30-minute segments
• The two-tier sick leave system has been eliminated
• The meal allowance is increased by $0.15 for every year of the collective agreement
• Compassionate care leave of twenty-six weeks with a 93% complementary payment
• Family has been broadened for bereavement leave: grandparents (5 days) and nephews/nieces have been added (1 day)
• Every month, 3.75 hours have been granted for pregnant members to undergo routine checkups
• Three-weeks paid dependency leave
• Four-day paid leave in the event of domestic violence. The day when the incident occurs will be paid by the employer.
• Paid representatives, interested parties and witnesses for any hearing of the Tribunal administratif du travail in the event of a work accident
• Improved grievance procedure
• Safety boots for employees assigned to winter duties reimbursed up to a maximum of $150
• Snow removal contract reclaimed
• Clause related to the performance review improved
• Task description committee has been established
• Adding gender identity as a principle of non-discrimination
• Task descriptions can be accessed at the request of employees
• Guidance of employment agencies
• Presence of local executive during the hiring process
• Monitoring of outsourcing
• No loss of salary if employee is suspended for a disciplinary investigation
• Students will have the right to be treated the same as employees

The duration of the collective agreement will be for five years including a “tow” clause (clause “remorque” en français) with the Treasury Board, as well as a new pay grid with a wage “catch up”. Members will be positioned in this new grid depending on seniority:

• 0 to 2 years – increment 1
• 2 years and more – increment 2
• 3 years and more – increment 3

A huge thanks to the negotiating team, the Local executive, the UNE Quebec Regional team, the PSAC Quebec team and staff, and to Natalie Rainville for their tireless efforts.

PSAC welcomes powerful report of inquiry on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls

The Public Service Alliance of Canada welcomes and is encouraged by the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

The report, released in a special ceremony on June 3, has called the violence against Indigenous women and girls a “Canadian genocide” and includes extensive recommendations aimed at government, the police, and the Canadian public.

According to Chief Commissioner Marion Buller, there must be a “paradigm shift” to decolonize Canadian society and all Indigenous communities must be resourced and funded sufficiently to bring social and economic security to all. The report makes a distinction between the unique experiences of First Nations, Inuit and Metis, as well as Indigenous 2SLGBTQQIA (two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual) people.

The report concludes that “these abuses and violations have resulted in the denial of safety, security, and human dignity.”

Sweeping recommendations

The report contains 231 recommendations to address the violence against Indigenous women and girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people.

Importantly, these include two of the main asks of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, supported by PSAC’s Red Dress campaign: a national action plan to stop the violence, and that Indigenous peoples, including families and survivors, be included in developing and implementing a national action plan.

Other recommendations include:

  • Implementation of international instruments that the government has ratified
  • Creation of a National Indigenous and Human Rights Ombudsperson and a National Indigenous and Human Rights Tribunal
  • A national action plan to ensure equitable access to employment, clean water, housing, education, safety, and health care
  • Guaranteed income for all Indigenous peoples
  • Long-term funding for education programs and awareness campaigns related to violence prevention
  • Recognition of Indigenous languages as an official language, with the same status, recognition and protection as French and English
  • Major reforms to the justice system and policing to ensure these cases are addressed more seriously by the justice system
  • Legislated paid leave and disability benefits and “appropriate trauma care” to Indigenous victims of crime or other traumatic events
  • Developing an effective response to human trafficking cases and sexual exploitation and violence

At the release ceremony, Commissioner Buller called on ALL Canadians to:

  1. Read the report
  2. Speak out against racism, sexism, and violence
  3. Hold governments to account
  4. Decolonize yourself by learning about the true history of Canada

PSAC has been calling for action

PSAC members and activists have spent more than a decade advocating and rallying for a serious investigation into the fact that more that more than 1,200 Indigenous women and girls have been murdered or gone missing since 1980. Our members can be proud of the work they have done to gain justice for Indigenous Women and Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people.

PSAC will review the report and the recommendations in their entirety and provide more information in the coming weeks.

PSAC encourages all of our members and all Canadians to read this report as part of the reconciliation with the Indigenous peoples of this country.

Read the Report here

Source: PSAC

2018 PSAC National Young Worker Forum

The Alliance Executive Committee (AEC) has approved a one-time National Young Worker Forum to be held in Ottawa from December 7 to 9, 2018.

This forum is an opportunity for a limited number of young workers (age 35 or under) to participate in a dynamic weekend of networking and planning for the 2019-2021 cycle. The goal is to focus on building more young worker committees, strengthening those that exist and having a plan for their ongoing success.

The objectives of the Forum are to:

  • Discuss, strategize and plan to grow strong and vibrant regional young worker committees;
  •  Network and share experiences and successes;
  • ldentify ways in which young workers can engage in PSAC issues and
    campaigns in the next cycle;
  • Build a network the supports young worker initiatives across the country;
  • ldentify tools and resources that will ensure success; and
  • Engage in workshops that challenge and inspire.

Young workers who are interested in attending the PSAC Young Workers Forum should contact their respective PSAC REVP’s office for more information on the selection process and deadline to apply.

In solidarity,

Chris Aylward
National President, PSAC