![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.une-sen.org\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jey.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The government will need to offer PSAC members more Phoenix compensation and higher wage increases if they hope to reach a deal,\u00a0recommends\u00a0the\u00a0Public Interest Commission (PIC) report<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on Treasury Board common issues and the PA group\u00a0bargaining\u00a0unit.<\/p>\n Despite this obvious conclusion, we\u00a0know\u00a0this government won\u2019t budge unless we make them. That\u2019s why\u00a0we\u2019ll\u00a0need to\u00a0continue ramping\u00a0up our workplace action, up to and including a strike, until PSAC members get the Phoenix compensation and fair working conditions they deserve.<\/p>\n Strike votes are already underway for our members at CRA and\u00a0in the coming weeks PSAC will announce when it intends to begin holding strike votes for the PA group and other bargaining units.<\/p>\n While the PIC\u2019s recommendations aren\u2019t binding, key findings from the report include:<\/p>\n Proper\u00a0Phoenix compensation\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The PIC agreed with PSAC that reaching a fair Phoenix damages deal could be the \u201cultimate antidote\u201d that paves the way to a deal. The PIC acknowledged that while other unions have set a pattern for compensation that includes five days of paid leave, as the largest bargaining agent, PSAC has the leverage to demand more.<\/p>\n Every PSAC member has suffered stress and anxiety because of Phoenix, even\u00a0the small few that\u00a0haven\u2019t had pay issues. Many members have had to put their lives on hold; canceling parental leave, refusing new jobs, promotions or acting assignments and even delaying their retirement for fear of being\u00a0Phoenixed.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why we continue to demand equal, cash compensation for all PSAC members.\u00a0When cashed-in, five days of\u00a0 leave disproportionately rewards higher wage-earners at the expense of those who make less. That\u2019s not fair, and you deserve better.<\/p>\n Fair wage increases\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The\u00a0PIC\u00a0recognizes our position that as the largest federal public sector union, PSAC has the bargaining power to negotiate a better wage settlement for our members.<\/p>\n The PA group alone has more members than all\u00a0other federal public sector\u00a0\u00a0unions combined, and the PIC noted that PSAC has historically not been tied down to the deals reached by\u00a0those\u00a0other unions.<\/p>\n Wage adjustments\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Because of the diverse membership of the PA group, the PIC recommended that Treasury Board should provide allowances for specializations within the PA bargaining unit that have been identified by PSAC.<\/p>\n Two sides\u00a0still\u00a0far apart\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The report also pointed out that the two parties are still so far apart in their positions but that some of the differences are not insurmountable. This reinforces PSAC\u2019s position that Prime Minister Trudeau must give Treasury Board a new mandate and come back to the table ready to bargain fairly if they hope to prevent strike action.<\/p>\n Next steps\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Now that we\u2019ve received the PIC report, we\u2019ll continue to escalate our job action to pressure this government into negotiating a fair deal for PSAC members. Keep in touch with your\u00a0regional office<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0sign up to our newsletter<\/a>\u00a0to get the latest bargaining updates.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n