Author Archives: Pierre St-Jacques

Celebrating Black labour leadership, creating better workplaces for all

Black History Month is an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of Black leaders, workers, cultures and communities across Canada. Our labour movement has been shaped and fortified by the leadership of people of African and Caribbean descent, and we are proud to build and grow in solidarity together toward a more equitable future.

This Black History Month, PSAC invites you to register for a national virtual panel discussion on February 20, 2023 with Black leaders in Canada’s labour movement.

Register Now

“Black History Month is about honouring Black excellence and the continued perseverance of leadership within our communities,” said Craig Reynolds, PSAC Ontario Regional Executive Vice-President, who will moderate the event.

“We have been at the forefront of the fight to end racism and discrimination, rallying for workers’ rights and transforming our labour movement into a powerful avenue for social change. Our accomplishments must be recognized, and our achievements celebrated.”

Join us to celebrate Black labour leaders in Canada. Learn about the victories and challenges faced by Black labour leaders, how they bring a more inclusive approach to labour’s agenda and are shifting the landscape towards a more equitable workplace and society for everyone.

“Black labour leaders are keeping the movement accountable to end discrimination and remove systemic barriers to make our workplaces more inclusive for everyone,” added Jan Simpson, President of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, who will be part of the panel.

  • What: A virtual panel discussion to celebrate Black leadership in the Canadian labour movement 
  • Who:
    • Craig Reynolds, Regional Executive Vice President for PSAC Ontario (moderator)
    • Jan Simpson, President, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
    • Jason MacLean, Secretary-Treasurer, National Union of Public and General Employees
    • Marc-Édouard Joubert, President, Regional Council, Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec
  • When: Monday, February 20, 6 p.m. EST

Register Now

The panel will be offered in English and French with simultaneous interpretation. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with more details about joining the panel.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

SV group: PIC report gives little direction

PSAC has received the Public Interest Commission (PIC) report affecting more than 10,000 members in the SV group. Hearings concluded in November and unfortunately, similar to the TC PIC report, the report provides no clear direction other than a recommendation that both parties return to the bargaining table.

Read the PIC report

The report confirms what we have been saying for over a year since bargaining began in June 2021: If Treasury Board wants a deal, then they need to come to the table with a mandate that properly addresses wages and market adjustments.

Real power of bargaining is with members   

Strike votes will be conducted from February 22 to April 19, 2023 and after the conclusion of PIC reports for the EB and PA bargaining groups PSAC would be in a legal position to take strike action if the membership has voted in favour of doing so.

Register for upcoming SV group townhalls    

National virtual townhall meetings are being held for PSAC members in Treasury Board bargaining groups. Register for SV townhall meetings taking place on January 31, February 1, and February 2.

Stay informed and engaged  

Keep your contact information up to date to receive all latest bargaining updates.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

PSAC files policy grievances over government’s flawed hybrid work plan

PSAC logo SCFP

PSAC has filed policy grievances against Treasury Board and agencies for unilaterally imposing changes to our members’ working conditions while we’re in negotiations for 165,000 federal public service workers.

Guidelines for those impacted to file individual grievances are also now available.
The grievances follow PSAC’s statutory freeze complaints filed to halt the government’s hybrid work plan first announced in December.

PSAC’s grievances argue that the policy contravenes important articles of the collective agreement, as well as the health and safety provisions of the Canada Labour Code, and the Canadian Human Rights Act.

We are demanding that the government: 

  • Immediately rescind its hybrid work policy;
  • Immediately engage in joint consultation with the union on the return to workplace issue;
  • Identify all potential instances of discrimination that may impact members as a result of returning to the workplace for the union to review duty to accommodate, as per Article 16 of the collective agreement and relevant provisions of the Canadian Human Rights Act; and
  • Provide damages for any losses that might have resulted from the policy.

Filing a grievance  

PSAC encourages members to file an individual grievance if they believe the policy has been unfairly applied to them. The deadline for filing an individual grievance is 25 business days from the date that the policy is implemented in your workplace.

Filing a grievance is an important procedural step that protects your right to have the dispute resolved by the Federal Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board. It also means the employer must meet with you and your union representative, listen to the problems you are having because of the hybrid work policy, and provide a formal response about what they are doing to correct it.

It is important to carefully document the return to workplace problems you are having. To file a grievance, contact your steward, a member of your union local executive, or your component labour relations officer as soon as possible.
We especially encourage members experiencing serious impacts due to the government’s policy to file grievances in order to protect their rights.

If you have incurred expenses and financial losses as a result of the return to workplace policy, be sure to identify these damages to your union representative.

For more information, reach out to your component labour relations officer.  

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

FB bargaining: Show your support for the team on February 2

bargaining-FB-négos

Have you ever felt stuck in a loop? Our FB bargaining team knows the feeling all too well. As mobilization ramps up for this round of bargaining, it’s becoming increasingly clear that CBSA has little more to offer than a Groundhog Day-type scenario, with the same inconsiderate proposals and attitudes we’ve already seen countless times.

That’s why we’re asking you to show support for our team on Thursday, February 2, by wearing stickers and swag. To mark the day, PSAC-CIU has prepared “Remember August 6” and “I support fair bargaining for all” stickers as a reminder to the employer that we’re serious about our demands, are focused on getting a fair deal for members, and won’t go another three years without a contract.

The unprecedented work-to-rule action by FB members across Canada on August 6, 2021, caused major delays at the borders and showed the strength of workers when we work together. That pressure ultimately led to a strong new collective agreement That’s why we’re mobilizing early, to remind the employer what we’re capable of, and we need your support.

Here’s what you can do:

Please contact your branch president or your PSAC regional office to request the new stickers. You can also wear any PSAC-CIU swag you have at home and download our virtual background and signature block to use throughout bargaining.

This round of negotiations, so far 

This round of bargaining kicked off in June 2022 with our continued push for an early retirement regime comparable to other law enforcement agencies, which complements the work PSAC is doing with the Public Service Pension Advisory Committee.

The team is also focusing on other key issues this round, like entrenching the ability to grieve access to telework in the collective agreement for non-uniformed FBs; job protections in the context of new technologies, contract workers, and student use; and new rights with respect to discipline and protections against forced overtime to address CBSA’s heavy-handed management style.

Meanwhile, we’re closely watching the 120,000 PSAC members working for Treasury Board in the PA, SV, TC, and EB groups as they move forward with strike votes. Many of these members are in our workplaces supporting FB members daily and were there when we needed them on August 6. Now it’s our turn to be there for them!

We’re also mindful that what happens at those tables, and with the 35,000 PSAC-UTE members working for the Canada Revenue Agency who are taking strike votes, will inevitably influence our negotiations, so it’s important we support their efforts. We’re all in this together.

Read our bargaining proposals below, and please keep your contact information up to date to receive all the latest updates.

Yes, you can wear union swag on the job 

Everything PSAC-CIU members do in the workplace to show employers we are paying attention to the issues and support our bargaining teams – no matter how big or small – makes a difference as we push for a fair contract.

Learn more about your rights in the workplace and refer to past rulings from the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (FPSLREB) that reinforced our rights to represent the union in the workplace.

A 2018 FPSLREB ruling found CBSA’s arbitrary ban on wearing orange “I support my bargaining team” shoelaces anywhere except boots to be an unfair labour practice and a violation of the collective agreement. The judgment guaranteed members’ rights to wear these shoelaces as hair ties or bracelets, should they choose to do so. Another FPSLREB ruling from 2012 protected members’ rights to wear red “support the bargaining team” bracelets while on duty and rejected the claim that it was a violation of the uniform policy.

If management interferes with these rights or discourages you from exercising them, alert your branch president or your PSAC regional office right away.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.