On September 24, 2022, in light of the severe impact of hurricane Fiona on communities throughout the Atlantic region and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the CIU National Board of Directors voted to make a $10,000 donation to the Canadian Red Cross. Members of the Board hope that this contribution will be of some help to those facing hardships and challenges in the wake of the hurricane.
Gathered in Ottawa this week, the Customs and Immigration Union’s National Board of Directors expressed solidarity with their fellow CIU members and the hundreds of thousands who are currently without power or otherwise affected in the wake of hurricane Fiona.
This brutal storm, the most devastating in recent memory for several communities, has forced many residents out of their home to seek shelter elsewhere, leaving the Atlantic region and parts of Quebec reeling with downed power lines, washed out roads, flooding, and damaged buildings.
To those affected, know that you are in our thoughts. We also wish to extend our gratitude and support to the first responders and emergency services currently hard at work across the affected regions. While we cannot stand with you in person, we do so in spirit.
PSAC won increased rates for Engineering and Scientific Support (EG) members in the Technical Services (TC) group in January 2022 to ensure that they are at parity with EGs at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
Since then, Treasury Board has refused to make payments to any EG members in the TC group, arguing they won’t implement the changes until PSAC and the government reach a new collective agreement.
We believed that this was a clear violation of the arbitration ruling, and returned to the arbitrator to force Treasury Board to pay this amount immediately. Closing this pay gap is long overdue, and the government should not deny workers amounts that they are rightly owed.
Unfortunately, the arbitrator did not side with us, and has ordered that the updated rates only be paid when we finalize a deal with Treasury Board for this round of bargaining. Although the initial payment resulting from the new 1.5 per cent step in June 2022 won’t happen until a new collective agreement is signed, this pay parity victory will be fully retroactive for EG members.
This arbitration decision has no impact on what PSAC is seeking at the table in this round of bargaining.
Negotiations hit a breaking point when Treasury Board refused to budge on their insulting wage offer amidst soaring inflation in Canada. PSAC is in mediation for common issues bargaining from September 12 to 14 and 20 to 23, with dates for the TC group coming soon.
Check out our bargaining toolkit to learn more about this round of bargaining, the issues that matter most, and how to get involved.
Please be sure to keep your contact information up to date to receive the latest updates for TC members.
This article was first posted on the PSAC website.
Canada’s labour movement has a long history of fighting – and winning – battles for decent wages, better working conditions, and stronger protections that improve people’s lives.
It’s thanks to unions and thousands of workers and activists who took to the streets in the spring of 1872 that we enjoy weekends and the eight-hour workday today.
It’s because unions never waned in the fight for women’s equality that parents now get paid parental leave to spend with their families when it matters most.
We have the right to refuse unsafe work and have a say in making our workplaces safer because unions led the way towards reforms in occupational health and safety.
From minimum wages and protection against discrimination and harassment to overtime pay and vacation pay, there is no doubt unions have helped make Canada a better, safer place to live and work.
But today, our movement still faces challenges – some new, others we’ve been grappling with for decades.
The pandemic changed the way that we live and work, but we’ve adapted to make sure you’re protected at work – whether that’s in your workplace or at the kitchen table.
We’re fighting for fair wages in bargaining as record-high inflation squeezes workers and makes life less affordable. Meanwhile, wealthy corporations continue to line their pockets with record profits.
Unions are working to tear down the systemic barriers Black, Indigenous, Asian and other racialized workers continue to face in their workplace, from discriminatory hiring practices to limited career advancement, and underrepresentation in management positions.
These trying times remind us that now, more than ever, we can’t waver in our fight for fair wages, good working conditions and inclusive workplaces — not just for PSAC members, but for all Canadian workers.
But to make major gains for workers, we need to be organized and work together. Because we have strength in numbers with more than 230,000 PSAC members behind us – with thousands more joining us ever year – we can drive the change we want to see in our workplaces.
Keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to receive all the latest updates about bargaining.
This article was first posted on the PSAC website.
PSAC has filed policy grievances against Treasury Board, Parks Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for their heavy-handed mismanagement of the Phoenix overpayment process.
In fall 2021, the Public Service Pay Centre launched the recovery process for Phoenix overpayments for thousands of federal public service workers the government believes were overpaid by the Phoenix pay system in 2016. Because of the six-year limitation period to begin recovering these overpayments, they rushed the process, producing major errors and giving many PSAC members misleading information.
We recognize that some members owe these overpayment debts. However, many others received overpayments based on inaccurate, outdated and unverifiable information. Some were not even aware that they had been overpaid until they received these letters years later.
PSAC believes their overpayment recovery strategy violates our members’ collective agreements. Our grievances challenge the employers to:
While the grievances are processed, PSAC will continue to help members affected by this complex process. If you received a Phoenix overpayment letter, please refer to our specific recommendations on how to proceed.
If you have any concerns or require assistance, please contact PSAC’s Phoenix team for help by selecting ”Phoenix Overpayment” from the ”What is your inquiry about” dropdown menu.
This article was first posted on the PSAC website.
