PA bargaining: Government rejects key improvements to contracts

18 December 2019

During the Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearings held between December 4 and 7, the government presented a slew of negative proposals affecting members in the Program and Administrative Services (PA) group. An overview of regressive proposals affecting PSAC’s core public service bargaining units is available here, while PA-specific proposals are highlighted below.

PSAC is committed to rejecting concessionary proposals and to keep pushing for improvements in the PA collective agreement.

The union is also disappointed that the government, with all the resources at its disposal, refused to provide a PIC submission in both official languages. You can download PSAC’s full PIC submission in English and French and access the government’s English submission here.

Delays to new classification system and rejection of damages

PSAC wants to negotiate pay rates for the five new groups deriving from the much delayed modernization and restructuring of the PA unit. Despite numerous missed deadlines, the government says it needs an additional two years to map existing positions to the new classifications and refuses to negotiate these associated pay rates.

PSAC members are still waiting to be paid fairly, in accordance with an up-to-date and accurate gender-neutral evaluation of their work. In recognition of this, PSAC has proposed that the government pay each employee in the PA unit $333 per month in damages until the new classification system is established. The government has dismissed this proposal.

No incentives for recruitment and retention of compensation and benefits employees

Due to Phoenix, workers at the Pay Centre and its satellite offices are operating in a high-pressure environment with a massive workload. To help ensure employee recruitment and retention, the government had agreed to provide an incentive allowance, but refused to continue the practice in the summer of 2019. PSAC has proposed to re-introduce these incentives (i.e., a one-time payment of $4,000 to Compensation Advisors and a provision that all overtime is to be paid at double-time).

With over 200,000 Phoenix cases in the backlog, it is shocking that the government rejected this proposal.

Rejection of workload concerns for Parole Officers (WP) workers

PSAC’s members working as Parole Officers (WP) at the Correctional Service of Canada have been struggling with excessive workload issues for more than two decades. In a 2019 survey, more than 93% of Parole Officers said their case load was too heavy, characterized by an increasingly complex offender population due to substance abuse, gang violence and mental health issues. To address this, the union has made a series of proposals to ensure a safe and manageable caseload ratio.

The government rejected all proposals and has argued that workload concerns should not be addressed at the bargaining table.

No paid breastfeeding breaks for new mothers

PSAC has proposed two paid periods available to nursing mothers for breastfeeding or pumping milk in a safe and private location. The benefits of breastfeeding are well-established by numerous Canadian and international health organizations and PSAC believes employers should facilitate nursing for women who choose to do so.

The employer has dismissed this proposal as “unreasonable and impractical”, a remarkable position for a government that brands itself as advancing women’s interests.

No allowance for Indigenous languages at work

PSAC is proposing that employees who are required to speak or write in an Indigenous language as part of their duties be provided with an annual allowance of $1,015. The union believes this proposal is consistent with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, which seek greater recognition and support for Indigenous languages.

The government has dismissed this proposal.

No additional training and support for call centre workers

The federal government employs approximately 7,000 employees in call centre operations that serve Canadians seeking a wide range of services, such as Employment Insurance, the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security. This work is challenging and involves speaking with clients who may be distressed or in crisis. To better support call centre workers, PSAC has proposed additional training to reinforce coping skills as well as crisis intervention.

The government has rejected these proposals and is instead proposing to deploy call monitoring—currently used for improving performance and providing feedback—for disciplinary purposes.

Reduced notice of shift change

The government wants to reduce the notice for changes to scheduled shifts from seven days to just 48 hours. Currently, a change imposed with less than seven days’ notice requires the worker to be paid at the rate of time-and-a-half. Under the government’s proposals, this higher rate of pay would only be triggered if changes to shifts are made with less than two days’ notice.

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

CIU members rally in Windsor

18 December 2019

More than 100 CIU members marched in Windsor on Monday December 16 to call upon the government to bargain fairly. National President Jean-Pierre Fortin was present, sending a strong message to the employer: “We want respect, we want to have a good contract and we want it as soon as possible”.

This display of solidarity by CIU members and allies is just a taste of what’s to come in 2020: We intend to hold the employer’s feet to the fire and fight for a fair contract – from coast to coast to coast.

Our PSAC-CIU FB group bargaining team is returning to the table in January 2020 and is ready to keep fighting, be it for better protections from CBSA management, improved work-life balance, a fairer medical note policy, paid firearm practice time, and more. The union is also advocating for 25-and-out to be implemented: FB members are law enforcement, and they deserve the same treatment as other law enforcement agencies.

Photos: Paul Thibodeau

PA Group – Public Interest Commission: PSAC continues pushing for fair deal

9 December 2019

The Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearings for the Program and Administrative Services (PA) and common issues tables wrapped up this weekend. The hearings are the first of eight scheduled in the next few months for nearly 140,000 PSAC members who are still without a new collective agreement.

At the hearing, PSAC representatives put forward our demands for a fair contract that delivers reasonable wage increases and the working conditions that make balancing family and work possible.

Now that PSAC and the employer have provided their respective submissions, we can expect to see a report with the commission’s recommendations for a settlement early in the new year. But we won’t wait for this report to secure an agreement. Between now and then we’ll continue to negotiate and mobilize for the fair contract PSAC members deserve.

We’re going to continue pushing for a deal that provides fair wage increases that cover the rising cost of living, improvements to work-life balance, and equitable compensation for the Phoenix pay disaster.

Once the PIC report is issued, the PA group, which includes 71,000 members, will be in a position to take a strike vote if we still haven’t reached an agreement with Treasury Board on our outstanding issues.

We’ll continue to provide updates over the coming days and weeks, including a detailed analysis of the union and the employer’s submissions at the hearing.

The next PIC hearing – for the Education & Library Sciences (EB) group – takes place December 9-12 in Ottawa.

Read the submissions to the Public Interest Commission:

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women: 30 Years Later – We Remember

5 December 2019

December 6, 2019 marks the 30^th anniversary of the Montréal Massacre, where 14 young women were killed at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal because they were women.

Continuer

Accessibility must be a key priority for new government

2 December 2019

Illustration of different types of disabilities

This year, on December 3, International Day for Persons with Disabilities, PSAC is calling on the recently elected federal government to make accessibility a priority.

Federal accessibility law

Just before the election, the government passed the Accessible Canada Act into law. This was an important step forward for accessibility rights in the federal sector. However, the most significant part lies ahead. The Act simply sets out the general framework – the government must create strong regulations to make the Act effective.

PSAC calls on this government to ensure comprehensive and enforceable accessibility regulations and standards that make a positive difference in the lives of persons with disabilities in Canada.

Federal accessibility strategy

The government has also recently prepared a federal Accessibility Strategy that will apply to the federal public service.

Once again, this strategy is simply a foundation and the true commitment to accessibility will only be shown by ensuring that the strategy is implemented properly. There must be a culture change in the federal public service, where one in three workers with disabilities have said they experienced harassment, and one in four have said they experienced discrimination.

We are calling on the government and the central agencies to make accessibility a priority and to demonstrate real commitment to removing barriers.

PSAC releases new tools on the duty to accommodate

Also, in recognition of December 3, PSAC is releasing a new pamphlet for our members entitled Duty to Accommodate in the Workplace, as well as our revised and updated Duty to Accommodate: A PSAC Guide for Union Representatives. PSAC is also promoting a video that explains the duty to accommodate. These tools will help PSAC members, stewards, and other representatives to better understand the right to accommodation in the workplace.

PSAC will continue to advocate for a Canada where persons with disabilities are able to fully and equitably participate in all aspects of society.

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

CBSA must address abuse of authority and harassment by management

27 November 2019

The unions representing Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) employees are demanding immediate action to address abuse of authority and harassment by management at the agency.

In a video released today, the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Customs and Immigration Union (PSAC-CIU) outline several cases which have gone unaddressed by CBSA.

“Management is creating a toxic workplace culture through fear, intimidation and harassment,” said Jean-Pierre Fortin, National President of the Customs and Immigration Union. “The government must launch an independent, third party investigation to look into these serious abuses of power by managers.”

Incidents reported by PSAC-CIU members include:

A male supervisor physically assaulting a female officer in front of several witnesses without repercussions;
A manager forcing officers to conduct an illegal strip search of a bus full of students;
A manager punching a Border Services Officer in the face unprovoked.

A couple of months ago, CBSA unveiled a video threatening surveillance of members at work and harsh disciplinary measures for a range of offences. The video, warning members that “discipline in the workplace happens” and “the consequences may surprise you,” reinforces the need for better protections against harassment and abuse of authority in the next collective agreement.

In the latest round of bargaining, PSAC-CIU are also proposing new whistleblower protections for members who report CBSA wrongdoing.

“The constant threat of discipline has a devastating impact on the mental health and well-being of our members,” said Fortin. “Our members are safeguarding Canada’s borders; they should feel like CBSA stands behind them.”

It’s not surprising that a significant number of CBSA employees (40%) report their workplace as being psychologically unhealthy in the 2018 Public Service Employee Survey.

In addition, nearly a quarter of employees (22%) have also reported being victims of harassment on the job in the past year, significantly higher than the rest of the federal public service (15%).

CBSA must put an end to its two-tiered system of discipline and reprimand managers who abuse their authority and harass employees. Better, fairer protections are needed for all PSAC-CIU members.

PSAC-CIU and Treasury Board/Canada Border Services Agency return to the bargaining table on January 21-23, 2020.

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Occupational Group Structure: an update on the classification process

21 November 2019

The Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, part of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, has been working to modernize several classification groups in the core public service. This work is intended to align classification groups, many of which are decades old, with the work of today’s public service. PSAC is ensuring that consultation takes place and that our members are kept informed throughout the process.

Classification is necessary to determine the relative value of one job in relation to other jobs in the public service, for the purposes of pay. Classification systems must operate without sexual bias and be capable of measuring the relative value of all jobs in the same establishment.

Classification Standards must assess skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions, to ensure compliance with the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Your current rights will be protected regardless of the outcome of this process. This means no one will suffer a reduction in salary due to their classification potentially being converted to a lower wage level. You will be guaranteed to remain at your current salary (this is enshrined in the collective agreement as Salary Protection Status). This protection will apply until the position is vacated. In addition, as wages for your new classification exceed your current salary, your pay will be increased to the new classification levels.

Finally, the policy grievance we filed against Treasury Board for contravention of the timelines for the implementation of the Occupational Group Reform is proceeding with hearing dates planned for December. Stay tuned for updates!

Treasury Board says implementation date of the new job evaluation standards is between 2020 to 2022.
The Computer Systems (CS) group will change to a new occupational group called Information Technology (IT)
The Program and Administrative Services (PA) group will be restructured to *five new sub-groups:
- 1. PA-PVO (Program and Service Operations) = CR, AS, PM-01, PM-02, AS-01 and AS-02
- 2. PA-EAA (Executive Administrative Assistant) = AS, CR and ST largely excluded
- 3. PA-PDM (Program Development and Administration) = AS-03 to AS-07, PM-03 to PM-07
- 4. PA-RHB (Rehabilitation and Reintegration) = WP
- 5. PA-CMN (Communications) = IS

*The mapping of actual positions to sub-groups has not taken place yet. Updates will be provided once the mapping exercise is underway.

A new Comptrollership (CT) group will be created to bring together work in the areas of financial management, as well as external and internal audit.

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Bargaining and Phoenix: PSAC launches ad campaign targeting Trudeau and new Minister

21 November 2019

As more than 140,000 PSAC members are still without new contracts or fair compensation for the Phoenix pay system disaster, PSAC has launched an ad campaign targeting the Prime Minister and new Treasury Board president, Jean-Yves Duclos.

“In their first four years, the Liberal government failed Canada’s public service workers,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC national president. “With a new minority Parliament and a new Minister, we’re sending Justin Trudeau a clear mandate: deliver a fair contract for our members and fair compensation for this ongoing Phoenix nightmare.”

The government’s continued negligence is forcing PSAC members to ramp up their workplace action, leading to a potential strike. In its mandate letter to the government, PSAC is urging the Liberals to ensure the stability of the federal government for all Canadians by moving quickly to resolve these issues.

The ad campaign will feature online, radio and print ads across the country. Ads will begin rolling out today. Members can send the mandate letter to Trudeau and the Minister at hereforcanada.ca.

“Our members continue to show up to work every day to serve Canadians – despite all the problems they’ve endured because of Phoenix. They deserve better, and they are ready to fight for what they’re owed,” added Aylward.

“In the recent election, Trudeau promised to “build a stronger public service” – well, this is his opportunity to do that.”

The first of several Public Interest Committee hearings set up to mediate a deal between PSAC bargaining units and Treasury Board begins December 4.

Take action at hereforcanada.ca

Print ad: English | French

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

NJC Group Grievance – Wearing of Name Tags

21 November 2019

Photo of BSO with words "Name tags NJC group grievance" along with a name tag with the word "target" on it

As we’ve pointed out before, CBSA’s name tag policy continues to foster a dangerous work environment for our members, having already brought much harm since it was put in place 7 years ago.

In our continued efforts to bring an end to this ill-conceived policy, CIU is moving forward with a National Joint Council Group Grievance, arguing that the employer’s decision to mandate the wearing of name tags is in contravention of Part XIV of the NJC’s Uniforms Directive.

As part of the Group Grievance, all CIU Branches will be collecting signatures from members who are affected by the policy, using the FPSLREB’s Form 19 – Consent of aggrieved employees to the presentation of a group grievance. This is what the form looks like:

It is crucial that all who wear a name tag sign this Group Grievance, so talk to your Branch President or your local Steward to participate, or for any questions you may have.

Public Interest Commission (PIC) dates for PSAC government units

15 November 2019

The Labour Board has announced Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearing dates for PSAC’s bargaining units representing federal government workers. See the following page for more information on the PIC, and for a list of hearing dates for each unit as well as the number of members affected. Note that the FB unit is still in talks, and is not at the PIC stage.