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Online Actions Call on Minister Morneau to Abandon Bill C-27

Bill C-27

Bill C-27, An Act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, is an attack on the retirement security of Canadians.

This bill will allow employers in the federal private sector and Crown Corporations to shift from good, defined benefit plans that provide secure and predictable pension benefits, into the much less secure form of target benefits. If passed, this bill would open the door to a disturbing trend of shifting all the risk of pension plans onto workers and retirees.

In 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that defined benefit pension plans that workers and retirees have already paid into should not be retroactively changed into target benefit plans. Yet, this is exactly what Bill C-27 will do.

Take action

PSAC has always stood for retirement security and opposed any move to eliminate defined benefit (DB) pension plans. We urge our members to send a letter to Finance Minister Bill Morneau to tell him and the Liberal government to abandon Bill C-27.

This message was originally published on the PSAC website.

Update on Ratification Meetings for the TC, PA, SV and EB Bargaining Units

TC, SV, B, PA Groups: Ratification Information

PSAC’s tentative agreements with Treasury Board covering the TC, SV, PA and EB bargaining units will only take effect if they are ratified in a vote by the members. These tentative agreements cover workers from coast to coast to coast.

Hundreds of ratification meetings, which include information sessions, will take place across the country up until April 13. Over 73,000 PSAC members are currently eligible to vote. We encourage participation in this important exercise of union democracy.

When and where to vote

Important information about the dates and locations of ratification meetings is available through the PSAC regional offices and their websites, which will be updated regularly:

Who can vote

Every member in good standing who is covered by these agreements has a right to vote in the ratification process. If you are eligible to become a member of PSAC, but have not previously signed a membership card, you will be provided with an opportunity to sign one at the ratification vote meeting and will then be able to vote.

Ratification kits

More information

Please see the FAQ about the ratification process posted on the PSAC website.

Part of this article was originally published on the PSAC website.

Information on Ratification Votes for TC, PA, SV and EB Groups

TC, SV, B, PA Groups: Ratification Information

As announced previously, tentative agreements have been reached by the PSAC bargaining teams with Treasury Board for the TC, SV, PA and EB groups. These agreements will only take effect if they are ratified in a vote by the members. Ratification meetings that include information sessions will take place across the country from February 20 to April 13.

Every member covered by these agreements has a right to vote in the ratification process. Further information regarding the ratification process is available on the PSAC website, including the various ratification kits:

Specific information regarding ratification meetings and where to vote is available through the various PSAC regional offices and their websites. You should also review the FAQ about the ratification process posted on the PSAC website.

What about the FB Group?

Unfortunately, due to the refusal of Treasury Board and CBSA to address FB Group priorities, no tentative agreement has been reached and the bargaining process for the FB Group is now at an impasse. As a result, the PSAC has filed for a Public Interest Commission (PIC). For more information on the next steps regarding FB Group bargaining, please see this post.

Part of this article was originally published on the PSAC website.

Influx of Migrants: CIU Calls for More Officers, Creation of Border Patrol

Icon: "Allow border officers to patrol"

In order to help Border Services Officers (BSOs) deal with the considerable influx of migrants crossing into Canada, the National President of the Customs and Immigration Union, Jean-Pierre Fortin, is calling on Ottawa to restore jobs cut under the previous Conservative government.

“We’re talking about 1,053 jobs” said Jean-Pierre Fortin. “At this time, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is merely reallocating officers from one station to another. It isn’t sustainable in the long term. With a single refugee case taking up to 8 hours to process, there simply aren’t enough officers present to perform all duties associated with protecting our border.”

Increasing the number of border officers is therefore a crucial step the present government must take if it is serious about handling the current situation in a safe and efficient manner.

Border Officers should be allowed to patrol

In addition, Border Officers need to be allowed to patrol between the 117 different land border ports across Canada. “Border Services Officers are trained and equipped to handle difficult situations at the border,” explained the National President. “Allowing BSOs to take the lead in patrolling the border while continuing to work in collaboration with RCMP officers simply makes sense.”

With warmer weather on the horizon and a continuous flow of migrants entering Canada along the border, it is imperative that the government recognize that the level of staffing is inappropriate to deal effectively with the ongoing situation.

Bargaining Has Reached An Impasse: PSAC Files for a Public Interest Commission

Bargaining impasse

The PSAC/CIU Bargaining Team for the FB group spent three days in mediation with Treasury Board and CBSA during the week of January 30. Given the refusal of Treasury Board and CBSA to address FB group priorities, the Bargaining Team has declared impasse.

As part of our ongoing campaign for respect for the border services group, PSAC filed for a Public Interest Commission (PIC) for the Border Services group on February 8, 2017. The group’s critical public safety duties deserve the same recognition given to other law enforcement officers.

Next Step

Under federal law, the PIC is the next step in the collective bargaining process when the parties reach impasse. Over the coming weeks CIU and PSAC will be consulting with branches across the country to prepare next steps in our efforts to get Treasury Board and the CBSA to finally address the issues our FB bargaining team have raised in negotiations.

We’ll be sure to provide updates as things progress. Please see the page What If Talks Break Down for more information on the PIC. For more information on FB bargaining, speak with your CIU Branch President, or sign-up for PSAC email updates.

Parts of this article were originally published on the PSAC website.

Phoenix and Tax Implications

Fix Phoenix Pay System Logo

As tax season approaches, many PSAC members are concerned about the effects of Phoenix pay problems on their taxes.

If you have questions about the tax implications of an overpayment or underpayment, or about your T4, here are two useful links:

This article was originally published on the PSAC website. 

Talks Break Off With CBSA/Treasury Board

FB Bargaining

We enforce the law. It’s time we were treated accordingly.

Our PSAC/CIU bargaining team for the FB group spent three days in mediation with Treasury Board and CBSA this past week. We made no progress on our key priorities for this round of bargaining. We enforce the law. It’s time we were treated accordingly.

Compensation

Our position reflects wage parity with the RCMP. Management has rejected this proposal and instead tabled the PA wage settlement. This is unacceptable to us as it does not address our wage disparity with the broader law enforcement community.

Retirement Reform

We are seeking a commitment from Treasury Board that the government introduce a retirement regime consistent with other federal law enforcement agencies. Treasury Board has refused to do so. This is unacceptable.

New Protections

We must have new protections against CBSA management in this round – in the context of discipline (PSI and SRI), legal indemnification and against abuse of authority. Management has not addressed our concerns.

Hours of Work

Our team is seeking a paid meal period in line with other law enforcement agencies, as well as protections against management’s unilateral cancelation of compressed work weeks and telework arrangements. CBSA and Treasury Board have done nothing to address these issues. We deserve better.

CBSA Seeking Concessions

Management is seeking serious concessions, from watering down our VSSA protections to making Care and Nurturing leave subject to operational requirements and increasing its duration to a minimum of 12 weeks, to eliminating protections in the context of firearm certification that we have in our current agreement. These concessions are unacceptable.

Given the refusal of Treasury Board and CBSA to address our priorities, we have declared impasse and will be proceeding to the next steps in the process – filing for a Public Interest Commission (PIC). Get more information on the PIC process at http://psacunion.ca/what-happens-if-we-do-not-reach-agreement.

The leadership of the union and representatives from our bargaining team will be meeting in the coming weeks to discuss next steps beyond filing for a PIC.  We’ll be sure to provide updates as things progress.

Download the PDF version of this update (bilingual document).

Designated Paid Holiday (DPH) Missing Credits for FB Members

Logo CIU-SDI

In September 2014, PSAC and the employer signed a memorandum of settlement (MOS) – the Moore settlement – which provided that FB employees who worked on a Variable Shift Schedule be reimbursed for leave used, make-up hours worked, or short shift change notice on a Designated Paid Holiday. More information regarding this matter is available on CBSA’s Atlas Intranet – see atlas/hrb-dgrh/res/lr-rt/messages/hdph_hccf_eng.asp (note that Atlas links are only accessible using workstations connected to the Intranet).

CBSA has posted a form on Atlas for FB members to complete if they are of the opinion that they were not appropriately compensated in line with the Moore settlement. The form is available for download through Atlas: atlas/hrb-dgrh/res/lr-rt/documents/h_ing_form_h_chome.pdf.

NB: CBSA has imposed a deadline of February 28, 2017 to submit the form.

Please note that the employer asserts that the Moore settlement does not apply to sick leave or family related leave. Members required to account for hours over and above 7.5 hours on a Designated Paid Holiday should file grievances on each occasion.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Labour Relations Officer assigned to your region.

PSAC Calls for Fair Treatment of Border Services Officers

FB Fair treatment ad: "we've got your back and we need a federal government that's got ours..."

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is launching radio ads today to raise awareness about the important work done by Border Services Officers, Inland Enforcement Officers and other front-line law enforcement personnel at Canada Border Services Agency.

“Every day, Border Services Officers and other front-line officers at CBSA are putting themselves in harm’s way to keep our communities safe,” said Robyn Benson, PSAC National President. “They deserve the same fair treatment as other law enforcement officers.”

The Border Services (FB) group returns to the bargaining table with Treasury Board the week of January 30. The bargaining team is seeking improvements to compensation and working conditions, bringing them more on par with that of other law enforcement officers.

These improvements include a retirement regime consistent with other peace officers, more paid time for firearm practice, and enhanced protections for front-line officers in the context of firearm recertification and control defence tactics training.

“This is about fairness and safety,” said Jean-Pierre Fortin, National President of the Customs and Immigration Union – a component of PSAC. “These workers deserve a federal government that has their back.”

The ads can be heard on radio stations across Canada, as well as online at https://youtu.be/bqWEU1-XoX0

A version of this article was originally published on the PSAC website. 

TC Bargaining Team Reaches Tentative Agreement with Treasury Board

Bargaining

(Article updated Jan. 26)

PSAC and Treasury Board have reached a tentative agreement for the Technical Services (TC) Group, which covers more than 11,000 federal public service workers. The deal includes significant breakthroughs on “common issues,” such as sick leave and workforce adjustment, the details of which were hammered out by the common issues committee last December. The TC bargaining team was also able to make meaningful improvements to monetary compensation, enhancing existing allowances and creating new allowances for specific groups of members.

“I thank the bargaining team for all their hard work and dedication to the members of the TC group. It has been a long two years. They resisted concessions, and in the end, they were able to achieve something for everyone,” said PSAC National President Robyn Benson.

Common issues need to be implemented at all tables

The issues agreed to in December between the employer and the common issues committee, composed of members from all five Treasury Board tables, need to be accepted by each specific table. The TC bargaining team has formally accepted the work of the common issues committee, which covers sick leave and the workforce adjustment appendix.

Sick leave

  • The sick leave articles of our collective agreements will remain unchanged.
  • The parties have negotiated a Memorandum of Agreement to establish a Task Force to develop recommendations on measures to improve employee wellness and reintegration of employees.
  • Any future enhancements to the regime would need to be negotiated and agreed to by both parties.
  • PSAC’s four principles are included in the MOA: sick leave provisions will be contained in the collective agreement, provide for wage replacement, protect and grandfather sick leave banks, and will not be administered by a third-party provider. Any enhanced sick leave regime shall contain, at minimum, these four principles.

Workforce adjustment appendix

  • What we achieved represents the most significant improvements in workforce adjustment since it was first signed as an appendix into PSAC collective agreements in 1998.
  • Changes will reduce involuntary layoffs by allowing volunteers to come forward to leave the public service during times of workforce adjustment.
  • Employees will now have up to fifteen months to find an alternation match.
  • More union involvement, ensuring employees have the right to union representation during the process.
  • Limits to contracting out.
  • Improvements to the monetary provisions, including the education allowance and transition support measures.

Monetary gains

TC members will receive a 1.25 percent economic increase per year, over four years, as well as a 0.5 percent market adjustment in the third year. A signing bonus of $650 will be paid to those members who do not receive a group specific salary adjustment. Those group specific adjustments include:

  • Roll-in the remaining value of the terminable allowance to Appendix A-1 and an additional increment of four percent to the maximum rates of pay at all levels for Marine, Rail and Air Technical Inspectors, effective June 22, 2016.
  • Increases to the monies paid in Appendix W to EG and GT members working in shore-based positions at Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), effective June 22, 2016.
  • New allowance of $3,000 per year for Fishery Officers (GT-02 to GT-05), effective June 22, 2016.
  • New allowance of $3,000 per year for Enforcement and Wildlife Officers (GT-02 to GT-05) at ECCC, effective June 22, 2016.
  • New allowance of $3,000 year for Technical Inspectors (TI-03 to TI-07) employed at Measurement Canada, effective June 22, 2016.
  • New allowance of $3,000 for Labour Affairs Officers (LAO) at the TI-05 level, effective June 22, 2016.
  • New allowance of four percent for Search and Rescue Coordinators (GT-05) working at the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC).
  • Additional increment of four percent to the maximum rate of pay of PI levels, effective June 22, 2016.  Add the PI-CGC-07 rates of pay.
  • New allowance of $2,500 for EG-06 at Fleet Maintenance Facilities (FMF).

Additionally, the EG allowance contained in Appendix V will be rolled into the base rate of pay, effective June 22, 2016 and delete Appendix V.  However, EG members who receive this roll-in and no other special measures above will be eligible for the $650 signing bonus.

Helping workers meet family demands

A committee will be established to look at childcare needs. Better family leave, including provisions for extended family, have also been negotiated. Significantly, the definition of family has been improved to include more family members. This means members can utilize relevant provisions of the collective agreement for more members of their family.

Other notable gains

  • New language has been included in the collective agreement to better protect members from being switched from day workers to shift workers, and vice-versa.
  • Travelling Time: the cap for travel in 34.04 has been increased to 15 hours, from 12.
  • The amounts paid under Appendix K for Diving Duty and Transfer at Sea have been improved.
  • Volunteer Leave has been included into Personal Leave, increasing the amount of time to two days, which can be split into smaller periods for ease of use.
  • The union and employer have signed a Memorandum of Understanding examining the comparability of EG work and compensation in the federal public service and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
  • We have a commitment to undertake occupational group structure review for the TC group and have new job evaluation standards completed by 2019.
  • Minor improvements to language on discipline and access to employee files.

The Memorandum of Understanding that established the Task Force on Mental Health in the workplace is also contained in this agreement. The mandate of the task force includes identifying ways to reduce and eliminate the stigma associated with mental health issues, improving communication on mental health challenges in the workplace, and implementing the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. The parties came to an agreement on the MOU earlier in the bargaining process, in 2015, and the task force has been hard at work ever since.

The TC Bargaining Team is unanimously recommending acceptance of this agreement. Further information will be made available to TC members in the near future.

Download: Summary of Tentative Agreement reached for the TC Group on January 21, 2017 [Bilingual PDF]

A version of this article was originally published on the PSAC website. 

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