One week after the election of PSAC’s Treasury Board bargaining teams, the union was served with a notice to bargain for the PA, TC and EB bargaining units.

The CIU Collective Bargaining Committee (Ron Moran, Chair, and members Brea Lewis, Doug Tremblett and Dave VanHelvert) will be meeting in Ottawa on February 4, 5 and 6, 2014 to sort through, group and prioritize the FB demands that will have been submitted by January 30th for next round of negotiations.

FB Bargaining made our submissions before a Public Interest Commission at the Labour Board in Ottawa on December 10th

As per the Public Service Labour Relations Act, our FB Bargaining Team filed for conciliation earlier this year when it became clear that the employer was not prepared to seriously address our issues, including parity with other federal enforcement workers. Also consistent with the Act, a Public Interest Commission (PIC) was named to oversee the conciliation process and to hear our case concerning the matters outstanding in negotiations. Once the date of December 10th was set for the PIC hearing, the parties agreed to engage in mediation prior to the hearing. That mediation happened this past weekend, convened by the Chair of the Public Interest Commission.

While both Saturday and Sunday were set aside for mediation, the Chair ended the session at the end of the day on Saturday when it became clear that no progress was being made. As a result the PIC hearing took place on Monday at the Labour Board. Over the course of the day our bargaining team made our case for parity with other federal employees working for law enforcement agencies, including CX’s at Corrections Canada and the RCMP. We stated – repeatedly – that what we seek are simply to expand protections that are already contained in our current agreement, and to be afforded same rights and compensation that are already being afforded other employees working under Public Safety Canada. To review the full copy of the brief submitted by the PSAC to the PIC, go to: http://psac.com/news/2012/bargaining/20121212c-e.shtml.

We now await a recommendation from the PIC. Unlike arbitration, the recommendation is nonbinding. While the legislation provides for the PIC to issue its recommendation within 30 days of the hearing, the Chair may extend that timeline. Given the number of issues outstanding, there was some indication on Monday evening that the Chair may exercise this prerogative. We will be sure to update as things progress.