Tag Archives: Groupe PA

Classification Reform: PSAC Files PA Bargaining Unit Policy Grievance

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has filed a policy grievance on behalf of the Program and Administrative Services (PA) bargaining unit in response to Treasury Board failing to meet classification reform deadlines.

The classification reform process

Classification reform across most of our Treasury Board bargaining units has been a painstakingly slow process that was further delayed throughout the years of Harper’s cutbacks.

In the last round of negotiations, PSAC’s bargaining team negotiated stronger language into the PA collective agreement regarding a review of the occupational group structure, as well as general timelines for classification reform. The occupational group structure review was to be completed by December 30, 2017.

Failing to meet deadlines

During this round of bargaining, the employer was expected to come to the table ready to negotiate with new classification standards and job descriptions for the PA group. The employer has failed to meet that obligation, which has led to the filing of the policy grievance.

PSAC’s long-standing objectives on classification reform continue to be:

replacement of the current, very outdated Treasury Board classification system;
development of job evaluation standards and job descriptions that reflect current work realities and that are pay equity compliant.

Now that collective bargaining has resumed we will be addressing this issue at the negotiation table in addition to enforcing the existing contract.

PSAC will continue to pursue a classification system that will evaluate and compensate all of our members fairly and equitably for the important work they do.

A version of this article was posted on the PSAC website.

PA, EB, TC & SV Groups Bargaining: PSAC Pushes for Improvements, Government Starts Slow

As Treasury Board bargaining resumed this week, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) responded to the employer’s proposals with a clear mandate for improvements to working conditions. PSAC’s PA, EB, TC and SV bargaining teams highlighted the need for greater work-life balance and improvements to pay and leave, among other important gains for federal public service workers.

Unfortunately, the employer was only prepared to offer their first impressions of PSAC’s non-monetary proposals. It’s disappointing that PSAC came to the table fully ready to bargain, but Treasury Board was only concerned with resolving ‘housekeeping’ issues at this stage.

The majority of federal public service workers have suffered under Phoenix for more than two years and continue to provide Canadians with the critical services they depend on. We expect the government to come to the table prepared to negotiate a contract that reflects that dedication, as well as the value of their work.

PSAC members are still waiting for their Phoenix pay problems to end; they should not have to wait for the working conditions they deserve.

A version of this article was posted on the PSAC website.

PA Bargaining: Little Movement from the Employer

The PA bargaining team returned to the bargaining table from November 1-9, 2016, only to find the employer’s mandate was largely unchanged.

Some Gains: Our team was pleased to make progress on improved language for bereavement and family related responsibility leave and on disciplinary meetings. The employer also partially addressed both the proposals for an improved allowance for compensation advisors and the harmonization of allowances for our members who work in federal prisons.

Allowances – Falling short: Despite some progress, the employer’s move on each of the allowances falls short of what the union is trying to achieve for members. On other critical proposals, such as changes to the definition of family, union leave, term employees, and contracting out, there has been no response at all.

Sick leave: We continue to seek improvements to the current sick leave regime. We’ve made some progress over the last session on this issue. The Employer has proposed a Memorandum of Agreement to deal with sick leave, in order to allow for discussion. We have been very clear that any discussion must respect our principles. Our principles with regard to sick leave remain the same – it must be contained in the collective agreement, it must provide for wage replacement, sick leave banks must be preserved and there must be no third party provider.

WFA: So far the government has refused to address our key proposals with regard to the Workforce Adjustment Appendix. Given the stress and turmoil that many PSAC members faced during the four-year period of public sector cuts and layoffs, we want to ensure that WFA operates in a fair, transparent and impartial manner.

Mediation: PSAC has suggested further bargaining with the assistance of a mediator.

Please visit psacunion.ca/pa for more updates.

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

PA Bargaining: “Optimism Quickly Fades”

Following the announcement that the Liberal government is repealing sections of the anti-union Bill C-4, enacted by the Harper Conservatives, our PA Bargaining Team returned to the negotiation table, hopeful that the Treasury Board had a new mandate to engage in serious collective bargaining. Any optimism we had was dashed almost immediately by the employer’s opening statement that they were willing to make some minor movements only on the condition that the union remove a significant number of our demands from the table.

Child care: Our bargaining team invited Morna Ballantyne, PSAC’s Special Projects Officer responsible for the union’s childcare campaign, to outline the need for affordable childcare. Her presentation was informative and persuasive. We are looking to develop a joint national committee with the employer to assess child care needs of federal public sector workers and make recommendations on how to best meet those needs.

Wages and other demands: We presented our complete economic package, as well as language on whistleblowing, rest breaks during overtime, and language on acting pay, workplace violence and electronic surveillance. We also reviewed all of our outstanding issues with the employer.

We signed off on minor changes to the Personal Leave and Volunteer Leave articles, allowing employees to take the leave in half days.

We’ll be back at the bargaining table in September. If you see your Member of Parliament in the summer, please tell him or her to keep their hands off our sick leave. And if that MP is a Liberal, please remind him or her that the Liberals were elected on a promise of showing respect to the public service. It’s time to change their bargaining mandate from the one they inherited from Stephen Harper.

Sick Leave: Our position on the employer’s short-term disability plan remains unchanged, but we continue to seek either a renewal or improvements to the current sick leave regime.

In a meeting this week, the Coordinated Issues Committee, which includes representatives from all five PSAC bargaining teams for the core public administration, said that any short-term disability plan must reside in the collective agreement.

Stay informed and get involved: Our bargaining team will keep you informed throughout this process. In the coming weeks, we will advise you of the next round of bargaining dates. Watch this page for updates and be sure to talk to your colleagues about the importance of supporting our union throughout this process.

Get involved and spread the word, so we can keep the pressure on the employer and fight back against concessions. See the PSAC website for information regarding bargaining proposals.