Tag Archives: bargaining

Treasury Board Bargaining: PSAC Requests Mediation

Contract negotiations have been ongoing for 10 days. While some progress has been achieved, there are still important issues of fairness and improving public services for Canadians that are yet to be resolved. PSAC has requested that a mediator be appointed and that talks resume within two weeks.

PSAC and the Employer returned to extended negotiations from November 1-9, after the Liberal government promised to bring a new mandate to the table. “We’ve gone as far as we can. This government promised to respect public service workers and restore the integrity of the public services Canadians rely on. They have not yet delivered on that promise,” said Robyn Benson, PSAC National President.

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

Treasury Board Bargaining Resumes November 1

The five bargaining teams will be back at the table with Treasury Board between November 1 and November 7 to resume negotiations for new collective agreements.

Revised Mandate

Treasury Board has indicated that they have a revised mandate on some of the key issues in this round of bargaining.

Make Good on Your Word Campaign

This comes at a time when PSAC has intensified our public outreach and advertising campaign, Make Good on Your Word, calling on Justin Trudeau to make good on his promise to respect public services and the people who provide them.

“Now is the time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government to make good on their word and come back to the bargaining table with a Liberal mandate,” said Robyn Benson, PSAC National President. “After 26 months of negotiations, we want a collective agreement.”

PSAC’s Bargaining Priorities

Healthier workplaces
Strong public services and fair treatment for workers if service delivery changes
Wages that keep up with inflation and the job market

Support Your Bargaining Teams on October 31

On October 31, join with PSAC members across the country to support your bargaining teams and deliver a strong message to Prime Minister Trudeau:

Dump the Conservative bargaining agenda
Start talking to us about real change for a better public service
Make good on your word – Canadians are counting on us

Please contact your local, or the closest PSAC regional office, to find out how you can participate. Check out the PSAC website, Facebook, and Twitter (as well as the CIU website, Facebook, and Twitter) for updates.

We will provide a bargaining update shortly after this round of negotiations. Thank you for your ongoing patience and support!

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

PSAC Calls On Justin Trudeau to Make Good On His Word

The Public Service Alliance of Canada is launching a series of radio and print ads today, appealing directly to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to make good on his word to support public service workers.

“Last year, Mr. Trudeau wrote to all public service workers promising to treat them with respect and restore the cuts made by Stephen Harper,” said Robyn Benson, PSAC National President. “It has been a year since the election. The tone has changed, but it’s now time for action.”

At the most recent set of negotiations between PSAC and the Treasury Board, it was clear that the Liberal government is still using the Conservatives’ bargaining agenda.

“They came with the same proposals as the previous government and many of our members are still dealing with the problems caused by the Phoenix pay system,” said Benson. “Supporting the people who deliver the vital services Canadians depend on is in everyone’s best interest.”

For more information on the radio and print ads, visit makegoodonyourword.ca.

This article was originally published on the PSAC website.

Treasury Board Bargaining: Liberal Government Still Using Conservative Agenda at Bargaining Table

When PSAC returned to the bargaining table with Treasury Board on Tuesday, we expected to hear the Liberal agenda. Instead, this government continued to push the Conservative agenda in negotiations.

“Under the Liberals, Treasury Board has had five meetings with us, and almost a year, to improve their offer to reflect Prime Minister Trudeau’s promise to show respect for the public service,” said Robyn Benson, National President of PSAC. “We are frustrated and disappointed that we did not see the movement we expected this week. We are close to the end of the road.”

Despite their commitment to “sunny ways,” the government continues to send all the wrong signals at the bargaining table, and in regard to the flawed Phoenix pay system. This week, at the Unfair Labour Practice hearing, a government witness laid blame for the Phoenix pay system debacle on the impacted employees themselves, rather than taking responsibility.

No future bargaining dates are planned at this time and we will be preparing our next steps. PSAC remains open to negotiations, but only if the employer will make substantive changes to their offer. “After 26 months of negotiations, we want a collective agreement,” said Benson. “But our members deserve better than what we continue to see from the Liberals.”

For more information on the issues raised at individual Treasury Board tables, visit the pages for EB, FB, PA, SV and TC bargaining.

PA Bargaining: No Movement from the Employer

The PA bargaining team has done everything possible to try and negotiate an agreement with Treasury Board. But the employer came to the bargaining table once again without a mandate to negotiate with us on any of our major issues. It was the 11th bargaining session in this round, spanning 26 months since the parties first exchanged bargaining demands in July 2014.

Our bargaining team represents approximately 70,000 members – the single largest bargaining unit in Canada. We have tried repeatedly to involve our Treasury Board counterpart in serious discussions about high priority items identified by our membership, including updating the antiquated classification standards, minimum standards of work for call centres, work-life balance, and appropriate compensation, among other issues.

Two years, no contract: The employer told us last week that they could not respond to our general economic proposals, saying they have not completed their “comparative pay study,” despite the fact that members have been working without a contract for more than two years.

In the one move of any significance last week, Treasury Board did provide a counter-proposal on the Memorandum of Understanding on Occupational Group Structure and classification reform tabled by the union in July 2014. We are reviewing that document.

In addition, Treasury Board did formally withdraw its intention to limit retroactive pay to one year. Our bargaining team reviewed outstanding issues and tabled language to renew the Joint Learning Program.

Liberal government, Conservative agenda: Despite their commitment to “sunny ways,” the government continues to send all the wrong signals at the bargaining table, and in regard to the flawed Phoenix pay system.

Given that our employer is unwilling to make any significant movement on our demands, we have unfortunately reached the end of the road. We cannot set any further bargaining dates when Treasury Board is not taking members’ priorities seriously.

See the PSAC website for information regarding bargaining proposals.