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• replacement of the current, very outdated Treasury Board classification system;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.