Updates

Bargaining teams reaffirmed a range of proposals for improving working conditions while also discussing the government’s counterproposals around work-life balance—including compassionate care, bereavement and parental leave—as well as general economic increases.

What are FB members voting on?

FB members will have the opportunity to vote on whether the union should take the position in this round of bargaining to keep the definition of “years of service” as is, or to have previous time in the Canadian Forces also apply for the years of service definition for:

a. Line selection for shift workers.
b. Processes for determining who works on a DPH for shift workers.
c. Vacation selection for everyone in the bargaining unit.
d. Determining who can access voluntary programs under the Workforce Adjustment Appendix in the event there are excess volunteers.

* Previous time in the Canadian Forces is already included in the calculation of vacation leave credits

After many months of frustrating talks with the government, PSAC members are still waiting for a proper response to the union’s bargaining proposals. In December, the government insulted federal public service workers by coming to the table with a proposal for a two-year wage freeze.

Some progress, but not enough

The union’s mobilization since last year’s Day of Action has allowed us to win several Phoenix victories. Together, we forced the government to:

• halt the recovery of overpayments and emergency pay until employees’ pay files have been cleared of all outstanding transactions;
• expand the Treasury Board’s claims process for Phoenix related financial losses;
• and end gross payback for overpayments.

Despite these wins, at the start of 2019, the Public Service Pay Centre was still facing a backlog of over 280,000 cases. And after three years of Phoenix, about two-thirds of HR data is still being inputted late, causing pay problems across the board. Phoenix continues to also delay the implementation of our collective agreements and the retroactive pay our members are owed.

Whether it is in unemployment rates, wage gaps or opportunities for advancement in the workplace; Black Canadians continue to face barriers in employment. Black trade unionists in Canada have continued to demonstrate their leadership and activism in the Canadian labour movement by fighting for social change through union organizing and ensuring language in collective agreements reflect the fight to end racism and promote equality in the workplace.

PSAC has secured new face-to-face bargaining sessions in February. Our top priority is to obtain a fair wage settlement, and improvements in areas such as work-life balance, workload, leave provisions, and the use of temporary workers.

“We will mobilize members to pressure Prime Minister Trudeau to live up to his promise of a new relationship with public service workers – one of respect,” said PSAC National President, Chris Aylward. “His Government is betraying our members and Canadians who depend on high quality public service.”