Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

JLP Developments

Here is some information on the status of the JLP and some next steps.

The JLP was first negotiated with Treasury Board in 2001, and was forced to shut down in 2004 with the expiry of the collective agreements. The PSAC was successful in re-negotiating the JLP in 2004, this time with ‘bridging funding’ to cover the period from the expiry of the current collective agreements to the conclusion of the next ones. What that means is there won’t be a complete shut-down in between bargaining rounds.

JLP Course Updates

Over the past year, considerable ‘behind the scenes’ work has been done to re-establish the newly-renamed joint PSAC-PSHRMAC JLP (formerly the PSAC-TBS JLP).

Thanks to the work of Anne Betts, who has been seconded to the JLP over the past several months, and in cooperation with members of the Language Services Section in the PSAC, the JLP courses delivered during the last round have been updated and are being translated. The program will be reconnecting with the JLP facilitators trained during the last round very soon, and will also be recruiting new facilitators. Refresher training as well as training for new facilitators will be held in the next few months.

The PSAC-PSHRMAC JLP Steering Committee (the decision-making body) has held two meetings to date, and has established short and medium term priorities for the JLP, including the delivery of facilitator training and courses, and a communications strategy. PSAC representatives on the Steering Committee include Brother John Gordon, Brother Bill Pynn and Sister Nycole Turmel.

A JLP Advisory Committee has also been struck to provide direction and guidance on program and course content. The first meeting of this Group was held on February 8-9th of this year. PSAC representatives are Catherine Gilbert, Director of the Membership Programs Branch, Judy Shannon, Regional Education Officer for the Prairies, Joyce Hendy, a long-time PSAC activist who represented PSAC on the former JLP Working Group, and Yvan Thauvette, National Vice-President of the Union of Veterans’ Affairs Employees.

Next Steps

Over the course of the coming months, the JLP will focus on staffing of positions, re-establishing the JLP Facilitators’ Network, developing the website and a communications strategy, and planning the delivery of courses.

Stay tuned to the PSAC website for up-to-date information on the JLP and the next steps.