Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

To: Alliance Executive Committee, PSAC Components with T.B./Agency members, PSAC Regional Offices

From: Patty Ducharme and Gerry Halabecki, Collective Bargaining Committee Co-Chairs

Re: 2007 Round of TB/Agency Collective Bargaining

We write to inform you of the upcoming steps being taken in preparation for the next round of TB/Agency bargaining. A number of actions have been taken that affect all five Treasury Board bargaining units and the three major Agency units.

• The Collective Bargaining Committee of the National Board of Directors and the Alliance Executive Committee have been preparing a revised approach to the Program of Demands, input calls for bargaining demands, and a framework for the coming round of bargaining conferences.
• PSAC has developed a new collective bargaining course for members that will be delivered in the regions in the coming months. This course is intended to inform members on negotiations and how to organize to support the bargaining process. Information on course availability and other details will be available from the Regional Offices.
• Later this summer, Environics Research Group will be conducting a membership telephone survey among almost 5,000 PSAC members in the TB and Agency units. The information from this survey will be used to prepare for the upcoming round of bargaining.
• Our timelines are being scheduled so that we are in a position to be at the table prior to the expiry of the collective agreements.

We are beginning to receive inquires about the upcoming round of bargaining, and in particular, questions about the TB and Agency bargaining conferences. In order to address many of these questions, we felt it important to provide you with information about the decisions that have been made to date regarding Treasury Board and Agency negotiations.

Input call letters to Components will provide detailed information about the Program of Demands document and about the regional and national bargaining conferences for Treasury Board and Parks.

Treasury Board and Parks Canada Agency:

• A separate Program of Demands is being prepared for the Treasury Board units and for the Parks Canada unit. The Program of Demands will be sent to the appropriate Components together with the input call. PSAC will also mail a copy directly to the President of each TB Local/Branch and each Parks Local.
• National strategy committees will be established for Treasury Board and for Parks in the near future.
• Two regional bargaining conferences for the TB units and Parks will be held. The eastern conference (covering the Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario and the NCR) will take place in Montreal on November 25-26. The western conference (covering the Prairies, B.C. and the North) will be held in Vancouver on December 2-3.
• The deadline for the receipt of demands for the TB units and Parks unit is November 30, 2006. A limit of 30 non-wage demands from each Component for each bargaining unit has been established. Please note that the detailed package of demands will be on the agenda of the national bargaining conference.
• The National Bargaining Conference for TB units and Parks will be held in Ottawa, from February 1-4, 2007.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency:

• A Program of Demands is being finalized for the CFIA Unit. The input call process is underway.
• The CFIA National Bargaining Conference will be held from September 12-15, 2006 in Ottawa.
• A CFIA strategy committee has been established and has met to discuss the upcoming round of bargaining.

Canada Revenue Agency:

• Our agreement with CRA expires on October 31, 2007.
• A Program of Demands will be developed and an input call issued later this year.

We encourage you to share this information with your Local Officers. Please don’t hesitate to contact us or the Negotiations Section for additional information.

In Solidarity, Patty Ducharme, National Executive Vice-President & Gerry Halabecki, Regional Executive Vice-President (Ontario)