Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

In October, the PSAC postponed negotiations with Treasury Board that had been scheduled for December. We had to postpone the sessions because various departments are not meeting their legal obligations to provide the most basic information required to negotiate Essential Services Agreements (ESAs).

FB Complaint

PSAC filed a complaint on behalf of our Frontière/Border Services(FB) unit with the Public Service Staff Relations Board (PSLRB) against one of those departments, the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA). As a first step to address our complaint against the CBSA, the PSLRB proposed mediation between the parties. The mediation hearing resulted in an agreement that CBSA would begin to provide the necessary information needed so the parties can enter into the negotiation of the ESA. The union is expecting the employer to provide the type and proportion of duties that the employer considers essential. From there, the parties are expected to determine the number of employees necessary to remain on the job in the event of a strike.

The Customs Excise Union Douanes Accise (CEUDA) and the CBSA met for the first time on December 10 and 11. Further meetings are scheduled for December 20 and 21 and January 9 and 10, 2008. CEUDA Branches have been or will be contacted for additional information in support of these negotiations.

ESAs for PA and SV units

PSAC will next focus on ESAs for the Program and Administrative Services (PA) and Operational Services (SV) bargaining units that need to be negotiated with some 45 different Departments. In most cases, Components and Departments have met and begun the ESA discussion and several ESAs have been signed. However, the union continues to experience difficulty receiving basic information from some Departments. Progress reports will be provided as we move forward with the negotiation of these agreements.