Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

OTTAWA – The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) says the federal government has crossed the line in its attempts to discourage protests against the government’s recent wage offer.

According to PSAC National President John Gordon, union members who work for Treasury Board have been organizing activities across the country to protest the insulting and inadequate wage offer the government put on the table last month.

“In recent days, Treasury Board and at least one of its departments have sent out heavy-handed e-mails to our members in an attempt to discourage them from participating in activities on June 19 and in union activity in general,” says Gordon.

“The government’s warnings are not only a complete over-reaction to the June 19 events, they cross the line by trying to intimidate workers from exercising their constitutionally-protected union rights.”

The union has already filed a complaint with the Public Service Labour Relations Board alleging unfair labour practices. PSAC is asking the Board to order the employer to cease and desist from interfering in legitimate union activities and to send a message to all employees confirming their right to participate in their union’s activities.

The June 19 protests are taking place after more than a year of negotiations with Treasury Board. To date, virtually nothing has been agreed upon. At the end of May, Treasury Board offered increases of 1.5% and 1.2% over a four-year agreement.

“At our events today, you will find members describing the Treasury Board offer as peanuts and crumbs,” says Gordon. “The message they are sending to their employer is that the offer is an insult and they deserve more.”

“From the recent e-mails, it appears that the employer is finally starting to take notice of the fact that they have dissatisfied workers. It’s unfortunate they are more interested in quashing dissent than dealing with our members’ legitimate bargaining demands.”

Gordon says the government shouldn’t confuse PSAC members with their own caucus. “You may be able to muzzle your MPs but you can’t silence our members and their union.”

PSAC represents over 100,000 workers in five Treasury Board bargaining units. Most of the agreements expired almost a year ago, in June 2007. The latest bargaining information is posted on the union’s web site at www.psac-afpc.com