Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

The factors that go into developing a pay demand

Our Union considers a number of factors when putting together a pay demand.

1. We examine what other workers are being paid who are doing comparable work and we make direct comparisons with PSAC members working for other federal employers.

We use union research, sometimes supplemented by compensation studies, to see what workers are being paid for comparable jobs both in the public and private sectors. With this data, we can propose what are known as “market adjustment” increases. These increases are designed to keep the federal government competitive as an employer. In an economy with low rates of unemployment and an aging workforce, that’s important. Our negotiating teams for each Treasury Board unit are determining what “market adjustment” increases are needed for their members. Look for more information on proposed adjustments in upcoming bulletins from the negotiating teams.

1. We calculate what we need to give our members some real economic improvement that reflects the continued strength of the Canadian economy and protects against inflation.
2. We consider what kinds of increases other workers are negotiating.

Our demand for 2007-2008-2009

For this round of negotiations, we’re proposing:

• an economic increase of 4.5%,
• in each year of a three-year collective agreement,
• retroactive to the first day of the new three-year agreement (the date in 2007 will vary by bargaining unit),
• that applies to all members covered by the agreement.

This proposal has already been tabled with Treasury Board for the PA and FB units and will be soon for the SV unit.

(more…)

Your Bargaining Team met with the BC Corps of Commissionaires on April 24 and 25, 2008.

This was the first meeting of the parties following the exchange of bargaining proposals on February 27, 2008. These negotiations, for a first collective agreement, include two (2) bargaining units: approximately 40 Commissionaires performing work on behalf of the Canadian Border Services Agency at Library Square and the Vancouver International Airport and 8 Commissionaires performing work on behalf of Fisheries and Oceans Canada at the Seal Cove Coast Guard Base in Prince Rupert.

The following issues were discussed:

• Purpose and Scope of the Collective Agreement
• Management Rights
• Definitions and Interpretations
• Union Recognition
• Union Representatives
• Use of Client Facilities
• Union Dues and Membership
• Information
• Leave With or Without Pay for Union Business

Although some progress was made during those two (2) days of negotiations, no articles were signed off. The next meeting has been tentatively set for May 29 and 30, 2008.

There was a preliminary statement by the Union negotiating team addressing the issue of Pay Parity with other sectors of the Public Service. We have put the employer on notice that this will be a priority for the union when we table our full pay position.

We encourage the membership to read both the Union and The CFIA bargaining proposals and to provide feedback to the team member in BC - email Bob Jackson.

Negotiations for a first collective agreement between the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the BC Corps of Commissionaires (Corps) are scheduled to be held in Vancouver on April 24 and 25, 2008. The parties had met for the first time on February 27, 2008, to exchange bargaining proposals and to discuss housekeeping matters.

These negotiations will include two (2) bargaining units: approximately 40 Commissionaires performing work on behalf of the Canadian Border Services Agency at Library Square and the Vancouver International Airport and 8 Commissionaires performing work on behalf of Fisheries and Oceans Canada at the Seal Cove Coast Guard Base in Prince Rupert.

(more…)

Parks Canada contacted PSAC asking for a return to the bargaining table, stating that they are focused on negotiating the substantive issues of the bargaining unit. These issues include, but are not limited to, work of the bargaining unit presently being performed by persons outside the unit, seasonal and term employment, Parks Canada’s announcement that they intend to privatize and downsize, a wage package including No Zones, and a renegotiated WorkForce Adjustment Agreement.

After 23 days of negotiations it had become apparent to your Bargaining Team that the Agency would not address the important issues. Your Team broke off negotiations informing the Employer that the Team would begin the process of applying for Conciliation. Immediately the Agency claimed that your Bargaining Team walked away from the table before it had a chance to address the bargaining unit’s critical issues.

In an effort to secure the bargaining unit a fair and just collective agreement, your Team has agreed to return to the bargaining table to again offer the Employer the opportunity to negotiate the issues that are important to the bargaining unit. Your Team is cautiously hopeful that Parks Canada Agency intends to negotiate in good faith and to address the bargaining unit’s major concerns. The return to the bargaining table will not change your Bargaining Team’s decision to apply for Conciliation or any other actions that are necessary to move the Employer to deal with the critical issues.

Your Bargaining Team is determined to achieve a new collective agreement with the Agency. To find out how you can show your support for your Bargaining Team, contact your Local Union Executive, or any of the Regional Offices.

EB negotiations: more frustrations

The EB bargaining team had another long and frustrating negotiating session with its Treasury Board counterpart the week of March 3rd.

Your team returned, as the lead table, to the issue of adding “gender identity” and “gender expression” to the no discrimination language in all Treasury Board agreements. The Employer has previously denied this proposal because a small number of cases that have been adjudicated suggest that “gender identity” is already covered by the word “sex.” We have made the point to Treasury Board that if discrimination on these grounds is already prohibited, we paty poker net5card draw pokerpoker superstars 2 spielendraw poker rulespoker texas holdem strategiepoker spielen mit geldtexas holdem handtexas holdem reihenfolgepoker net comonline poker netpoker regeln splitpoker live spielenpoker online macpoker 5 drawper giocare a pokeritalian poker tourpoker sexi gratisgioca pokergioca a poker on linestrip poker da scaricare gratisonline gamesgioco di pokerstrip poker livegioco strep pokerscommesse internetpoker gametexas holdem online gratis,texas holdem online,texas holdem poker onlinepoker online italiastreap poker gratispoker giochi scaricaregame pokergioco d azzardo pokerpoker su internetscarica gioco pokerpoker carte gratispoker tour gamefree omaha pokerpoker game online gratisgioco poker italianocasino poker gratisgioco poker per pcgiochi 7 card stud inlinearegole pokergiochare omaha pokervc pokertornei poker gratisplay omaha poker onlinecarte giocopoker non onlinepoker room should write it into the Collective Agreement for all to see. The team was assisted by PSAC legal counsel Shannon Blatt and a Treasury Board employee, both of whom are members of the trans community. Despite a major and incredibly moving presentation by the two women, the Treasury Board negotiating team took the position that it has to “conduct more research” into our proposal. We are hoping this will result in a positive response when we bargain the week of April 28.

(more…)

Is that light at the end of the tunnel?

Your PA bargaining team may be a year older since the PSAC served notice to bargain in March 2007 but we’re energized by the fact that we’re finally seeing some movement from the employer. During our bargaining sessions from March 4 to 6, it was clear that the employer’s team had come to the table with the intention of making some progress. Treasury Board started to back off and withdraw some of their demands for serious concessions.

We’re encouraged by this approach. But we’re also ready to do what it takes to get the rest of the employer’s concessions off the table and start moving ahead with improvements to our agreement.

During this latest session, we spent time bringing the employer up to date on the good work of PSAC’s Social Justice Fund as background to our demand for an employer contribution to the Fund. Team members Megan Adam and Geoff Ryan, together with one of the Fund’s Officers Louise Casselman, talked about how the Fund’s projects are helping workers in Canada and internationally.

(more…)

OTTAWA – The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is taking a quarter century-old pay equity complaint to the Federal Court of Appeal. The complaint involves about 6,000 current and former clerical workers at Canada Post. The union is reacting to a lower court decision issued in February that essentially overturned an award made by a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal in October 2005.

PSAC National President John Gordon announced the decision to appeal at a national bargaining conference being held in Ottawa with members of PSAC’s Union of Postal Communications Employees component who are employed by Canada Post.

“We believe the Federal Court’s decision is flawed and there are strong grounds for an appeal,” said Gordon. “Some aspects of the decision are contradictory while others ignore the roles and authority of both the Tribunal and the Canadian Human Rights Commission.”

(more…)

Attention to all members of the DD, EG, GT, PI, PY and TI pay groups.

• Your Bargaining Team encourages PSAC members to register for the automatic email update on the PSAC National Website.

Your TC Bargaining Team was in Ottawa from February 26 to 29 and continued negotiations with Treasury board.

As in earlier rounds, bargaining is being coordinated between the Treasury Board Tables, with each Table taking the lead on certain issues. So this session, our Table discussed the following issues:

• Article 20 – Harassment;
• Article 28 – Overtime;
• Article 29 – Call-back Pay;
• Article 30 – Standby;
• Article 31 – Reporting Pay;
• Article 34 – Traveling Time/Captive Time;
• Article 41 – Injury-on-duty Leave;
• Article 43 – Maternity Related Reassignment;
• Article 65 – Pay Administration (Acting Pay & Salary Protection);
• New Article – Pre-retirement Transition Leave;
• New Article 39.09 – Sick LWOP provision for extended absence.

The Employer responded to a number of items that we had tabled during the last session, and said NO to the following:

• Improved Call-back for workers at Percy Moore and Norway House Hospitals;
• Article 39.09 – Sick LWOP provision for an extended absence;
• Training to keep TI certification up-to-date (According to Treasury Board, the existing Employer-provided-training is sufficient)
• Inclusion of Ammo Techs in the Dangerous Goods Article (Treasury Board stated that DND informed them that the Ammo Techs are not accountable if something goes wrong, because they only handle the material and they are not certified under the TDG Act.)
• App K – Improvements to Diving Duty Allowance;
• Article 43 – Improvements to Maternity Related Reassignment;
• A new proposal to include on Pre-Retirement Transition Leave in the Collective Agreement.

(more…)

Members across the Province wore black last week in support of their bargaining teams. Cheers to Mandi Schubert, CEIU 20975 (Government Street Service Canada office, Victoria) for sending in these photos!

The next day of action to wear black is on the 19th! Contact your Treasury Board Area Strike coordinator for more information.

Click the thumbnails for a larger view!

Team Presents Thousands of Petition Signatures to CBSA at Bargaining Table, FB Workers at CBSA Send Clear Message to Management

This past week (Feb 25 - 29), our bargaining team met with CBSA/Treasury Board in an effort to bring the parties closer to a new contract. During the session, our team presented management with petitions containing well over 5,000 signatures from CBSA employees in support of our core demands in this round of bargaining for our first FB contract: Job Security in the context of the arming initiative, wages that meet the standards set by enforcement workers in other jurisdictions, respect for both our years of service and our work as union members, protection of Alternative Working Arrangements and safe working conditions for members with enforcement responsibilities. Our team explained to management that our members are determined to achieve a fair contract that addresses these concerns. The employer’s team committed to deliver the petitions to senior CBSA administration this week.

(more…)

Our PA and EB Treasury Board bargaining teams are at the table this week!

This week: The TB-Regional Coordinating Committee for B.C. Region is encouraging all Treasury Board members to wear anything black on pay days to show support for your bargaining teams. Help spread the word, support your bargaining teams! Send in photos for web posting.

If you want to keep up to date on what activities are going on for TB bargaining in the B.C. region and nationally please sign up for our regional list-serve.

Here are a few photos of PSAC events & activities over the last month …

Members at the Service Canada office in Nelson supported their TB bargaining teams last week, click the thumbnails for a larger view. Cheers to Sheila Pearce, Treasury Board Area Strike Coordinator for the South Kootenays, for the photos. Visit this webpage to find out how to keep up to date with TB bargaining, or send a message to your TB strike coordinator.

Members of CEIU Local 20975 - the Victoria Service Canada office - held their AGM, and re-elected Mandi Schubert as the President. Congratulations Mandi, and thanks for the photos!

The PSAC Regional Staff conference took place last week in Victoria. The Director of the Regional Offices Branch, Penny Bertrand (in black) presented Dave Jackson and Janet Routledge with their long service pins - 20 and 30 years respectively!

If you want to keep up to date on what activities are going on for TB bargaining in the B.C. region and nationally please sign up for our regional list-serve here.

There is also have a link dedicated to TB bargaining on our regional website - look for !
This week: TB-Area Coordinators are distributing an info flyer on current negotiations. Please help get these flyers out to your members, Union boards, lunch rooms. Help spread the word, support your bargaining teams!

In Solidarity, Monica Urrutia, TB-RSC for BC Mainland

Your Bargaining Team was disappointed, in this week of negotiations, by the employer’s lack of understanding of the need to have meaningful negotiation on the priority issues. It is clear that the employer is not ready or willing to negotiate a collective agreement after their statement that all demands carry equal weight in terms of importance.

Your Team was also frustrated as the employer continuously focused on grammatical changes instead of the key issues such as:

* Seasonal and term employment
* No contracting out
* Wages
* The return to the National Joint Council
* No Zones
* Misuse of student program

The Bargaining Team unanimously agreed that it is left with no choice but to apply for conciliation to get the process back on track, with the goal of achieving a fair and just collective agreement that addresses all of the bargaining unit’s priority issues.

For more information on Parks collective bargaining and to find out how you can participate in mobilization activities, please contact your Bargaining Team member, your local executive, or the PSAC local regional office, or visit our website.

We’ll be sure to update as things progress.

Progress slow at PA bargaining table after another four days of talks

PSAC was back at the table in negotiations for the Program and Administrative Services (PA) unit from February 5 to 8. As of the end of this session, our PA team has tabled all of the union’s demands with the exception of the wage package.

Employer demands more shift work

Hours of work have been the subject of much discussion in this round of bargaining and the last session was no exception. While we have heard in the past that the employer wants to create special hours of work for Service Canada members, this time the discussion included the WP and IS groups who are currently excluded from shift work. The employer is demanding the right to change members in the WP and IS groups, as well as those at Service Canada, into shift workers.

(more…)

The Issues: Quality jobs, quality public service

Parks Canada Agency’s mandate is to protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage on behalf of all Canadians. The Agency meets this mandate through the work of PSAC members. Parks workers are committed to preserving an important part of Canada’s heritage and to keeping visitors to national parks, canals and historic sites safe and well informed.

However, many of our jobs have been or are under threat of being contracted out. The quality of our jobs is deteriorating as the Employer takes advantage of our most vulnerable members: the term and seasonal work-ers. The work of our members is a valuable public service to Canadians. To defend the quality of this service means to defend the quality of our jobs.

(more…)

Parks Canada Agency puts up wall at bargaining, union ready to tear it down

From January 28 to February 1, 2008, your bargaining team faced an inflexible Employer across the table as the last of our demands were tabled. Important issues, such as “no contracting out,” the elimination of pay zones and pay increases, among others, either got a “No” from the Employer or a “We’ll get back to you on that in the next round.”

• Sign up for BC Parks Negotiations email bulletins

Your team was also encouraged and felt they had the members’ full support as it heard reports of the success of the plantgating by members across the country. The flyer on the “Student Hiring” issue elicited a response from the Employer entitled “Setting the Record Straight.” Our members, however, were not fooled by the so-called “facts” that the Employer claims, knowing full well that what we experience in the field and what we hear them say at the negotiating table fully contradict what they say in this paper. Our members know that the Employer is hiring students as flexible and cheap labour to do bargaining unit work.

(more…)

Frustrating negotiations for EB group

Four full days of bargaining with Treasury Board last week left members of the EB Table feeling disappointed and wondering if their management counterparts have a mandate to bargain.

Your team was able to sign off on the existing hours of work for librarians, language teachers, and employees in the ED-EDS classification, after the Employer dropped a demand (dealt with at the PA table) to expand the hours of a normal work day to between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. And the EB team also withdrew a Travelling Time proposal dealing with child and elder care, acknowledging that the issue is more appropriately dealt with at the National Joint Council.

But that was where the progress ended. The Employer has said no to our demand to improve bereavement leave to five working days from five consecutive days, in the case of a death in the immediate family. They have said no to our proposal to remove the cap on the amount of vacation pay that can be carried over from year to year.

(more…)