Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

Our union, UPCE/PSAC, has the duty to fairly represent all members. While the current collective agreement contains provisions that protect against discrimination and sexual harassment, our members have told us that unfairness in the workplace still exists at Canada Post. The bargaining team has proposed a number of changes to broaden the definition of discrimination and define different forms of harassment beyond sexual harassment.

Employers are ultimately responsible for acts of work-related harassment. The Supreme Court has said that the goal of human rights law is to identify and eliminate discrimination.

In agreeing to our proposals, Canada Post would be taking a leadership role in working with the union to reverse the negative effects of harassment. This would help to ensure a healthier and fairer work environment for everyone.

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On June 19th PSAC members throughout BC, and from coast to coast to coast, joined together at lunchtime and after work gatherings to tell the employer that we deserve to be treated with respect and to express our frustration at the lack of progress after one year of bargaining. Members in BC sent postcards to their MP’s, distributed leaflets, and wore their “I support my team” bracelets and tattoos, among many other things.

In Kamloops and Salmon Arm, members asked Treasury Board to “Show Us The Green”; in the Fraser Valley, members working for Corrections Canada handed out peanuts and ate vegetarian pizza (where’s the meat in TB’s offer?); in Vancouver members gathered downtown and at Nat Bailey Stadium to hear reports from Bargaining Team members, and REVP Kay Sinclair; and at the airport Customs Officers practiced due dilligence in their work; on the Island members gathered in Victoria, Esquimalt, Nanaimo, Campbell River, and Courtenay.

Continue reading for some more photos & video …

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On June 19th PSAC members throughout BC marked one year of bargaining with Treasury Board by joining together and telling the employer that we deserve to be treated with respect and that we deserve more at the bargaining table.

In downtown Vancouver, 250 people braved the rain and gathered at Canada Place to hear REVP Kay Sinclair and member negotiators Karim Lawji and Megan Adam speak.  PSAC and PIPSC members working for Treasury Board, CFIA, CRA, Canada Post and Parks Canada gathered to hear bargaining updates, sign thinkpublic! postcards to their MPs, and enjoy lunch.

At the Pacific Forestry Centre in Victoria, UEW members were joined by their PIPSC and summer student co-workers for a hamburger BBQ. In Nelson, Area Strike Coordinator Sheila Pearce and members at the Service Canada office dressed in ratty clothes to demonstrate how poorly they are paid!

Other lunch time activities took place across BC and we will have a full report soon. In the meantime, here are some photos.

PSAC members take pride in the work that they do for Canada Post, and more often than not, those contributions are not recognized or valued. This is the first in a series of information bulletins that will highlight our workplace issues and what we want to achieve this round of negotiations to build a better workplace.

• View all the PSAC/UPCE demands for the current negotiations at the national website (pdf).

Surveillance

Contact Centre workers work in an electronic production environment that has been called the “factory of the new economy”. From the moment they go to work people are timed, measured and watched. Emails are measured for efficiency and productivity and calls are measured by calls per hour, talk time, not ready time. Supervisors have unfettered access to workers’ calls and emails, and conversations with clients can be listened in on by a supervisor at any time. It is becoming increasingly the norm for Canada Post to change and apply unreasonable standards to individual employees in measuring work performance and in surveilling employees.

Our bargaining team has proposed the following collective agreement language changes to address this problem and to introduce workplace fairness:

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Treasury Board has recently attempted to shift the blame onto the PSAC for canceling what were only tentative bargaining dates in June. If anyone’s responsible for bargaining not taking place in June, it’s Treasury Board.

PSAC has already been at the bargaining table for a year. What we’ve heard most from Treasury Board is NO, NO and more NO.

• NO to the elimination of regional pay zones
• NO to pay adjustments to bring our members’ salaries in line with the private and public sectors
• NO to important demands such as job security for CBSA members affected by the arming initiative.

At the same time, it has taken a year for Treasury Board to put any pressure on departments to submit their proposals for essential services. Treasury Board knows very well that Essential Services Agreements must be signed before members can take legal strike action. The longer they drag this process out, the more they think it will weaken the union’s ability to negotiate fair settlements for our members.

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source: Vancouver Sun, June 13 2008

Travellers going through customs at Vancouver International Airport today have faced waits of up to two hours because customs officials are deliberately slowing down lines to highlight a contract dispute, a union president said.

“The officers did tell me today that they’re working to the full extent of their work description,” said Sue Neumann, customs excise union president responsible for Vancouver’s airport, sea ports and cruise ships. “This is obviously a reaction, this is not normal.”

The union is currently in a contract dispute with the Canada Border Services Agency, but is not in a legal strike position.

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Actions are taking place all across the province…

In Downtown Vancouver, meet in front of Canada Place for music, speakers and food from 12 noon - 1PM. Look for the PSAC banners! Show your support for Public Services and your Bargaining Teams! Wear your “I Support My Bargaining Team” tattoo or sticker and enjoy a free hot dog!

In Metro Vancouver members are going to a Bargaining, BBQ and Baseball event at Nat Bailey Stadium. They’ll hear about negotiations, share a meal, and enjoy a Vancouver Canadians game afterwards!

The South Kootenays is encouraging members to dress in ratty clothes to demonstrate how poorly they are paid.

In the Service Canada site in Prince George members will be in beach wear with “We deserve better” buttons and balloons and “I Support my bargaining team” tattoos and stickers at its National Public Service Week breakfast.

Fraser Valley is distributing peanuts, symbolizing what they think of the employer’s pay offer and giving out bargaining information to the members.

There will be a Union Pizza Day lunch at both Service Canada Sites in Kamloops and Salmon Arm. In Kamloops they are asking members to wear green that day (Show us some green) and will have green balloons with I Support my Bargaining Team stickers.

If there are no events near you initiate your own!

There are plenty of things you can do to show your support! Download our “Things to Do” flyer (.pdf)

Send a message to your MP! Sign a Think Public postcard and make sure your MP gets the message!

The complete list of PSAC/UPCE demands for the current negotiations is now available at the national website (pdf).

Collective bargaining with the BC Corps of Commissionaires resumed May 29 and 30, 2008. Some of the issues discussed include:

• Management Rights
• Union Recognition
• Bargaining Unit Work
• Job Security
• Union Representatives
• Use of Client Facilities
• Employee Orientation
• Union Dues and Membership
• Information
• Discrimination
• Harassment
• Leave With or Without Pay for Union Business
• Seniority
• Grievance and Arbitration Procedure
• Technological Change

Although some progress was made during those two (2) days of negotiations, no articles were signed off. 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.

Information sessions with the membership are planned to be held shortly. The next meeting with the employer is scheduled for June 17 and 18, 2008.

Treasury Board has recently attempted to shift the blame onto the PSAC for cancelling what were only tentative bargaining dates in June. If anyone’s responsible for bargaining not taking place in June, it’s Treasury Board.

• Send an email to your MP: let them know Public Services make a difference!

PSAC has already been at the bargaining table for a year. What we’ve heard most from Treasury Board is NO, NO and more NO.

• NO to the elimination of regional pay zones
• NO to pay adjustments to bring our members’ salaries in line with the private and public sectors
• NO to important demands such as job security for CBSA members affected by the arming initiative.

At the same time, it has taken a year for Treasury Board to put any pressure on departments to submit their proposals for essential services. Treasury Board knows very well that Essential Services Agreements must be signed before members can take legal strike action. The longer they drag this process out, the more they think it will weaken the union’s ability to negotiate fair settlements for our members.

Don’t be fooled by pious words from Treasury Board about how they’re committed to the bargaining process and to a settlement.

• During the last year, Treasury Board could have treated our demands seriously at the table. All they’ve done so far is withdraw most of their demands for take-aways. It has taken us a year to get back to square one.
• Treasury Board could have put a serious wage offer on the table, dealing with all our pay problems, not just 1.5% and 1.2%.
• Treasury Board could have proposed a shorter agreement instead of trying to lock our members into a four-year agreement.

It’s time to show Treasury Board who’s really to blame for the fact that we’re fast approaching the one-year anniversary date of our members being without a new agreement.

June 19 is your opportunity to join with your co-workers to tell the employer that you deserve to be treated with respect. Stay tuned to the website for actions planned near you, or sign up for the TB regional bargaining update email list.

Our bargaining team members aren’t the only people who were angered by Treasury Board’s wage offer of 1.5% and 1.2%.

As your National President, I’m disgusted that the employer would show so little respect for the work that our members perform every day for Canadians across the country, in all walks of life.

Our members provide quality public services. All we expect is a fair increase that protects our purchasing power and provides fair compensation.

It’s not that the government couldn’t do better. The Treasury Board offer is a far cry from the settlement our Union negotiated just last fall with the Canada Revenue Agency.

Not only do our Treasury Board members have to put up with a dinosaur of a classification system that doesn’t recognize the work they do, and outdated notions like regional rates of pay, they’re now being offered increases that don’t even match the increases in the cost of living.

Your bargaining team members and your elected officers are speaking out against the government’s wage offer. But we need you to speak out too.

We’re coming up to the one-year anniversary of the expiry date of most of our agreements with Treasury Board.

One year later and we still don’t have a new collective agreement – just a miserable wage offer.

I urge all of you to participate in activities being planned for June 19. Look for information from your Local/Branch and from the PSAC regional office in your area.

We need to send a loud and strong message to this government that we expect and demand better. You’re worth it!

In solidarity, John Gordon, National President

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 and for regional bargaining updates at psacbc.com

Your TC Bargaining Team was in from May 26th to 28th, marking the one-year anniversary of our first meetings with the employer and this round of Collective “Barguing” (Bargaining/Arguing).

To date, still the employer has not agreed to a single substantive change in the collective agreement. Further, unlike the PA Table where the Employer withdrew all of their clawbacks, the clawbacks still remain at the TC Table.

We presented further arguments on:

• Article 34.09 Travelling Status Leave – the Employer said NO and that there was no flexibility to change;
• Article 43 Maternity Related Reassignment – the Employer does not see a problem at the TC Table;
• Article 54 Education Leave – the Employer does not believe that any requests have been unreasonably withheld;
• Article 65 Pay Administration (Acting Pay 65.09) – the Employer said “Employees at TC cannot substantially perform the duties in only one day”;
• New Article for No Contracting Out – the Employer said NO because they need the flexibility;
• Sessional Leave for members in the Translation Bureau – these employees were recently reclassified to the TC Table so we want to sign an MOU (Memorandum Of Understanding), as soon as possible, to ensure these members continue to receive this benefit but the Employer has refused to sign. Even though these members have previously negotiated for this benefit, the employer insists that we sacrifice something in order to get this back;
• Appendix D – MOU for Search and Rescue (SAR) Controllers – the Employer will research;
• New GT Enforcement Allowance – the Employer will research.

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Bargaining Workplace Fairness

Our PSAC/UPCE National Bargaining Team met with Canada Post in Ottawa to exchange bargaining proposals on June 4th. We presented a series of specific, detailed proposals based on the input we received from members across the country.

We have, among other proposals, suggested ways in which bargaining unit work can be better protected, (no contracting out), signalled to the employer that there is no tolerance for personal harassment or abuse of authority and have again reminded the Corporation that our members have the fundamental right to work in a harassment free environment.

We have also tabled proposals that will simplify and improve the grievance process, tackle subjective and unfair staffing practices and will improve the working conditions of part-time workers and Contact Centre workers.

The team was generally very disappointed with the Corporation’s approach to our first day of bargaining. It appears that through “corporate speak” the Corporation will be targeting our hard won Vacation Leave entitlements, Health Care Benefits, Staffing and Pay.

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Your PA negotiating team was the first of the union’s team to be presented with Treasury Board’s monetary offer. It consisted of a woefully inadequate economic increase and nothing else.

Treasury Board had the nerve to propose 1.5% for 2007, 1.5% for 2008, 1.2% for 2009 and 1.2% for 2010 in a four-year agreement.

• No adjustments to bring us in line with Canada Revenue Agency workers.
• No other market adjustments.
• No changes in increments.
• Allowances – they’ll get back to us.
• Nothing but a proposal for an economic increase that’s an insult.

Your team was outraged.

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The SV Team was once again back at the table for a session with the employer from May 20 to 22, 2008.

We provided language around unresolved Ship’s Crews demands to the employer , and they provided us a copy of their outstanding proposals.

Apprenticeship language, which was signed off at our session in February but still required the pay grid to be completed, is now finalized and signed off.

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OTTAWA – The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) doesn’t buy Treasury Board’s recent statement that they are committed to the bargaining process and achieving a fair settlement. Treasury Board has called on the union to respect bargaining dates that had been tentatively scheduled for June.

After a year at the bargaining table, PSAC is essentially in the same place as it was going into bargaining in 2007, according to PSAC’s National President John Gordon.

“In one year of bargaining, we’ve spent most of our time signing off articles in the collective agreement that are being renewed without change, or resisting Treasury Board’s attempts to reduce existing benefits,” says Gordon. “Many of the employer’s demands for take-aways are finally being withdrawn, but this only brings us back to the status quo.”

Gordon says the last straw was the unacceptable wage offer Treasury Board presented to our bargaining teams. At negotiation sessions that have been taking place over the last two weeks, PSAC members were offered increases of 1.5%. 1.5%, 1.2% and 1.2% over a four-year agreement; increases that will see the value of their salaries decrease as a result of inflation.

“Treasury Board has had ample opportunity in the last year to be more productive at the bargaining table and to negotiate towards a settlement,” says Gordon. “Given that their standard response so far has been to say no to most of our economic and non-monetary demands, another few days of meetings in June for each team wouldn’t make a difference.”

PSAC bargaining team members are now out across the country talking to members about the Treasury Board wage offer at workplace meetings, conferences and conventions, before the union returns to the bargaining table.

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Management makes virtually no movement in bargaining, tables insulting wage offer.

This past Monday through Wednesday (May 26th through 28th) our bargaining team met with Treasury Board/CBSA in an effort to bring the parties closer to a first contract for CBSA workers in the FB bargaining unit. In response to our proposal regarding job security in the context of arming, management stated clearly at the table that CBSA is not prepared to provide full job security to CBSA employees in the context of the arming initiative, and that all decisions related to the impact of arming should be left up to management. Our team made it clear that CBSA’s response is totally unacceptable and that there will need to be clear protections in our new contract in the context of the arming initiative.

On compensation, the employer stated at the table that our Union’s concerns regarding recruitment and retention at CBSA are not supported by analyses done by Treasury Board. Management proceeded to table a wage package of 1.5%, 1.5%, 1.2% and 1.2% respectively in each year of a four-year agreement, with no market adjustment for FB workers.

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source: The Ottawa Citizen, Friday, May 23, 2008

The stage is set for increased tension in negotiations between Treasury Board and the 120,000 federal public servants represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

John Gordon, the union’s national president, said last night that government negotiators yesterday afternoon put a monetary offer on the table, “which is, quite frankly, insulting.”

The four-year offer included annual wage increases of 1.5, 1.5, 1.2 and 1.2 per cent.

“We were looking for some respect from this employer, which has told us they were bargaining in good faith,” Mr. Gordon said. “We’ve been at this for a year and they come in and insult our members like that … those valuable employees they talk about at every turn. Well, I’ll tell you, those valuable employees are somewhat upset.”

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OTTAWA – After a year of bargaining, negotiating teams for the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) are less than impressed with the Harper government’s wage offer tabled this week. The government has offered increases of 1.5%, 1.5%, 1.2% and 1.2% in a four year agreement retroactive to 2007.

“The government’s proposal is an insult and a joke,” says Patty Ducharme, PSAC’s national executive vice-president. “The wage offer is below current inflation and well below projected inflation rates. It doesn’t even allow our members to stand still.”

Gas prices alone have risen by over 25% over the past year and are projected to rise by another 15 to 20% before the summer is over. “A wage offer that reduces our members’ real income also has a ripple effect on sectors such as manufacturing and tourism that are already being hard hit by the high Canadian dollar and rising gas prices.”

“How does the government think it can recruit and retain workers with this kind of offer,” says Ducharme. “Wages may be moderating in the face of an economic downturn but both public and private sector wage settlements were much higher in 2007 than the 1.5% being offered by the Harper government.”

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4.5% - You’re worth it!

Your Bargaining Team needs your support to help achieve fair wages and the best possible collective agreement for you.

The British Colombia Area Strike Coordinators will be distributing “Public Services Make a Difference!” postcards throughout workplaces in the coming weeks - they ask PSAC members and the public to remind their Members of Parliament that …

“Public Services make a difference by enhancing our quality of life, promoting equality, protecting us from harm, and limiting the impact of job loss and illness. Public Service Alliance of Canada members who deliver these important and necessary public services deserve fair pay and safe and healthy working conditions.”

We will be collecting the cards and distributing them to the MPs in BC. Contact your ASC here if you would like some cards for your workplace or send an email message to your MP.

Support your bargaining team in their fight for wages that:

• Protect against inflation
• Provide parity and recruit and retain the best
• Pay for the quality public services you provide!