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Update: Regional Health & Safety
July 4th
In my role as Health and Safety Coordinator I have spent the last few weeks working in the PSAC office creating a list of Health and Safety contacts for all the worksites in BC. While not complete it is quickly becoming close to finished as Locals get their information to me. Anybody who was unable to contact me at the PSAC office can e mail me their Local contact name to joyj@shaw.ca.
My next step in this process is to send out a short survey to the contacts that I have been given and the survey will be mailed care of the Local. Watch for this to come out late August or early September. The information from the survey will be used to assist us in planning our next Regional Health and Safety Conference which we hope to hold early in 2006.
Read more here.
News: Fifty-five foot tepee erected by PSAC in honour of First Nations
July 5th
YELLOWKNIFE - The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has erected a huge tepee at the Assembly of First Nations’ (AFN) Trade Show located at the Sir John Franklin High School, as part of an exhibit during the 26th AFN general assembly being held from July 5 to 7, 2005.
The tepee may be the largest ever erected in the N.W.T. or the North. The poles for the tepee weigh a total of 6,000 pounds, were cut in southern Alberta and shipped to Yellowknife for the event. Dene artist Archie Beaulieu is painting the tepee’s canvas, which will be completed at the Dene General Assembly in Rae in August 2005.
Read more here.
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PSAC members to rescue salmon
July 6th
The BC PSAC and the Enviroment Component are engaged in a campaign aimed at the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. Fish stocks and related fisheries activities in British Columbia are under threat by continuing budget cuts to Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
DFO employees are no longer able to fulfill their mandates in stock assessment, fisheries enforcement, habitat restoration, hatcheries and other salmon enhancement programs essential for the preservation and rebuilding of fish stocks. Dozens of jobs have already been lost with further cuts planned, the implementation of which will only accelerate the current trends of reduced fish populations until we reach the point where restoration is no longer possible.
BC PSAC Members and staff were out in full force at the Steveston Salmon Festival on Canada Day for the launch of a postcard and petition campaign aimed at the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. Over the course of the day, Environment Component activists spoke to hundreds of people about the ongoing job losses at DFO in the Pacific Region, and the impact further budget cuts will have on the protection of salmon and other fish stocks.
Liberal promises to fund Pacific Region fisheries work have fallen far short of the mark, and continued job losses are planned in the Department over the next three years, further compounding the problem. The PSAC and the Environment Component call on Geoff Regan and all other members of parliament to take a stand for the Pacific fishery and provide adequate funding to the task.
Visit the Fisheries Campaign page for more information and to download and sign the petition.
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Increasing Pension Plan Contributions on Eve of Court Challenge-An Outrage say Federal Unions
July 7th
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - July 7, 2005) - Federal unions are outraged at the government's latest pension money grab. They have joined in solidarity to denounce the unilateral changes to the public service pension plans that will include an increase to pension contributions of 0.3% per year for the next 8 years.
"The government is acting prematurely," says Jerome Turcq, Regional Executive Vice-President - Quebec, for the Public Service Alliance of Canada. The actuarial evaluation of the regime is not even current and is has not settled the question of the coordination between the benefits paid by the Public Service Pension Plan and those of the Canada Pension Plan or the Quebec Pension Plan. It is utterly unacceptable and nothing can explain the government's will to act today but simple greed," added Turcq.
Read more at ccnmatthews.com 
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PSAC Tepee at Assembly of First Nations AGM
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July 11th
Here are some pictures of PSAC's "55 foot" Tepee that was erected at the 26th Assembly of First Nations AGM and Trade Show in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories from July 4-7, 2005. We are happy to report that the giant Tepee received national press and media coverage, and is being touted as the largest ever erected in the North.
Click for the photo gallery. Here is some more information about the NAIM network.
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Women in Canada Need a Federal Minister of Women’s Equality Now!
July 11th : via email
Paul Martin may shuffle the Cabinet very soon. There are rumours that he may go back to the old system of having a Minister of State for Women, something women were poorly served by during the nine years when this system was in place (1995 - 2004). Appointing a Minister of State would be a clear demotion for women who now have the Honourable Lisa Frulla , Minister of Heritage and Minister Responsible for Status of Women.
Read more on the womens issues page.
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PIPSC Strike Alert
July 12th
Update: A tentative agreement was reached with CRA at 8:00 PM on July 12, 2005.
Strike alert as of Wednesday July 13, 2005 by the members of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) at the Canada Revenue Agency.
What should you as a PSAC member do if you encounter a picket line on your way to work?
First, you are under the obligation to report to your regular place of work. However, if you feel intimidated, or if you have any concern for your safety, step away from the picket line and call your supervisor to advise him/her of the situation. Your manager must provide you with safe passage to your place of work.
You can show your support for your PIPSC colleagues by walking the picket line with them outside of your normal working hours. You can also provide them with coffee, water, etc. You can also express your opinion to your colleagues and managers.
We ask that you do not change your work-related activities to perform work that is usually performed by PIPSC members. If you are asked to do so, obey the order, contact you shop steward, or union representative immediately.
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Job Opportunity: Regional Rep - Vancouver
July 14th
Position Title: Regional Representative
Branch/Section: Regional Offices Branch
Employment Type: Term Assignment - 1 Year
Under the general supervision of the Regional Coordinator and as part of a regional team that includes other regional office staff, the Regional Council, and regional union bodies such as Area Councils, the Regional Representative builds the union and fosters membership solidarity by delivering union programs and services in the region. View a detailed job description at the national website .
A pool of qualified applicants will also be created for other opportunities as they may arise.
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You can tell Telus to get it right.
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July 15th
The Telecommunications Workers Union is in its fifth year without a Collective Agreement. CEO Darren Entwistle made $6.55 million last year while nearly 12,000 workers have gone five years without a raise.
Telus has huge customer service problems, but it still wants to lock out its employees. That will make service even worse.
Visit anotherwrongnumber.com for more information and send a message of support to the Minister of Labour. Both links
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Online petition to save client services at CRA
July 19th
Some time ago, the Government of Canada established an Expenditure Review Committee to examine ways and means to save the government money. Each department and agency was required to review how they conduct their business and to make recommendations to this Committee to save money.
In spite of the Canada Revenue Agency’s slogan More Ways To Serve You!, one of the expenditure cuts proposed and accepted by the Canada Revenue Agency was the closing of the cash and client service counters at the 47 Canada Revenue Agency Tax Offices across the country.
The elimination of this service will affect all members of the public and will profoundly affect seniors, low wage earners, recent immigrants who may face language barriers, persons with literacy problems and citizens eligible for GST rebates and Child Tax benefits. Frequent and regular users such as Accountants, Lawyers, Tax Preparers and other Tax professionals will also be greatly affected.
Visit ute-sei.org and sign the petition to maintain the current access level of the Client Service counters across Canada and read more about the proposed cuts. both links
2005 Scholarship Program - deadline reminder.
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July 19th
The deadline for sending applications to the PSAC Scholarship Program is August 15, 2005. The Program is offering 12 scholarships to PSAC members and their children for 2005. If you have not obtained your application form yet, you may request one by e-mail to Scholarships@psac.com, or by fax (613) 236-1654 or telephone (613) 560-4292.
All applications for PSAC Scholarship must be postmarked no later than August 15th. Visit the national website for more details, the eligibility, criteria and requirements.
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TWU strike information
July 20th
Telus will be locking out their workers at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July
22/05. It's expected that there will be picket lines up at every Telus
site in BC and Alberta. At this point it will be limited to Telus
operations, and will not include sites carrying Telus products.
The main issues in this dispute are job security and contracting out.
TWU members have been without a contract for almost 5 years. There
are 12,000 members in BC and Alberta affected in this dispute.
There are additional members in Ontario and Quebec who may be affected as
well.
We have received a list of Telus locations and have cross-referenced them
with our database of worksite addresses. There are some sites that are
close, if not co-located. Those Locals will receive phone calls tomorrow
to verify this information.
If you know of a worksite in your Local that is co-located with
Telus, please let us know asap.
At this point, the TWU is not looking for additional support other than
honouring picket lines and joining in their "another wrong number"
campaign .
Please feel free to contact us if you
require any further information.
UCTE 20222 (NavCan) Ratification Vote Meeting
posted July 14th : updated July 21st
The Ratification Vote for Nav Canada will take place Tuesday July 26th, 12 - 6PM, at the Days Inn, 9850 King George Highway, Surrey. Negotiating team members Stephen Dunsmore and Michelle Webster will speak at the meeting. Ratification packages and ballots will be mailed to members outside the Lower Mainland. Click for:
Air traffic controllers strike alert - update
July 22nd
Canadian Air Traffic Control Association CAW Local 5454 has reached a
tentative agreement with NAV Canada, as a result strike action has been
cancelled.
Rally to support TWU - Victoria & Vancouver
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updated July 27th
There will be Community Solidarity Rallies in support of the locked out Telecommunication Workers Union employees in Victoria
- TUESDAY, JULY 26TH 5:00 PM AT THE TELUS OFFICE YATES & BLANSHARD, Victoria
- WEDNESDAY, JULY 27TH 5:00 PM AT THE TELUS OFFICE MCKENZIE & QUADRA, Victoria
And in Vancouver
- THURSDAY, JULY 28th, 6-8PM AT 3777 Kingsway (at Boundary)
Please encourage everyone to drop by and support these locked out sisters and brothers. Visit anotherwrongnumber.com for more information and to support the TWU.
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Job Opportunity for Facilitators: Surrey Urban Youth Project
July 27th
Project Description
The Surrey Urban Youth Project is a participant-driven, arts-based, anti-oppression program that will be mounted in Surrey in November 2005.
The project will target immigrant, refugee, Indigenous and South Asian youth aged 15 -18 years. SUYP will be comprised of a series of social-issues based workshops that utilize both urban arts (ie. break dance, graffiti art, spoken word and rhyme writing) and traditional arts (ie. martial arts) as a central mechanism through which racism, peer pressure, violence and other forms of discrimination and oppression, as identified and by participant youth, are discussed and presented to the wider public.
Read more on the Youth Caucus page.
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Federal government abandons vulnerable regions
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July 27th
Ottawa –The federal government will cause a grave disservice to Canadians, particularly those living in Northern Canada, the Atlantic and Saskatchewan by closing nine Public Services Commission (PSC) offices, according to the largest union representing federal government workers, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).
“The federal government is supposed to provide services to Canadians across the country” said the Madeleine David, National Director of the Agriculture Union, a PSAC Component. “By closing the PSC District Offices, the federal government will deprive millions of Canadians with access to the quality services they have access to in larger centres”.
Read more at the national website.
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CSC members to mount info pickets to protest ‘danger pay double-cross’
July 27th
USGE members at Correctional Service of Canada will mount information pickets at correctional facilities and parole offices across the country to protest the employer’s arbitrary removal of the Penological Factor Allowance.
Newly-elected National President John Edmunds called on all CSC members to support the action, designed to send a clear message to the employer.
Read more here.
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Workers at Nav Canada ratify new agreement
July 28th
OTTAWA - Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) workers at Nav Canada have ratified - by a 90% vote - a new multi-year agreement that will run until June 30, 2009.
The new agreement contains an economic increase of 1.5% retroactive to January 1, 2005. A further 2.25% is retroactive to July 1, 2005. Additional annual increases of 2.25%, 2.5% and 2.5% will take effect on July 1 in 2006, 2007 and 2008 respectively.
"The union has been successful in making some inroads on the issue of pay equity during this round of bargaining," says Mike Wing, National President of the PSAC’s Union of Canadian Transportation Employees. "Since Nav Canada was established as a separate agency almost 10 years ago, the disparity between the salaries of Nav Canada clerical positions and comparable jobs in the federal government has widened."
Read more at the national website .
Reminder: (Multi Union) Pride Parade in Vancouver
July 28th
Multi Union Pride will have a float in this year's Pride Parade in Vancouver, July 31st. There will also be fabulous giveaways! The theme to this year's Pride celebration is "No Turning Back".
The Committee will have members with signs at the Denman St. entrance of the West End Community Centre from about 11:30 directing interested labour folks to the MUP float site. Even if you don't plan to march - it's always a fun place to visit prior to the parade.
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PFA campaign update from Matsqui, Kent and RHQ
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