Why does it take so long to sign the new contracts?

February 24th : via email This message is being sent to all Locals, National Officers, Regional Council members and both ROs. The information refers for the most part to TB locals, but is valuable to have as information in any case. Greetings Sisters & Brothers:   I understand that many of you have been getting questions from the membership regarding the signing of the Collective Agreements with Treasury Board.  I can appreciate the frustration of the members and will attempt to explain how the process unfolds. First of all, because many of the articles in the agreements are similar, none of the proofreading could begin until we knew the results of the ratification and final offer votes.  Once those results were known the PSAC requested draft Collective Agreements (CA's) from Treasury Board for all of the Tables.  Upon receipt, the Negotiators, Research Officers and Administrative staff needed to proofread each agreement to ensure the language was exactly the same as agreed to at the negotiating table.  The CA's were then sent back to Treasury Board for any necessary revisions. A second draft of the CA's were then sent back to the Union.  This draft is currently being reviewed by each member of the Negotiating Teams.  Again, the Bargaining Team Members need to ensure that the language is reflective of the discussions that took place during the entire period of the negotiations process. Once we are convinced that the CA's are correct and that the required revisions have been made we will be in a position to sign the Collective Agreements.  We anticipate that all of the work will be completed by early to mid March.  I know that the membership would like to see this process unfold quicker, however, I hope that with this explanation they will appreciate how vital it is that we ensure the accuracy of the CA's. Please ensure widest distribution amongst your membership. Thanking you in advance for your understanding and co-operation in this matter, I remain,   In Solidarity, Patty Ducharme

News: Strike threat removed as PSAC members ratify new agreements with Treasury Board

January 27, 2005 : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OTTAWA - The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) will be signing collective agreements with Treasury Board for over 100,000 of its members, removing the threat of a recurrence of the country-wide strikes that took place last summer and fall. PSAC National President Nycole Turmel announced the vote results today, following an extensive series of membership vote meetings which began last December. According to Turmel, PSAC members in the Operational Services Group (Table 2) have ratified their tentative agreement by 90%, and the members in the Education and Library Science Group (Table 5) have also ratified their agreement by 92%. PSAC members in the Program and Administrative Services Group (Table 1) and in the Technical Services Group (Table 3) were voting on the final offer presented by Treasury Board.  Those offers were accepted by 72% at Table 1 and 76% at Table 3. According to Turmel, “this was not an easy round of bargaining, and while some gains were made, employer demands for concessions and relatively low economic increases were on the table.” “The gains we made during this round of bargaining were thanks in large part to the readiness of our members to take strike action,” says Turmel. “Our Table 2 members, for example, knew that a significant wage gap had been identified between their wages and those in the private and public sectors and they took the necessary action to force the government to put adjustments of 2.6% to 19% on the table, in addition to general economic increases.” PSAC represents about 80,000 members in the Program and Administrative Services Group, 10,000 members in each of the Operational Services and Technical Services Groups and 1,000 members in the Education and Library Science Group. The new collective agreements will expire on various dates in June and August, 2007.

Highlights of tentative agreements: Parks | TB2 | TB 5 | CFIA

October 22nd The national website has been updated, click for: Information on salary adjustments for Parks Canada Agency members. Details of the tentative agreement reached at Treasury Board's Table 2. Highlights of the tentative agreement reached by the PSAC on behalf of its 1,100 Table 5 members. Highlights of the tentative agreement reached by the PSAC on behalf of its 3,600 members working at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Read about Treasury Boards offer to PSAC’s Program and Administrative Services (Table 1) Group.

More TB photos & update.

Click for the photos October 20th Visit the TB photo gallery for new photos from HRC Surrey, Penticton, and Downtown. Thanks to everyone who's sent photos! Carol Fagan, Pres. AGR 20043 would like to thank DHL Express drivers and the managers, designates and PIPSC members of Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Kamloops for providing hot drinks and donuts during the Oct. 12-14 strike days. It was much appreciated! Also a big thanks to regional strike coordinator Dave Leicester who made sure we were all kept up to date and organized Check out this video (2.2 mb .mov file), sent to us by Harold Larsen: HRDC management from Kelowna having to drive 1.5 hours to escort designates into work in Penticton.

TB Strike Photos & News

Click for more photos October 16th The Treasury Board strike photo gallery has been updated: photos from Downtown Vancouver, Nanaimo, & PAC Highway. Send us your strike photos, and we'll post them! North Island ASC, Gail Jewsbury, was interviewed by the Parksville-Qualicum Beach News. Video of Nycole Turmel's news conference, October 15th,  is online at the National website (windows media file).

Strike Photos - Downtown Vancouver

Click here for more photos. October 13th Downtown Vancouver PSAC members are in the news! In case you haven't heard it please check out Megan Adam, Area Strike Coordinator for Downtown Vancouver Hub One who was featured on October 12 on the Rick Clough show at http://vancouver.cbc.ca/clips/Vancouver/ram-audio/bc_psac_121004.ram  (Real Audio). Also in today's (Oct 13) Vancouver Sun Ken Wendt, Strike Captain for Sinclair Centre was quoted and in the province Patty Ducharme, REVP for BC was quoted. Both the Vancouver Sun and the Province included pictures of downtown pickets. For those who are e-friendly, the Globe and Mail and National Post in e-format also have national stories (posted Oct 13) about the strike and both have downtown Vancouver pickets depicted. The PSAC members at Sinclair Centre would like to send out special thanks to members of Local AGR 20060 for helping bolster their lines today!

Strike Bulletin - October 13th - We are a powerful force!

Everywhere you went on October 12th , there was a PSAC picket line! With Treasury Board Tables 1 and 3 now in a legal strike position, we showed the combined strength of our Canada Revenue Agency and Treasury Board members. And did we ever!

Members started taking strike action at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday as the midnight deadline for settlements ran out. From there, it was a matter of hours before hundreds of picket lines started appearing from coast to coast to coast.

Our impressive lines sent a powerful message to our employers that we are not afraid to take strike action when it is needed. We sent a clear signal that we support our negotiating teams and we expect our employers to treat them, and us, with respect.

Strike action brings results

It was a long haul, but the 55-day strike by our Parks Canada members resulted in a considerably better settlement than the Agency's last offer before the strike. Showing we meant business also helped our Table 2 members reach their settlement on Tuesday. In both cases, significant progress has been made in narrowing the wage gap between operational workers at Parks and Treasury Board and workers in comparable jobs in the private and public sectors.

Strike action…and settlement discussions… continue

Negotiations at Tables 1, 3 and 5, as well as CRA, adjourned Tuesday evening without reaching settlements. As a result, strike action is continuing. Nevertheless, negotiations will resume on Wednesday morning.

PSAC National President Nycole Turmel indicates that while the last steps to reach tentative agreements are never easy, she remains optimistic that settlements will be reached. “Our members should be very proud of the action they have taken to achieve settlements in the face of strong resistance by their employers. We gave the government an ultimatum that strike action would occur if settlements weren't reached by the end of the Thanksgiving weekend. And we lived up to that ultimatum! Now, continued strike action will help speed the settlement process.”

Clarification on strike action

Contrary to some media reports, strike action will continue for CRA and Treasury Board Tables 1 and 3 until settlements are reached.

Negotiations are continuing. News of any settlements will be posted on the national web site.

Mainland BC Strike Activity Report

Click for more photos. October 12th Briefly, from Jack Rudd, TB Regional Strike Coordinator: Pickets were up at hundreds of locations in British Columbia today. Strike structure officers finally saw all of their hardwork from the last month pay off in a huge turnout of Alliance members on the line with a minimum of last minute problems. Even small groups of picketers were in high spirits. Feedback from the line is that members are not willing to settle for any concessions. There was excellent media coverage with many members and strike structure officers interviewed in the local media. Click to see what the media is saying (link to google.ca opens in new window). Cheers to Linda Pelan, CEIU 20939, for the first TB strike photos. Check back soon, as there will be more.

News: Agreement reached between Treasury Board and PSAC for Operational Services Group (TB2)

October 12th OTTAWA –The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) reached a tentative agreement late in the afternoon on October 12 with Treasury Board on behalf of some 10,000 members in the Operational Services Group (Table 2).  Therefore the strike is suspended for this group. “Like our Parks Canada members, Table 2 workers conducted an effective strike,” said Nycole Turmel, PSAC National President.  “They forced the Employer to increase its wage offer and to narrow the wage gap that exists with workers doing similar jobs in both the private and public sectors.” According to Jerome Turcq, PSAC Vice-President for Quebec, “the tentative agreement contains salary adjustments ranging from 2.6% to 19% that will go towards closing a wage disparity identified by a joint Treasury Board-PSAC pay study last fall. The salary increases totaling more than 10% over four years, increases in some allowances and better working conditions are also part of this tentative agreement.” Highlights of the agreement that, if ratified, would expire on August 4, 2007 include: A wage increase of 2.5% retroactive to August 2003, 2.25% for 2004, 2.4% for 2005 and 2.5% for 2006; On August 5, 2003, and in addition to the 2.5% increase, additional salary adjustments ranging from 2.6% to 19% will be added to address the wage gap identified in the joint pay study; The Dangerous Goods Allowance will now apply to a greater number of members; A new one-time five-days entitlement in lieu of the current marriage leave provisions. The tentative agreement will now be presented to the 10,000 members for a ratification vote. Details of the vote will be coming during the next few weeks.

Negotiations Update - October 12th

October 12th Parks has reached a tentative settlement, the documents have been finalized. Strike action is therefore suspended and Parks members are returning to work. Talks continued well into the morning for PSAC members at CRA, and Treasury Board Tables 1,2,3, and 5. The teams took a rest, but talks have not broken off at any table and are scheduled to resume in short order. This morning at one minute past midnight, our members in a legal strike position at CRA, TB 1,2, and 3, began taking strike action. Ships crews members took strike action: 9 ships were forced to come back to port. Picket lines have been set up at military bases, airports, penetentiaries, tax centers, and other locations across the country. We expect strike action to take place until tentative agreements are reached. Here is the status of negotiations (as of 9AM EST): Parks Canada agreement reached PSAC TB 2, talks resuming, settlement likely within hours. Treasury Board TB 1,3: talks resuming, a number of complex issues remain outstanding. CRA: talks resuming this morning.  TB 5: talks resuming. We are encouraged by the tentative agreement at Parks Canada and by the progress made at Table 2 and CRA, but there is still work to be done at both the negotiating table and the political level.

125,000 PSAC members on strike while talks continue -Strike is suspended at Parks Canada

October 12th Approximately 125,000 PSAC members have started strike action as of 12:01 a.m. October 12th as negotiations continue with Treasury Board and the Canada Revenue Agency. PSAC has, pending a review of written documents, a tentative agreement with Parks Canada. Therefore, strike action by the union’s 4,800 members at the Parks Canada Agency has been suspended. The 1,000 members in the Treasury Board Education and Library Science group (Table 5) are not in a legal strike position. Details at the national website.

News: PSAC and Treasury Board return to the bargaining table

OTTAWA - The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and Treasury Board are returning to the bargaining table in a last-ditch attempt to reach settlements covering 100,000 PSAC members in three bargaining units.

PSAC National President Nycole Turmel announced today that the negotiations are resuming with Treasury Board in hopes of reaching agreements by October 12th . The union expects that it will also be returning to the bargaining table for our 30,000 members at the Canada Revenue Agency and the Parks Canada Agency.

“As a gesture of good faith, the union is postponing a general strike by our members,” says Turmel. “Our 80,000 Program and Administrative Services (Table 1) members are in a legal strike position as of October 7th and our 10,000 Technical Services (Table 3) members will be able to strike on October 12th . At this time, strike action by these Treasury Board members will not take place until October 12th.

The members of PSAC's negotiating teams will be returning to Ottawa immediately and talks are expected to start no later than Friday.

“The union is returning to the bargaining table with the intention of obtaining settlements and we expect the employers to return with the same intent,” says Turmel.

PSAC currently has 40,000 members in a legal strike position who are continuing strategic strike action this week.

News Release: PSAC says settlements are within reach if government prepared to move

October 4th OTTAWA - One more Conciliation Board has recommended increases that point the way to a settlement of escalating strikes in the federal public sector, says the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC). The Conciliation Board for PSAC members in Treasury Board's Technical Services Group (Table 3) issued its report today. "A trend is being set by Conciliation Boards that have given serious consideration to the question of wage increases for our members," indicates PSAC National President Nycole Turmel. "The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Conciliation Board and now this one have both recommended an increase in the first year of 3%, recognizing that inflation alone in 2003 was 2.8%.". Read more at Canada Newswire (link to cnw.ca opens in new window).

Report: Table 2 strike activity - mainland BC

Click for some photos from the line at Vancouver Wharves September 30th Prince Rupert: T2 members from Grain and Coast Guard picketed at the Coast Guard station. Fraser Valley: T2 members picketed at the Pacific Argifood Research Center in Agassiz and at the Corrections Sevice Canada regional headquaters. Vancouver: Pickets were up at the Environment Canada warehouse. There were no excluded managers on site to escort the T3 members who refused to cross unescorted and did not report for work at that site. REVP Patty Ducharme joined AGR 20060 picket lines at Vancouver Wharves, where spirits were high. ILWU members honored the line. A large barley vessel docked at United Grain Growers Terminal and there were not enough managers on site to unload the vessel: the barley is not moving.

News Release: Federal grain weighers to picket Vancouver Wharves

September 30th Action an escalation in strike for a fair collective agreement A picket line by federal grain weighers will be going up at Vancouver Wharves in North Vancouver, Thursday, September 30. The line will be in effect from 6:45 a.m. and will stay up until 12:45 a.m., Friday. The employees of the Canadian Grain Commission weigh grain at grain elevators along the Vancouver waterfront. They are members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), the union representing 150,000 federal public workers, and negotiate with the Treasury Board. As Canadian Governmental Operational Service Workers, they have been on strike since September 20, and have been working without a collective agreement since August 4, 2003. Key issues in the strike include the government’s offer of economic increases of 2.25%, 1.75%, and 1.75% over three years, increases lower than what has been accepted by other groups of workers in the federal public sector. Additionally, the government is ignoring the recommendations of a joint government-PSAC study which found federal rates of pay are averaging 20 per cent lower than rates paid comparable employees in the private sector. Thursday’s action might well tie up traffic at Van Wharves for the duration of the picket. Shipments of grain, sulfur, lumber and other goods could be affected, as could work performed by members of the International Longshoremen and Warehousemen’s Union.

News Release: October 7 strike date for 80,000 PSAC members

September 29th OTTAWA - The 80,000 Public Service Alliance of Canada members in Treasury Board's Program and Administrative Services Group will be in a position to take legal strike action on October 7 now that the Conciliation Board has filed its report. "The basic message in the Conciliation Board's report is to urge the parties to return to the table in order to work out the outstanding issues," according to PSAC National President Nycole Turmel. "Chairperson Ken Norman noted that the Board was confident that the parties ought to be able to reach a negotiated settlement." While the report makes no specific recommendation on wage increases, Norman indicates that "with a growing economy currently nearing full capacity, according to Bank of Canada governor David Dodge, and what that means in terms of enhancing the government's revenue stream, there is power to the PSAC's claim to a fair share for its membership." He also suggests that "there is no apparent overriding labour relations reason to deny this plea". Read more at newswire.ca (link opens in new window) A link to the Conciliation Board report will be available soon.

News Release: PSAC charges Treasury Board President with making threats and bargaining in bad faith

OTTAWA - The Public Service Alliance of Canada(PSAC) is asking for an order that would compel Treasury Board to return to the bargaining table and make every reasonable effort to conclude collective agreements with the union. PSAC has filed a complaint with the Public Service Staff Relations Board charging that Treasury Board and its President Reg Alcock have failed to bargain in good faith and reach settlements. The complaint also charges that Alcock has used threats and intimidation to try to stop PSAC members from exercising their legal rights to strike and picket. The Public Service Staff Relations Act prohibits actions such as these by employers and their representatives. "Minister Alcock has been making it clear to our members that they are going to lose out because they have exercised their democratic right and chosen the conciliation/strike route," says PSAC National President Nycole Turmel. Read more here (link to newswire.ca opens in new window).

Photos: HRDC North Vancouver BBQ & strike prep session

Click for photos from the HRDC BBQ September 29th Members from the HRDC office in North Vancouver got together yesterday for a BBQ and strike prep sessio. PSAC Regional Rep. Jack Rudd, and Rick Waters, CEIU 20939, answered questions and luckily the weather cooperated. Click for some photos.

Table 1 update

September 29th The Conciliation Board Report was released to the PSAC and Treasury Board Bargaining teams this morning.  Keep checking at the national website as PSAC will be issuing a bulletin to coincide with the posting of the report on the internet. Thanks to Bruce Clark, TB1 Negotiating Team member, for keeping us posted!

Report: Table 1 Conciliation Board Timelines

September 28th : via email Thanks to Bruce Clark, TB1 Negotiating Team member, for this report on the Conciliation Board timelines. The report of the Conciliation Board was given to the Commissioner of the Public Service Staff Relations Board this morning.  The PSSRB first has to translate the document before delivering it to PSAC and Treasury Board in both official languages. We anticipate that the Board Report will be received by PSAC late Wednesday or early Thursday morning.  The Team and PSAC staff will then have an opportunity to study the report before the PSSRB posts the full report on their web site.

Photos: AGR 20060 pickets in Vancouver

Click for more photos from the Grain Commission picket September 24th Patty Ducharme and the BC Regional Council joined about 50 AGR 20060 members picketing at the Vancouver Grain Terminals today. Here are some photos.

Report: Table 1 Conciliation Board

September 24th : via email Thanks to Bruce Clark, TB1 Negotiating Team member, for this report on the recent Conciliation Board meetings. Our Team was given five (5) days to present our demands to the Conciliation Board.  The hearings were held in Ottawa on September 12th, 13th, 14th …then the 18th and 19th. The Conciliation Board (made up of a Chairperson, a union sidesperson and an employer sidesperson) is an extension of the Collective Bargaining process as was the participation of a Conciliation Officer during the 10 days of talks with the employer that took place last March. As has been the case every time we met with the employer, any hopes that they were there to enter into meaningful negotiations were dashed the minute they entered the room.  Negotiation is supposed to be about give and take, on BOTH sides of the table.  Your employer doesn’t understand this, or more to the point, doesn’t care. Read the rest of Bruce's report below (.pdf) cb_report_sept.pdf

Report: Strike Prep Activities at CEIU 29044

Click for more photos posted September 23rd : via email Thanks to Robert Strang, Pres. CEIU 20944, for this report Email your minister: After receiving an email from our Minister, Joe Volpe, yesterday, stating that he was "impressed by [our] enthusiasm and dedication for our programs and services" members could be heard across the office saying variations of: "well, give us a decent raise then." Others chit chatting on their coffee breaks were saying the same thing and Minister Volpe did mention in his email that  he is looking forward to getting our feedback. We therefore decided to email our concerns to him. One member said: "Just imagine if the Ministers received thousands of emails." Strike Prep Activities at CEIU 20944: We will have a lunchtime picket training refresher, a strike Q&A and watch the video: "As Friend and Foe" about labour relations with the federal government. Our executive has been preparing staff with desk drops of our strike structure so that staff know who their picket captain is and who to contact for strike enquiries, PSAC, CEIU and newspaper articles and a handout entitled "Your Rights while on Strike." We'll also be giving a brief update to staff during next week's general staff meeting.

News Release: Port of Vancouver grain shipments will be brought to a halt by PSAC strike action today

September 24th Grain shipments from the Port of Vancouver will grind to a halt Friday, as members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada who work for the federal government’s Canadian Grain Commission picket grain terminals throughout the harbour for 16 hours today. “With Parliament reconvening in less than 10 days, we’re ramping up the pressure on the Martin government to come back to the bargaining table with a fair contract offer,” says Patty Ducharme, B.C. spokesperson for PSAC. “The action is part of our creative strategy to maximize pressure on the federal government, while minimizing impacts on the public,” she says. About 50 grain commission employees will picket the grain terminals from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday. Other unionized waterfront employees who load ships will respect those picket lines, Ducharme says. The union members—who are involved in the grain inspection process—are part of PSAC’s 14,000-strong trades group, which earlier this week came into a legal position to launch job action. Meanwhile, Ducharme says about 500 PSAC trades members in B.C. will be involved in study sessions throughout the day in various communities on the coast and in the Lower Mainland. They work for the Department of National Defense, the Canadian Coast Guard, Agriculture Canada, and Public Works Canada. Ducharme says about 135,000 PSAC members, including 15,000 in B.C., are involved in a protracted dispute with the Martin government to win new collective agreements.  In addition to the 14,000 trades workers, so far about 4,000 Parks Canada staff, and 23,000 employees of the Canadian Revenue Agency have launched rotating job action.  The remaining 70,000 plus union members will soon be in a legal position to take job action, she says. Key issues in the dispute include a fair wage increase, security measures to protect jobs and services, and improvements for temporary employees.

TB Strike Training - Downtown Vancouver

1 hour training sessions open to all PSAC members in Tables 1, 2 and 3 - come out and get educated about the why, how and what of striking:

Tuesday, Sept 28, noon-1 pm @ SFU Harbour Centre (555 West Hastings)

Wednesday, Sept 29, noon-1 pm @ YWCA Vancouver (535 Hornby Street) 

News: Grain Inspectors walk off the job.

Table 3 members at Vancouver Grain have walked off the job this morning.  They have done so in support of their Negotiating team and to send a message to their employer that they are not willing to give up their terminable allowance. In addition, they have all signed the following petition: To Gordon Miles, Chief Operating Officer Canadian Grain Commission, Treasury Board President Reg Alcock, Prime Minister Paul Martin, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food Andy Mitchell. As Grain Inspectors for the Canadian Grain Commission, we are vital in maintaining Canada’s reputation as one of the highest quality suppliers of grain world wide. We wish to convey to you our disappointment and outrage at the employer’s bargaining proposal to eliminate the terminable allowance for the Grain Inspectors in the Pacific Region.  This would represent a 10% rollback of money in our pockets and would have a devastating impact not only on our families, but on the communities that we live in. As a result, we, the undersigned, are actively seeking employment elsewhere.  We ask that, in the interests of Canadians who deserve quality grain products, in the interests of the communities whose economies will be affected, and in the interests of maintaining your highly skilled workforce – that you remove this bargaining proposal from the table and that the terminable allowance be rolled into base salary. Grain_Inspectors_Petition.pdf

News Release: Canadian Government Operational Services Workers are on Strike

September 20th OTTAWA – Operational services workers employed by the Canadian government launched rotating strikes today, with Quebec workplaces targeted first. The 11,000 members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) are the first group of Treasury Board employees to join the strike action. “Much like PSAC members at Parks Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency before them, operational services workers came up against the government’s stubborn refusal to address their legitimate demands,” said PSAC National President, Nycole Turmel. “Strike action was the last resort for these workers but it has become unavoidable due to the hard line taken by Treasury Board President, Reg Alcock. Management’s uncompromising approach attests to its pettiness towards its own employees.” Despite a demonstrated 20% wage gap between federal public sector workers and their counterparts in the private and public sectors, management still refuses to increase the wage proposal presented last August. The wage gap was identified as a result of a joint study conducted by the union and the government. Management has offered annual increases of 2.25%, 1.75% and 1.75% along with a 3% adjustment to narrow the wage gap. These sub-inflation increases would still leave workers far behind. “After the August hearings, we were hoping that the conciliation board would recommend increases to reduce this gap”, indicated Jérôme Turcq, PSAC-Québec Vice-President overseeing negotiations for this group. “However, the board fell completely short by refusing to make recommendations on this issue. It also refused to condemn regional rates of pay that create a discriminatory situation: workers doing the same work are being paid different wages, depending on where they work. This strike will now force management to review its offers.”  PSAC represents the 11,000 operational services workers who are electricians, plumbers, carpenters, labourers, stationary engineers, cleaners, and deckhands on national defence, coast guard and fisheries’ vessels. Approximately half of the members are employed at National Defence. Other large concentrations are in Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Correctional Services Canada. Their contract expired August 4, 2003. On September 8, 25,000 PSAC members at the Canada Revenue Agency went into strike action joining 4800 Parks Canada workers, who have been on strike since August 13. A total of 130,000 PSAC members working in all federal government departments and major agencies could be on strike by mid-October.

Report: TB 1 Rally at Library Square

Click for more photos from the TB 1 Action posted September 15th We held a lunchtime demo today at Library Square to gather support for the Table 1 bargaining team while they were at the Conciliation Board. With labour music, great sunshine and an enthusiastic strike structure on our side over two hundred members turned out to share a supportive message to the team, or a message of warning to the boss! We are shipping the messages to the Table 1 team as promised. I opened the event by giving a brief overview of where Table 1 was at, briefly discussed Parks and CRA's strikes and thanked the members in the building who have been supporting the lines. Both Treasury Board Area Strike Coordinators for Downtown (Isabella Li and Megan Adam) spoke and advertised their upcoming "ready to strike in one hour or less" sessions coming up in the next two weeks. Faith Clements, CRA-ASC was also there so she shared some words of solidarity. Hot dogs and drinks were well received and two hundred leaflets advertising the upcoming training sessions were distributed. I was happy to see several bargaining units out to support (SSO, CRA, Parks) and members from other worksites around the downtown (aside from Library Square) and some people donated towards the regional strike fund. Thanks to Isabella for her effort and Gail for helping out! In Solidarity, Monica Urrutia, A/Regional Representative

News Release: Strike unavoidable for 11,000 federal government operational services workers (TB 2)

OTTAWA – The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is extremely disappointed by a Conciliation Board report issued today for its operational services workers at Treasury Board and believes that only a strike by these 11,000 government employees will force their employer to listen seriously to their demands.

According to Nycole Turmel, PSAC National President, “The Conciliation Board failed miserably to point the way towards a fair settlement for our members. In fact the report is so silent on the main issues in dispute, namely the wage gap and the regional rates of pay, that we consider it almost useless.”

Read the full news release on the national website.

You can read the Conciliation Board documents (PDF format) by clicking on the following links: The full Conciliation Board Report | The PSAC representative dissent report | The Treasury Board representative partial dissent report (links to psac.com open in new window).

Report: TB 3 meeting

September 3rd On September 1st, Table 3 Members from the Canadian Grain Commission, AGR 20060, met with PSAC REVP Patty Ducharme and Table 3 Negotiator David Lee to discuss the employer’s proposed roll back of the terminable allowance for Grain Inspectors on the West Coast. Termination of the allowance represents an average wage roll back of 10%.  So while other Agency and TB members are facing insulting economic increase offers that don’t keep up with the rate of inflation, these members are facing an even greater loss. The members at AGR 20060 have been running a Local Campaign all summer, and they continue to generate creative and effective ideas.  Actions so far include a letter writing campaign to the CEO of the Grain Commission, and an MP Lobby campaign.  Both actions so far have met with success, but it still hasn’t been enough to get the employer to get back to the table with a decent wage offer, including rolling the terminable allowance into base salary. The meeting on September 1st was a great opportunity to discuss what’s happened at the negotiating table, to develop additional ideas and strategies for their Local campaign and to discuss broadening membership support for this issue.  The PSAC Members at AGR 20060 are asking all PSAC Members across the country for their support.  And they also have a warning:  if the employer gets away with a 10% roll back this round, you can rest assured they will try it again next round – you could be next! Click here for some photos.

Fighting to close a 20% wage gap - Info for TB 2

One of the outstanding issues on the table at Treasury Board negotiations is the 20% wage gap between Table 2 members and their counterparts in the private and other public sectors.  This wage gap was proven in a pay study commissioned jointly by Treasury Board and the PSAC and released in September 2003.  The employer’s refusal to address this issue is one of the main reasons that has brought the Table 2 negotiations in front of a conciliation board.

Already, 4,800 of our members at Parks Canada, 45% of whom are operational service workers, are on strike because their employer also refuses to acknowledge the results of this study.
The start of the Treasury Board-Table 2 Conciliation Board hearings on August 24 brings the possibility of a strike much closer.

Table 2 is the first of three Treasury Board units to undergo this last phase of negotiations before a possible strike.  It is at this stage that a show of solidarity in support of the Table 2 negotiating team and of the strike at Parks Canada becomes that much more important.

Treasury Board has not only refused to address this glaring wage inequality, it also will not budge on removing different regional rates of pay; and its wage increase offer of 1.75%, 1.25% and 1.25% over three years doesn’t cover increases in the cost of living.

Treasury Board has had plenty of time to return to the table and improve its offer since negotiations last took place in February.  At this point, the Conciliation Board has 14 days from the start of the hearings in which to issue its report.  An extension may be granted for the Board to complete its work.

Seven days after the union has been advised that the Conciliation Board has filed its report with the Public Service Staff Relations Board, our members will be in a legal position to start taking strike action.

If our members are forced to take strike action, Treasury Board must shoulder the blame for the resulting disruption.

Make sure you’re part of the strike preparation by checking in with your Local, Branch executive or PSAC Regional Office.

Table 5 and PSAC Strike Action

June 16th : via email

The very positive results of the recent strike vote from our brothers and sisters at Tables 1, 2 and 3 clearly show their distaste for the employer's poor wage offer and their displeasure at the lack of movement on the issues around improvements in our work/life balance. The membership gave their bargaining teams a solid mandate for strike action if further attempts at contract negotiation and conciliation fail.

Because Table 5 members are on an arbitration route for contract dispute resolution, we did not participate in the strike vote and we will not be going on strike. During any strike action by our brothers and sisters at the other PSAC tables, we will be obligated to report to work. However, you can do many things to exercise your rights in support of a strike by co-workers. Respect their picket line and ask the picket captain for his/her permission and best advice on how to cross the line. If there is a large line-up or a confrontation, you have the right to leave the area, call your senior manager and tell him/her that you tried to report for work but were unable to do so. The manager has to respect that you have concerns for your own safety and assist you in reporting for work with an escort into the building or make some alternate arrangements for your work.

Throughout any strike action at your workplace, we are asking all our Table 5 members to show their support for their PSAC brothers and sisters. Respect their right to strike. Explain their issues to your colleagues inside the workplace. Get their advice as to how to show your support:  bake cookies for the picketers,join them on the picket lines during your coffee breaks and lunch hours, put money into their strike fund. Any action that shows your support and respect will show your solidarity with them.

Also, during a strike, those who are not on strike should respect basic union ethics and abstain from doing the strikers' work. Managers may ask others to pitch in and perform strikers' duties but that only minimizes the effects of the strike and weakens our solidarity. We are all part of the same union. The Table 5 team has been in close contact with the other three tables throughout this entire bargaining round and we have many issues in common. We know that any gains made by our brothers and sisters, either at the bargaining table or as the result of a strike action will benefit us as well. Solidarity with our brothers and sisters is especially important at times such as these.

Table 5 Bargaining Team - Elva Simundsson, Céline Préfontaine & John Stewart

News: PSAC members in federal public sector vote to strike

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 28, 2004

PSAC members in federal public sector vote to strike

OTTAWA – Almost 100,000 Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) members, employed by the federal government, are one step closer to taking action up to and including a strike in order to achieve new collective agreements.

PSAC National President Nycole Turmel announced today that federal public sector workers have voted in favour of strike action; 72% of the Program and Administrative Services Group (Table 1), 83% of the Operational Group (Table 2) and 72% of the Technical Services Group (Table 3) have said yes to a strike.

“This is a strong message to Treasury Board from our members that their behaviour at the bargaining table is unacceptable and that their one and only wage offer, combined with proposed rollbacks of existing benefits, has been rejected,” says Turmel.

“We have been bargaining since last September with an employer who kept coming to the table without a mandate,” explains Turmel. “Finally, last February, Treasury Board offered 1.75%, 1.25% and 1.25% over a three-year agreement. If the union wanted any other improvements, they would be deducted from the wage offer.”

The negotiating sessions which took place in February and early March were held with the assistance of Conciliation Officers. The union will now be taking the next step which is to request the establishment of Conciliation Boards who will hear presentations from both parties. Seven days after the Boards file their reports, the union will be in a legal position to take strike action.

According to Turmel, “our members aren’t impressed by the fact that Treasury Board is prepared to deal much more generously with senior executives than with the front-line workers who are actually providing the services. On top of the 2.5% increase they received in April 2003, 93% of these executives received generous performance bonuses for 2002-03.”

“While Treasury Board is prepared to hand out these generous bonuses to just about every senior executive, they won’t deal with the serious wage gap for our members in the Operational Group. A joint PSAC/Treasury Board study conducted last year by Morneau-Sobeco revealed a 20% wage gap between our members’ pay and wages for comparable jobs in the private sector. So far, Treasury Board negotiators have refused to even address the study results.”

The union’s Treasury Board members join a total of 30,000 PSAC members at the Canada Revenue Agency and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency who have already given their negotiating team strong strike mandates. Workers at Parks Canada, who are currently voting, are expected to follow suit.

“All of our members are also responding to the uncertain climate in which they are working,” suggests Turmel. “The Martin government’s program review could result in cuts to public services. Our members are concerned about the level and quality of services they will be able to provide, the impact of increased workloads on service delivery and possible job cuts.”

News: Federal government workers vote 73 per cent in favour of strike action to win fair contract

Federal government workers vote 73 per cent in favour of strike action to win fair contract

About 100,000 unionized federal government employees—including 9,800 in B.C.—have voted 73 per cent in favour of strike action to back up demands for a fair contract settlement.

“This sends a strong message to Ottawa that union members are determined to win a fair settlement,” says Patty Ducharme, B.C. spokesperson for the Public Service Alliance in B.C.

“Our members are the people behind important services and programs that Canadians rely on every day. We deserve more respect at the bargaining table from the Martin government.”

Ducharme says the union moved to hold the strike vote after negotiations for new contracts, which began last September, bogged down. The only wage offer made by government negotiators so far is annual percentage increases of 1.75, 1.25 and 1.25 over three years, which she says is conditional on rollbacks in other existing contract provisions.

“The offer is particularly insulting given the whopping pay boosts already granted by the Liberals to senior public sector managers,” Ducharme says.

Key issues for front line workers in the bargaining dispute include a fair wage increase, job security measures to protect important government services for the public from the threat of further cuts by the Martin government, improvements for temporary workers, and “whistleblower” protection so that unionized employees can help keep Ottawa accountable without fear of retribution or discipline.

With no further talks scheduled, Ducharme says her union will conclude the designation of essential service workers, and request the formation of a conciliation board—two steps that must be complete before job action can begin.

PSAC members in B.C. who participated in the strike vote include customs and immigration staff protecting Canada’s borders, front-line fisheries and environment officials, federal corrections facilities staff, civilian workers at Canadian Forces bases, and front-line employees in communities across the province who deliver a variety of social programs for Canadians on behalf of the federal government.

…more

In addition to the strike vote results released today, Ducharme says 23,000 PSAC members who work for the federal government’s Canada Revenue Agency have already approved strike action, as have the 4,000 employees of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Another 4,000 union members who work for Parks Canada are in the middle of their own strike vote, which is expected to be completed in May.

News: Federal government workers in Agassiz area to hold strike votes today.

April 22nd

About 225 unionized employees of the federal government in the Agassiz area will hold a strike vote today to back up demands for a fair contract settlement from the Martin government.

Negotiations for new contracts, which began last September, have bogged down says Patty Ducharme, spokesperson for the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

Key issues for front line workers in the bargaining dispute include a fair wage increase, job security measures to protect important government services for the public, improvements for temporary workers, and “whistleblower” protection so that unionized employees can help keep the government accountable without fear of retribution.

Ducharme says the only wage offer made by government negotiators so far is annual percentage increases of 1.75, 1.25 and 1.25 over three years, which she says is conditional on rollbacks in other existing contract provisions.

“The offer is particularly insulting given the whopping pay boosts already granted by the Liberals to senior public sector managers,” she says. “Our members are the people behind important services and programs that Canadians rely on every day. We deserve more respect at the bargaining table from the Martin government.”

PSAC members in the Agassiz area work at Corrections Canada facilities, Agriculture Canada’s Agassiz Research Station, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and as civilian staff at the RCMP.
Today’s vote—which begins at 3 p.m. at the Agassiz Agricultural Centre—is part of a cross Canada strike ballot involving some 100,000 federal government employees. The strike votes began March 25 and will wrap up at the end of April when the results will be announced.

Ducharme says she’s optimistic that a strong mandate for job action will put pressure on the Martin government to return to the table with a more constructive approach to bargaining.  Contracts for the government workers expired last summer.

News: Federal government workers in Kelowna, Abbotsford to hold strike votes today.

April 20th

More than 500 unionized employees of the federal government in Kelowna and Abbotsford will hold strike votes today to back up demands for a fair contract settlement from the Martin government.
Negotiations for new contracts, which began last September, have bogged down says Patty Ducharme, spokesperson for the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

Key issues for front line workers in the bargaining dispute include a fair wage increase, job security measures to protect important government services for the public, improvements for temporary workers, and “whistleblower” protection so that unionized employees can help keep the government accountable without fear of retribution.

Ducharme says the only wage offer made by government negotiators so far is annual percentage increases of 1.75, 1.25 and 1.25 over three years, which she says is conditional on rollbacks in other existing contract provisions.

“The offer is particularly insulting given the whopping pay boosts already granted by the Liberals to senior public sector managers,” she says. “Our members are the people behind important services and programs that Canadians rely on every day. We deserve more respect at the bargaining table from the Martin government.”

About 400 PSAC members in the Abbotsford area work at Human Resources Development Canada, Corrections Canada, Transport Canada, and Agriculture Canada; and as Customs and Immigration officials at nearby border crossings.

In Kelowna, 130 union members work at Canada Employment and Immigration, and Industry Canada; and as Customs officials at the airport, and civilian staff at the RCMP.

Today’s votes—which begins in Kelowna at 11:30 a.m. at the Royal Anne Hotel, and in Abbotsford at 3 p.m. at the Ramada Inn—are part of a cross Canada strike ballot involving some 100,000 federal government employees.

The strike votes began March 25 and will wrap up at the end of April when the results will be announced.

Ducharme says she’s optimistic that a strong mandate for job action will put pressure on the Martin government to return to the table with a more constructive approach to bargaining. 

Contracts for the government workers expired last summer.

News: Federal government workers to hold strike vote in Penticton today

April 19th

About 60 unionized employees of the federal government in Penticton will hold a strike vote today to back up demands for a fair contract settlement from the Martin government.

Negotiations for new contracts, which began last September, have bogged down says Patty Ducharme, spokesperson for the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

Key issues for front line workers in the bargaining dispute include a fair wage increase, job security measures to protect important government services for the public, improvements for temporary workers, and “whistleblower” protection so that unionized employees can help keep the government accountable without fear of retribution.

Ducharme says the only wage offer made by government negotiators so far is annual percentage increases of 1.75, 1.25 and 1.25 over three years, which she says is conditional on rollbacks in other existing contract provisions.

“The offer is particularly insulting given the whopping pay boosts already granted by the Liberals to senior public sector managers,” she says. “Our members are the people behind important services and programs that Canadians rely on every day. We deserve more respect at the bargaining table from the Martin government.”
PSAC members in Penticton work at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Canada Employment and Immigration, the Customs office, Industry Canada, and as civilian staff at the RCMP.

Today’s vote in Penticton—which begins at 3 p.m. at the Lakeside Hotel—is part of a cross Canada strike ballot involving some 100,000 federal government employees. The strike votes began March 25 and will wrap up April 28, when the results will be announced.
Ducharme says she’s optimistic that a strong mandate for job action will put pressure on the Martin government to return to the table with a more constructive approach to bargaining. 

Contracts for the government workers expired last summer.

TB Bargaining Info Session - Downtown Vancouver

April 1st

Do you have questions about the Bargaining Process? Strike Vote? Then come to a Bargaining Info Session

April 6, 2004 12PM-1PM
UBC Robson Square, Rm C215
Downtown Vancouver

Presented by the PSAC Vancouver and District Area Council.

Download the pdf poster below.

vdacbargainingsession.pdf

Press Release: PSAC organizes massive strike vote

March 1st

OTTAWA – Labour unrest in the federal public sector is growing as almost 100,000 Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) members across the country will be voting on strike action starting March 25.

"Paul Martin may be trying to put a new face on the Liberal government, but it has been business as usual at the bargaining table," says PSAC National President Nycole Turmel. "At the start of this round of bargaining, the government seemed to be interested in conducting negotiations in a more serious manner. Unfortunately, this government’s style of negotiating is leading to confrontation."

Read more at the National website (link opens in new window).

Grievances Filed To Protest TB's Latest Offer

February 27th

PSAC Members in Peterborough started a mass grievance yesterday to protest the Treasury Boards latest offer (link to psac.com opens in new window). 
 
Details of Grievance:

"I grieve that the Employer is bargaining in bad faith with Tables 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the Public Service Alliance of Canada. Federal Cabinet Aides were given increases of $32,000.00, which is close to the average wage of Federal Workers, yet the Employer is yet to table a reasonable wage offer for the Tables.

Corrective Action Requested:

That the Employer begin to bargain in good faith. 
That the Employer table a fair and reasonable wage offer to the Tables. In addition to improving working conditions and benefits overall, this offer should include a wage package amounting to no less than 5% increase for each contract year."

Members in BC have joined in:

"We've got about 60 signed here at HRCC Vancouver which we'll be submitting next week, HRCC Coquitlam submitted about 50 today, and Burnaby, Nanaimo, Victoria, Abbotsford, Nelson and Prince George have expressed interest and will likely be doing the same and spreading the word."

-Robert Strang, President CEIU 20944

If you are a Table 1,2,3 or 5 member and would like to file a grievance of your own, contact your Shop Steward or Local Executive!

Solidarity In Action!

February 9th

This past weekend marked an important step forward in mobilizing and engaging PSAC members in B.C. in the current round of Treasury Board negotiations.

Local Presidents for Treasury Board Locals from all across B.C. met with the Regional Strike Committee for an intense planning weekend.

Highlights of the weekend included:

• An opportunity for each Local President to review the status of each of their worksites across the Province;
  A chance for the Area Strike Coordinators to work directly with the Local Presidents in identifying Strike Captains for each worksite;
• The development of concrete action plans for this week’s “Solidarity Week” activities, as well as a list of potential activities for future actions; (click below for an example of one handout that was developed);
• An opportunity to share concerns and identify solutions around conducting vote meetings;
• Practical, hands on tools to help identify strategic targets for future strike action.

We also had special guest speakers David Lee, Table 3 Negotiating Team Member, and Patty Ducharme, Regional Executive Vice-President for B.C.  David provided the big picture piece in terms of what’s happening at the Table and what kind of support the negotiating teams need from the members in the Regions.  Patty made the connections between what’s happening at the negotiating table and the need for our members to take an active role in the upcoming federal election.  

All in all, it was a well attended and productive meeting.  Our thanks to everyone who gave up their weekend to make it a success!