FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                   MARCH 22, 2000

OTTAWA ….Conciliation meetings for some 11,000 federal "Blue Collar" workers wrapped up on March 21 with a one-year tentative agreement that is a disappointment for these members, says Nycole Turmel, national executive vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

"This round of bargaining for these Treasury Board Table 2 members concluded without a feeling of achieving victory in any form," adds Turmel. "These workers went on strike during the last round of bargaining over the issue of regional rates of pay. One of the breakthroughs from the strike was the union’s proposal on reducing the zones from 10 to 7. We were hopeful that this would provide the groundwork for the elimination or further reduction of this discriminatory issue during these talks. Regrettably, Treasury Board was unwilling to discuss this issue," says Turmel.

The one-year tentative agreement, which would expire August 4, 2000, if ratified, provides for a 2% increase on rates of pay retroactive to August 5, 1999, and a lump sum payment effective March 31, 2000 of $625 for all employees except certain workers, the majority of whom are in the Atlantic/Quebec region, in the General Labour and Trades (GL), General Services (GS) and Hospital Services (HS) groups, who will receive $725.

"Despite the team’s many attempts to change the two-tiered signing bonus to a flat rate, Treasury Board would not move from its position of applying ‘lip service’ to regional rates of pay in Atlantic/Quebec regions," says Marian Meagher, regional executive vice-president and PSAC officer responsible for the bargaining unit. "While we made improvements in other areas the fact that Treasury Board would not deal with the issue of Regional Rates of Pay was extremely upsetting and disappointing," adds Meagher.

Other improvements in the tentative agreement include:

• an increase in shift and weekend premium to $1.50;

• an off-duty Supplementary Unemployment Benefit (Sub) Plan for the Grain Handling Weighman sub-group at the Canadian Grain Commission. While these are full-time indeterminate employees, they are subjected to temporary layoff. They will now receive a top-up to 70% of their weekly rate of pay. During the two-week waiting period for EI they will receive 35% of their regular weekly rate of pay;

• an increase in the Supplementary Allowance for Lightkeepers (LI) members. In addition, the Meteorlogical allowance will be increased by 2% for the LI members;

• increasing the Long-Service Pay for Firefighters (FRs) by $200;

• four weeks and three days of vacation leave after 17 years of service and 5 weeks and 3 days after 28 years.

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For Information:

Nycole Turmel, PSAC national executive vice-president (613) 560-4310

OR

Marian Meagher, PSAC regional executive vice-president (250) 385-5052

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