OTTAWA - The Public Service Alliance of Canada has applied for the assistance of a conciliation officer following Parks Canada’s continuing refusal to negotiate the renewal of basic contract language and their tabling of a series of draconian bargaining proposals calling for major rollbacks to the working conditions of Agency workers.

"During the December 3^rd and 4^th session, our negotiating team members listened in disbelief while their employer tabled bargaining proposals that can only be defined as shameful," says Tony White, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President responsible for Parks negotiations. "It appeared to be a competition as to which proposal was most offensive," White adds.

The PSAC represents 4,600 workers at the Parks Canada Agency who were joined under a single bargaining unit last April. These members work in National Parks, National Historic Sites and the operation of Canal Systems across Canada in administrative, operational, technical and professional services.

"Only a Grinch could be this mean-spirited to offer its workers such a package of bargaining proposals," says Ed Cashman, national president of the PSAC’s National Component. "From the onset of negotiations in October the employer has shown no interest in bargaining. Our negotiating team has recommended that Grinch Awards be handed out for the most offensive proposals," adds Cashman.

The Grinch gold award goes to the Employer’s proposal calling for sweeping changes to the scheduling of our members hours of work. The employer wants to eliminate the regular Monday to Friday work week provision. They are seeking total control over scheduling of hours of work to permit them to schedule excess hours during the summer (without overtime) and then force employees to take leave on short notice whenever the employer sees fit.

The employer’s proposal to rollback provisions for family-related leave was given the Grinch silver award. Once again the proposal would significantly reduce current benefits and give the employer greater control, limiting workers’ ability to look after their families.

And, the proposal to eliminate shift premiums for employees who are regularly scheduled to work shifts received the Grinch bronze award. "This proposal would take money out of the pockets of some of the lowest paid workers at Parks Canada," says White. "For example, the cleaners at Fortress Louisbourg who work from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the morning and who earn $11.76 per hour, would be denied their current shift premium of $1.50 per hour."

Mike Wing, national president of the PSAC’s Union of Canadian Transportation Employees says its hard to believe that an employer, which continues to boast about its commitment to the well-being of every Parks Canada employee, would sink so low. "Given that the employer was obviously trying to create an impasse by tabling these shameful rollback provisions, our only option is to seek third-party assistance in an attempt to move forward at the bargaining table," adds Wing.

"Despite the fact that the workers are currently covered under 11 contracts, for which many basic articles are either identical or very similar, the Employer is treating these negotiations as an opportunity to fundamentally restructure the contract," continues White. "In addition, the Employer continues to indicate that our members shouldn’t expect to receive the Treasury Board improvements because to do so would create ‘grave operational and economic consequences for the Agency’."

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