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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                 December 2, 2002

OTTAWA – For the first time since the Public Service Employee Survey was launched in 1998, unions representing federal sector workers were involved in designing the survey. The Public Service Alliance of Canada is pleased with this approach, and is calling for further collaboration, especially in addressing the areas of concern raised in the survey.

The 2002 survey shows some positive improvement in employee satisfaction in workplace conditions since the 1999 survey, but the PSAC points out that there are still areas of concern, especially in the relatively high percentage of employees who experienced harassment and discrimination.

Indeed, according to the 2002 survey, 21 per cent of respondents experienced harassment on the job in the last two years, and 17 per cent experienced discrimination. Harassment and discrimination is as prevalent among the PSAC membership as it is among the general population. The numbers haven’t improved since the 1999 survey, and are significantly higher among those who identified themselves as belonging to equity groups.

"It’s clear that harassment and discrimination cannot and should not be tolerated in the federal public sector’ states PSAC National President Nycole Turmel. "Having a diverse and inclusive workplace will go a long way toward reducing both harassment and discrimination."

In recognition of the need for unions to be involved in the solutions to these and other workplace issues, the PSAC negotiated a Joint Learning Program with Treasury Board during the last round of collective bargaining. "It’s a forum where unions and management provide and receive joint training in order to improve the workplace" says Turmel. "Anti-harassment and anti-discrimination are at the top of list of priorities for our Joint Learning Program. This survey reinforces both the need for further collaboration with the PSAC and other unions, and the continued relevance of the Joint PSAC-Treasury Board Learning Program in addressing the key concerns faced by PSAC members."

Workload is another area of concern for federal workers. Indeed, seven in ten PSAC members (71 per cent, and 72% of all respondents) feel that their quality of work suffers because of having to do the same or more work with fewer resources, and more than eight in ten PSAC members (83%, and 85% for all respondents) cannot always complete their assigned workload during regular hours.

"This signifies that the cut-backs in the mid-1990s are still taking their toll, and that our members are paying the price for the lack of resources," says Turmel. "It’s time to increase staffing levels so that workers are better able to manage their workload and Canadians get the public services they deserve."

Turmel points out that despite some of the problems faced by public sector workers, the survey reveals an extremely high commitment on the part of workers to the federal government and to the public services that are delivered to Canadians from coast to coast to coast. "Our members are committed to providing quality work and quality services to the public," says Turmel.

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For information:     Nycole Turmel, PSAC national president (613) 560-4330.

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