PSAC Union Update for the period November 13 - 24, 2000
PSAC National President Nycole Turmel joined
more than 200 PSAC members who work for six federal agencies, at a noon-hour demonstration
on Parliament Hill on November 8 to announce that their union was taking their case for
full implementation of pay equity to court.
During the demonstration, Turmel informed the members that the PSAC's legal counsel had filed a Statement of Claim in the Federal Court, Trial Division, calling on the Court to direct Treasury Board or any other responsible party to increase wage rates and benefits in a manner consistent with the Orders of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal of July, 1998 and November, 1999.
The claim, filed on behalf of members from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Office of the Auditor General, Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Statistical Survey Operations, and, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, states that the failure to pay is in violation of section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
"These members have waited long enough and the time has come to push for action," Turmel said. "While the Prime Minister is on the hustings trying to take credit for implementing pay equity for federal employees, the reality is that the PSAC spent 15 years fighting for pay equity - including six years against Chrétien's Liberal government. And, until all of our members get the pay equity they deserve, the fight isn't over!" she added.
Treasury Board has indicated that it will consider giving these separate employers the funds to adjust their employees' ongoing salaries - salaries which are based on discriminatory rates. However, Treasury Board is not prepared to fund the payment of retroactive adjustments and interest.
The PSAC negotiating team and Treasury Board of Canada reached a two-year tentative agreement on November 16, 2000, for the 5,800 Correctional Officers (CX). This tentative agreement provides for significant wage increases and better benefits in recognition of the work they do under some of the most difficult working conditions of any profession.
The two-year tentative agreement provides for increment and salary increases of a
minimum of 6% and 6.5% for each
year of the collective agreement, as well as protective reassignment for women
Correctional Officers during pregnancy, a clothing allowance for non-uniformed
Correctional Officers and other considerable improvements.
The PSAC bargaining team unanimously recommends this tentative agreement. The ratification process will start shortly.
Negotiations at Halifax
Airport take flight Negotiations on behalf of PSAC members at the Halifax International Airport commenced October 23. By the end of the second day of bargaining for a first collective agreement for these workers since the Airport became a separate employer, eight articles were agreed to and signed off. These articles include:
* #7 - Union Management Consultation;
* #8 - Information;
* #10 - Employee Representation;
* #11 - Grievance and Arbitration Procedure;
* #20 - Wash-Up Time;
* #42 - Bilingual Positions;
* #43 - Parking;
* #48 - Agreement Re-Opener.
"We are very pleased with the results of our first two days of negotiations with the Airport Authority," the team said. "And, we are looking forward to the next session scheduled for November 22 and 23." Further negotiations are scheduled for December 20 and 21, January 3 to 5 and February 5 to 9.
In preparation for the upcoming round of bargaining for Treasury Board Table 3 members, Captive Time contract language is currently being developed based on the more than 650 responses received through the Captive Time Survey. Of the responses received, 550 were from PSAC Table 3 members. And, the results showed that more than 50% of those members who responded are away from home for more than 40 nights a year.
The issue of Captive Time will be a key issue for the PSAC Table 3 negotiating team when negotiations get under way in December. The PSAC thanks all those members who took the time to complete the survey and provide us with this valuable information.
Negotiations on behalf of PSAC members at the Museum of Science and Technology continued from November 20 to 24 and are scheduled from November 28 to the 30th inclusive. During these talks the bargaining teams dealt with monetary items.
PSAC member
releases collection of Christmas songs The World Wide Web has been chosen as the official launch site for 'I wish you were here for Christmas', a collection of original Christmas songs by award winning playwright, songwriter and children's recording artist and PSAC member for 20 years, Duncan Wells.
The official release and distribution to the general public of 'I wish you were here for Christmas' will be the 2001 Christmas season. However, in the meantime you can support Duncan in his artistic endeavours by visting the website. Have a listen to the music and, if so inclined, print off a copy of the order form which is available at the site.
If you are not connected to the world wide web here is the address to jot down should you have access from another computer http://duncanwells.tripod.lycos.com/recordingartist.html
Check out Duncan's other recordings by contacting him at duncanw@geocities.com
The PSAC congratulates Sabine Sonnemann, former PSAC member and federal Librarian, on being chosen as a recipient of one of this year's Governor General's Awards.
Sabine, was recognized for her help in organizing and initiating the first pay equity case against the federal government, which was won in 1980. She recognized the similarity in job descriptions and the difference in pay between the male-dominated historical researchers and her own profession, the Library Science (LS) group at the National Library and Public Archives of Canada.
In her letter of congratulations to Sabine, PSAC National President Nycole Turmel pointed out that it was through her "initiative and perseverance on behalf of federal librarians in the fight for equal pay for work of equal value, that the PSAC was successful in winning the global pay equity case for more than 200,000 of our current and former members". "We are proud that a former PSAC member was selected for her outstanding contribution in promoting the economic equality of women. As we all know, the achievement of pay equity is one of the biggest breakthroughs in this area."
The Government of Canada established the Governor General's Awards in 1979 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Persons Case decision, and to salute the contributions of contemporary women to the advancement of women's equality. The awards were presented on October 18.
PSAC members from Parks Canada Locals in
Eastern Canada took time out of their Regional Bargaining Conference discussions on
November 4 in Saint John, N.B., to first protest outside the campaign headquarters of Tory
candidate Elsie Wayne and then march down to Liberal candidate Paul Zed's office. Although
neither Wayne nor Zed were present, the members left their messages on placards in their
doorways: "Don't touch our national parks. They belong to Canadians" and
"Stop neglect of historic sites".
When commenting on the lack of the candidates' presence, Tony White, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for the Atlantic, said he was disappointed but not surprised. "When we contact politicians about issues that we want dealt with, they hide away somewhere and ignore us. It's unfortunate they're not here to listen to our concerns which include cuts to national parks, job security, staffing levels and low wages."
At the November 4 and 5 conference, 66 delegates and 11 observers from Parks Canada Locals from both National Component and the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees (UCTE) reviewed and priorized local submissions for bargaining demands. The largest gathering ever, outside of convention, of PSAC members employed with the Parks Canada Agency, also elected members to the National Bargaining Team. Elected delegates and alternates from National Component include:
Table 1 and 5 (Programe Administration and Library and Education Services) - Delegate - Eva Guthrie (Fort Malden National Historic Site, Ontario); (alternates) Natasha Savard (Saguenay Marine National Park, Quebec), Tom Ryan (Cornwall Service Centre, Ontario), Herman Payne (Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland).
Table 2 (Operational Services) - Delegate - Peter Marenick (Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia); (alternates) Abdelkader Elkak (Quebec City Regional Operations), Harold Antle (Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia), Louis O'Brien (PEI National Park, PEI).
Table 3 - (Technical Services) - Delegate - Eric Guay (Mingan National Park, Quebec); (alternates) Hugh McCormack (Gros Morne National Park, Nfld.), Elizabeth Crook (Halifax Service Centre, Nova Scotia), Chriss Lundin (Ottawa Service Centre, Ontario), Chuck Blanchard (Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia).
UCTE elected Jack Norris of Ontario and Lesley Humber of Ontario to the National Bargaining Team. Gilles Mérineau of Quebec is the alternate.
Bargaining demands from this Eastern Conference and from the Western Conference, held in October, will be reviewed at the National Bargaining Conference to be held in Cornwall from December 1 to 4.