Don't take workers' rights for granted

Labour Day 2002 marks the beginning of what may prove to be a critical time for federal public sector workers and all PSAC members. Over the last several years, we have seen various government initiatives on the subject of public sector reform, including the Fryer Commission and the Quail Task Force. If reform remains on the government's agenda we can expect to see legislation later this year that has the potential to fundamentally change bargaining, representation and many workplace rights. We will need to be vigilant and ready to mobilize to counter any government attempts to reduce or eliminate our rights and the gains we have worked hard to achieve over the years.

This Labour Day is an opportunity to reflect not only on what we have achieved but what more needs to be done to strengthen the rights of workers in Canada and throughout the world. PSAC will be doing just that when we mark this Labour Day in historic fashion by joining some 1200 delegates and observers at the World Congress of the Public Services International in Ottawa where we will re-commit ourselves to the defense of workers' rights and quality public services. What better way to spend Labour Day.

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Members deliver health care message in person

"What Canadians want is to have a publicly funded health care system that is all inclusive, that doesn't leave people marginalized," says PSAC member Lee Rosas-Shapiro in a PSAC video submitted to the Romanow Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada.

Shapiro was one of 13 delegates to the 2002 PSAC Access Conference who gave testimony in the video that focused on some of the experiences of members with disabilities in accessing the health care system.

The video, along with a letter from PSAC National President Nycole Turmel, was hand-delivered to Romanow in his office in Saskatoon by PSAC members active in equity issues.

Robin East, PSAC Disability Representative on the Equal Opportunities Committee, Raj Dhir, Assistant National Vice President for Equal Opportunities - National Component hand deliver the PSAC’s video submission to Roy Romanow in Saskatoon

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PSAC calls for action on contaminated worksites

In mid-July Treasury Board quietly posted a list of over 2,000 contaminated federal worksites on its website. Not only are thousands of federal workers affected by the toxins and carcinogens identified at these sites, the general public and even entire communities are also threatened.

PSAC National President Nycole Turmel has pointed out that it was totally inappropriate that the union was first notified about the magnitude of the problem through a report in the National Post newspaper. In a letter to the Treasury Board President, she indicated that PSAC members are fearful for their immediate and future health and safety and took the employer to task for its disregard for the well-being of federal workers and the public.

"Treasury Board officials have violated numerous sections of Part II of the Canada Labour Code by refusing to bring this matter before the Government Wide Policy Committee," says Turmel. "The Code clearly indicates that this is the joint forum where serious health and safety matters should be handled. Treasury Board representatives have participated for ten years in amending the Code so this should come as no surprise to them. This entire situation could have been avoided, to a great degree, if the employer had followed the legislation designed to deal with these matters."

The union has called on Treasury Board to act immediately to ensure a program is put into place to monitor the health of all workers who may have worked, or are currently working, at any of the contaminated sites identified to date, and convene a meeting of the Government Wide Policy Committee in accordance with Code. PSAC is ready to work with the government and others to ensure that monitoring and the care workers need is provided and that a comprehensive clean-up program is undertaken.

Concerned members working at any of the identified sites should get in touch with their Local joint occupational safety and health committee members or their Local executive or, in their absence, their Component national office. The PSAC's health and safety staff will be working with the Components to gather information on sites across the country.

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PSAC co-hosts international World Congress

The preservation and enhancement of public services will be high on the agenda when the PSAC, together with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), co-host the 27th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI).

The international gathering, which is being held in Ottawa from September 2 to 6, will have has its focus a comprehensive five-year workplan of action. The plan concentrates on four main areas: winning workers rights; public sector workers and their work; equality, equity and diversity; and union development and international solidarity. The Congress will also be unveiling a new campaign in support of quality public services.

Delegates will review the plan of action as well as resolutions submitted by the unions affiliated to PSI. The agenda also includes the launching of PSI's pay equity kit. Look for a report on the World Congress in a future issue of Union Update.

PSI unites 20-million public sector workers in more than 600 unions in over 140 countries. For more than 90 years, PSI has fought for public services through its activities and campaigns, its work on priority issues and its association with other international organizations.

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Union loses strong advocate

It is with great sadness that the PSAC announces the death of long-time union activist and employee, Brother Luc David, on July 8, 2002. Luc joined the PSAC as a negotiator in 1988 and later worked as a grievance and adjudication officer. He won many victories on behalf of Alliance members across the country. Just to name a few of his many accomplishments, Luc was instrumental in increasing by over $3,000 the wages of hundreds of female workers at Canada Post in 1994 and obtaining a number of significant break-throughs and salary increases at both the Montreal and Edmonton airports.

Always a fighter, Luc amazed his friends and co-workers with his determination not to let his illness get in the way of his work or his passion for motorcycles. Immediately after Luc was first diagnosed with cancer in 1997, and against the advice of his doctors, he nevertheless set off to Edmonton as scheduled in order to participate in a critical bargaining session on behalf of members at the Edmonton Airport. Luc continued to work until he was hospitalized in early June and, just two years ago, he logged over 1,500 miles on his bike in 24 hours. Everyone who knew Luc was struck by his great courage and zest for life. We will all miss him. Donations to the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre Foundation at 503 Smyth Road in Ottawa may be made in Luc's memory.

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UTE Convention approves new initiatives

The largest convention in the history of the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE), with 144 delegates, was held in London from July 17 to 20. Observers and guests brought the total attendance to over 300.

The convention began with a traditional aboriginal ceremony conducted by Shandra Spears and delegates were welcomed to the city by London and District Labour Council President Gil Warren.

Convention delegates approved some new initiatives for their Component. Each year UTE will now offer 10 $1,000 regional and two $2,500 national scholarships which are open to members and their children. Guidelines for the awarding of these scholarships will be developed by the Component.

In an ongoing effort to improve communication with members, $5,000 per year will be available to assist UTE Locals to offset the cost of translating Local materials. Funds are also being budgeted to provide simultaneous interpretation at regional and inter-regional component conferences.

Delegates approved the Component holding four regional health and safety conferences and one national conference before their next convention. While Equal Opportunities (EO) conferences have been held for some time, the holding of one national EO conference and four regional conferences between conventions has now been enshrined in UTE's by-laws.

During the convention, participants collected over $1,700 in support of Canadian Auto Workers Local 444 member Don Milner who was critically injured on a picket line when he and several other CAW members were hit by a van driven by security guards transporting scabs into the workplace in Chatham.

National President Betty Bannon was re-elected, as were 1st Vice-President Robert (Bob) Campbell and 2nd Vice-President Denis Lalancette. Regional Vice-Presidents Pamela Abbott (Pacific), Terry Dupuis (Rocky Mountains), Shawn Bergeron (Prairie), Diana Gee (Greater Toronto), Nick Stein (Southwestern Ontario), Kent MacDonald (Northern and Eastern Ontario), Chris Aylward (National Capital Region), Sabri Khayat (Montreal), Marcel Bertrand (Quebec) and Linda Cassidy (Atlantic) were also elected to the Component executive.

During the Convention, Gil Folkedahl and Gordon Hawkins were presented with Life Memberships and Bryce Krochter was recognized for his 30 years of union service.

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Pay equity complaint against Canada Post concludes evidence-gathering phase

After nearly ten years, some fifty witnesses, nine hundred exhibits and 44,910 pages of transcripts, the Human Rights Tribunal hearing the PSAC's pay equity complaint against Canada Post has finally concluded the evidence gathering stage of its hearings. The complaint itself is now nearly twenty years old having been filed in 1983. The complaint alleges that employees in the former CR Group at Canada Post were not paid equally with the inside and outside postal workers (POs).

The next stage involves the preparation of written arguments by the PSAC, the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) and Canada Post Corporation (CPC). Following an exchange of written arguments, the parties will be allowed an opportunity to present oral arguments before the Tribunal in the spring of 2003. Once the oral arguments have been presented, the Tribunal will then proceed to write a decision, a process which will take several months to a year to complete.

While publicly supporting the principle of equal pay for work of equal value, Canada Post's actions in this case suggest otherwise. CPC severely criticized the work of the CHRC and PSAC job evaluation experts as unreliable. However, Canada Post did not do its own analysis to see if there is a wage gap, despite the fact that at least one expert witness called by Canada Post advised the Tribunal that a reliable study could have been conducted for less money than was paid to criticize the PSAC's work. Another expert in job evaluation called by Canada Post advised the Tribunal that he could have done a reliable study in three to four months but was not asked to do so by the Corporation.

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Government should amend the law, not appeal Court decision

The Public Service Alliance of Canada has strongly condemned the federal government's decision to appeal the July 12, 2002, Ontario Divisional Court's decision on same-sex marriages.

"We're disappointed that the federal government has chosen to prolong the discrimination suffered by same-sex couples," says PSAC National President Nycole Turmel, "when they should be taking the lead in ensuring equality and fairness for all people in Canada. Nevertheless, we, along with other unions and progressive groups, are going to continue to push for changes that will end this type of discrimination."

The PSAC has sent a letter to Treasury Board President Lucienne Robillard proposing to re-open contract talks to make changes to the Program and Administrative Services, Operational Services, Technical Services, and Education and Library Services collective agreements. The proposed changes would eliminate discrimination against federal Treasury Board employees who wish to take leave for same-sex marriages. The union believes that its members who must wait for their right to legally register their marriages are being discriminated against under the current contracts, as the employer can deny them access to marriage leave.

The PSAC has been pushing for non-discriminatory marriage leaves in contract talks with Treasury Board well before the Ontario Superior Court decision. The union has gained some victories in this area, including broadening the definition of spouse and common-law spouse to include same-sex couples in collective agreements since 1997. This has eliminated the potential for discriminating against same-sex couples in provisions for benefits, family leave and bereavement, among others.

The PSAC has also negotiated changes in the collective agreements of the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of Nature and the National Museum of Science and Technology. Their contracts provide for "Spousal Union Leave." However, Treasury Board has stubbornly refused to use the same term to replace "Marriage Leave," which the PSAC has consistently proposed in previous rounds of contract negotiations.

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Update on Term Study

During the last round of bargaining between the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Treasury Board, a joint committee was set up to study term employment in the following bargaining units: Program and Administrative Services, Operational Services, Technical Services and Education and Library Sciences.

The final report of the joint committee will be released on August 28th. The full report, including the results and recommendations, as well as the PSAC's response to the study, will be posted on the PSAC web site on August 28. Treasury Board will also be posting the report and their response to the study on their web site.

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Scholarship deadline August 31

A reminder that the deadline for applications for the PSAC scholarships and the Joe Power scholarship is August 31st.

Each year the PSAC offers four $1000 scholarships and thirteen $300 bursaries - one to a student in each province and the territories - on the basis of financial need, scholastic achievement and a 500-750 word essay. One of the $1000 scholarships is being offered in recognition of April 28 - The Day of Mourning.

The PSAC also sponsors a $2000 scholarship in honor of Joseph (Joe) R. Power in recognition of Brother Power's dedication and years of service to the membership.

For more information: on the PSAC scholarship program please visit our web site or contact the Communication and Political Action section at (613) 560-4292.

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