Joint study says make term employees indeterminate after two years
A joint union-management committee study on term employment in the federal government has recommended that term employees be automatically converted to indeterminate status after two years of cumulative service in the same department. A key finding of the study is that waiting five years to appoint a term employee to an indeterminate, or permanent, position is just too long.
The conversion for term employees would be phased in. Employees with three or more years of cumulative service would be converted immediately to indeterminate status upon implementation of the policy. One year later, term employees with two or more years of service would be converted. At the end of that year, and in future, term employees would be converted upon completion of two years of service.
"The joint committee deserves our thanks for a job well done," says PSAC National President Nycole Turmel. "Now it's up to the federal government to implement all the committee's recommendations without further delay. However, these are only recommendations and Treasury Board is undertaking a policy review of term employment in the fall. We believe the joint study should form the basis for their new policy, fast-tracked for implementation at the beginning of the next fiscal year, April 1, 2003. We need our term members to mobilize to make this happen. The PSAC will be working with them, pushing for the timely implementation of these recommendations and protecting their rights."
"Many of the study recommendations don't require a policy change," explains Turmel. "Departments can and should start implementing them immediately. We strongly urge them to consult with us and to begin converting long service term employees immediately. They've suffered enough job insecurity.
The joint committee, composed of equal numbers of PSAC and employer representatives, reviewed existing research and met with approximately 1,000 employees and managers to formulate their recommendations. It was established as a result of the last round of negotiations with Treasury Board.
The committee has produced 30 recommendations, some of which include: developing long-term human resources strategies, increasing the number of permanent employees, ensuring that term employees compete only once for their job upon initial appointment and offering orientation sessions and career counseling to term employees. The full set of recommendations are available at
the
PSAC web site.
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Environment Component marks 30 years of union activity at 2002 convention
The Environment Component of the PSAC celebrated its 30th anniversary at its tenth triennial national convention held in Saint John, N.B. from August 11 to 13. They were joined for the occasion by PSAC National President Turmel, National Executive Vice-President John Gordon, Regional Executive Vice-President for the Atlantic Tony White and a number of Environment Component Life Members including a number of past Presidents.
Guest speaker Turmel praised the leadership of the Environment Component in helping protect our members within the Component and the Burnt Church community in 2000 and helping diffuse a very difficult situation for federal workers, the community and society at large.
Together with the celebrations, the 64 delegates spent a busy three days dealing with 63 of the 102 resolutions submitted to the Convention. The remaining 39 were referred to the incoming National Executive.
Delegates adopted a new initiative that will see a two-day Local Presidents' conference held once every three years. The conference, which will be held in the year before the Component convention year, will allow Local Presidents an opportunity to meet and share their concerns and experiences. The first conference will be held in 2004.
A base budget was adopted together with a number of resolutions with financial implications. As a result, there will be a modest reduction in Component dues in 2003 and a modest increase in 2004 and 2005.
Delegates re-elected William Pynn as National President and elected Guy Borne as National Vice-President. The convention also approved modifying the Component's structure to provide for eight regions, rather than the previous six with each region represented by a Regional Vice-President (RVP). The RVPs elected at this convention include: Nick Humphreys (B.C./Yukon), Irène Bérubé (Prairie and Northern), David Comba (Ontario), Michael Mulvihill (National Capital Region), Sylvain Guimont (Quebec), Lloyd Jardine (N.B./ P.E.I.), Jack Lowe (Scotia Fundy), Paul Stead (Newfoundland and Labrador). Nicole Raymond was elected as the National Equal Opportunities Representative.
As a result of the convention, the Component will be submitting resolutions on a number of topics for consideration at the PSAC Convention in 2003. They include resolutions to establish a minimum PSAC strike fund, to aggressively work to reduce the number of designations, to provide additional funding for PSAC health and safety conferences and to hold regional workshops to discuss future strategies for collective bargaining.
Quebec convention delegates debate wide-ranging
resolutions
The 113 delegates to the fourth PSAC Quebec Convention tackled about 40 resolutions last May in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec.
Some of the resolutions adopted centred on changes in the application of the region's constitution. These included an amendment to the elections procedure of the position of Director for Women position and her alternate on the Quebec regional council and the representation of Directly Chartered Locals in the Quebec Council. Other resolutions adopted include encouraging the region to participate in regional councils of the Quebec Federation of Labour (QFL), giving delegate status to all Quebec national officers at PSAC Quebec triennial conventions and recommending a return-to-work protocol after the signing of collective agreements.
Five other resolutions on collective bargaining have been referred to the proper committee for the PSAC National Convention in 2003. As well, the delegates unanimously adopted the report of the region's finance committee.
The delegates also enthusiastically attended two workshops that focused on discussion papers on privatization and collective bargaining in advance of the PSAC Convention. The workshop discussions were lively and enriching.
The convention took time to honour two activist PSAC members in recognition of their significant contributions to the union. Joane Hurens was the Regional Executive Vice-President for Quebec from 1994 to 2000 and had been the PSAC's Third Executive Vice President prior to regionalization. Melanise Comeau was the Director for Women on the Quebec Council from 1997 to 2001.
The convention also attracted 27 observers to the convention and seven guests, including PSAC National President Nycole Turmel, QFL General Secretary Rene Roy and Andre Senechal, Regional Vice-President of the PSAC Retirees Association for Quebec West.
National Component elects new President, endorses re-structuring
There were a number of "firsts" at the triennial convention of the
PSAC's National Component, when 185 delegates gathered in Winnipeg from August 12 to 16. For the first time, delegates elected a woman - Heather Brooker - as their National President. For the first time, the convention seated equity delegates. Four equity groups - racially visible, aboriginal, persons with disabilities and gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgendered members - were represented by four delegates each. And, for the first time, all 12 of the Component's Equal Opportunities (EO) representatives were elected at the convention. Previously, only the EO National Vice-President and Assistant Vice-President were elected at the convention.
Delegates endorsed the new directions the Component is taking, including the re-structuring of the services the Component provides. The national office is now structured along broad areas of responsibility including membership representation, financial services and administrative and computer services. Delegates also discussed members' expectations of service from their component and debated a common understanding of standards of service to be provided. There will be no increase in National Component dues.
Convention guest speakers included former PSAC member and now mayor of Winnipeg Glen Murray, Audreen Harris of the Metis Federation of Manitoba and PSAC National President Nycole Turmel.
Work doesn't stop now that the convention is over. Delegates approved the creation of a restructuring committee whose mandate is to review the component's geographic and political elements and prepare a report by 2005. The Component has also been given the task of developing an equitable policy on supplementing PSAC strike pay.
The members of the new executive are: National President Heather Brooker, National Executive Vice-President Daniel Kinsella, Equal Opportunities National Vice-President Joanne Ursino, and Vice-Presidents Mike Bagnell (Atlantic), Bernard Labonté (Québec), Joyce Hendy (Ontario), Richard Ransom (NCR - Separate Employers), Fred Bissagar (NCR - Treasury Board), Stella Pruse (Manitoba), Melissa Brandt (Saskatchewan), Kevin King (Alberta, Northwest Territories), Claudine Philippe (B.C., Yukon), Gilles Masse (Outside Canada).
National Health and Welfare Union pledges to fight budget cuts
The 80 delegates to the National Health and Welfare Union (NHWU) convention didn't waste any time reacting to the severe budget cuts at Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). They passed an emergency resolution confirming that they're not going to let the cuts take a toll on their members or spread to other departments without a fight. The resolution mandates the Component to engage in a campaign to fight the cuts and to work in coalition with two other PSAC components to keep members employed and maintain service levels.
An important element in any fightback campaign is a mobilized membership and delegates re-affirmed their commitment to building strong Locals. A union development fund, which started as a pilot project three years ago, has been renewed.
Addressing the convention in Montreal, PSAC National President Nycole Turmel acknowledged that the PSAC has made a comprehensive commitment to Local development in large measure because of the work undertaken by this Component. "I have to say that local development is working within the National Health and Welfare Union," said Turmel. "You have fewer Rand deductees and more members than you have three years ago. Thank you for leading the way and proving that when given the chance, workers prefer to be involved in their union rather than on the sidelines."
A total of 96 resolutions were submitted to the Convention, which took place from August 11 to 14. Delegates defeated a resolution to divide National Health and Welfare Union along departmental lines. Activities will be funded over the next three years without a Component dues increase.
The incoming executive represents a combination of new and returning officers including an additional Regional Vice-President in the Capital Area. They are: National President Ray Strike, Executive Vice-President Jacques Cadieux, Equal Opportunities Representative Joan Ann Gravesande, and Regional Vice-Presidents Anthony Tilley (Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador), Linda Boudreau (P.E.I., New Brunswick), Réjean Genest (Québec), Suzanne Charbonneau (Capital Area), Claude Gagnon (Capital Area), Elizabeth Gillelan (Ontario), Lise Lapierre (Ontario), Donna Chisholm (Manitoba), Evelyn Smysniuk (Saskatchewan), Elaine Alt (Alberta) and Denise Pollock (B.C., Yukon).
Bargaining Update
PSAC signs historic first agreement
PSAC members in the Commissionaires Local covering Victoria, the Islands and the Yukon, ratified their first collective agreement on August 15, 2002. The agreement is also a first for Commissionaires represented by PSAC. This agreement give our new members the tools they need to ensure fairness, dignity and respect on the job. The union has recently filed applications to represent Commissionaires in Prince Edward Island, CFB Gagetown (New Brunswick) and Newfoundland and Labrador.
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Conciliation continues at Deer Lodge Centre
After two days of conciliation meetings between the PSAC bargaining team and Deer Lodge Centre in Winnipeg, only four of 22 outstanding issues were resolved. Conciliation talks are scheduled to continue the week of August 26. In the meantime, the Local is continuing with its strike preparations and has set up its Finance, Communication and Welfare Committees and is meeting with other health care unions to coordinate their strike action.
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National Gallery unit expands
A Letter of Understanding (LOU) with the National Gallery of Canada was signed in mid-August which outlines terms and conditions of employment that are unique to Educator/Guides and Animator/Interpretors. These members were included in the PSAC's bargaining certificate at the Gallery last October by the Canada Labour Relations Board. The LOU provides for the payment of sick leave and vacation leave as a percentage of gross earning and includes employees in the Public Service Health Care Plan at the employer's expense and other benefit plans where they are eligible. The LOU now forms part of the existing PSAC agreement with the Gallery.
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More negotiations with Statistical Survey Operations
The
SSO Field Interviewers bargaining team spent an intense week in negotiations from July 27 to August 2. Some items have been signed off but all monetary issues remain on the table as the team waits for the first monetary package from the employer. Negotiations are scheduled for August 26 to 30. The SSO regional office bargaining team originally had been scheduled to meet with the employer on those dates but have moved their next round of negotiations to September 22 to 27. The Field Interviewers team is negotiating their first agreement and there are considerably more demands to deal with than for the Regional Office unit which is negotiating a renewal agreement. The exchange of dates will allow them narrow the issues in dispute.
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Northwestel strike settled
The strike by 380 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers against Northwestel which began on May 27 is finally over. The workers, many of whom are related to PSAC members, reached a tentative agreement on July 19th and ratified it on July 21st.
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