PSAC women adopt plans to fight globalization and privatization

More than 250 women spent three hard working days at the PSAC's triennial National Women's Conference in mid-September examining the effects of globalization and privatization and the attacks on health care and other public services. Their workshops, which made use of the popular education technique 'the Wall', were reinforced by the messages from the conference's guest speakers.

They also had an opportunity to hear first hand from two women describe their union activity in Chile. In Ottawa to attend the Public Services International World Congress, Julia Requena, who built her child care workers union from scratch 15 years ago, and Veronica Prado, Subregional Secretary of the Southern Cone regional of Public Services International, were invited by PSAC to observe and participate in the conference.

In her opening address, PSAC National President Nycole Turmel reminded the women that "we need to make a link between what goes on in our workplaces and our communities and what happens to the rights and working conditions of our sisters and brothers in Canada and around the world". She noted that their union has become more involved in broad social issues, sending a message to government that we won't put up with their selling off public services and our jobs to multinationals and that we won't put up with union busting here or elsewhere in the world.

Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians, talked of her personal experiences at the recent Environmental Summit in Johannesburg which was held in a wealthy suburb with huge shopping malls, gleaming office towers and five-star hotels, and sponsored by corporate giants such as Coke and McDonalds. Only a cholera plagued river divides this suburb from one of the poorest neighbourhoods, Alexandra, where the population rely on that very river for their water supply. Barlow warned about the current assault on the collective heritage of humanity - our knowledge, wisdom, oceans, genetic material, air and culture - and the need to protect what we all own collectively.

President of the FFQ, Vivian Barbot, spoke of the success that popular action has had in Quebec in the fight against poverty as well as the successes of the women's marches in promoting women's rights and the need for the popular and union movements to work together. However, she warned that we need to defend what we've gained and that past successes don't guarantee the future.

Participants had an opportunity to hear from Nahla Abdo, a professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Carleton University who addressed globalization from the perspective of women in the developing world. Canadian Union of Postal Workers Child Care Coordinator and PSAC researcher Bonnie Bates talked of initiatives at the bargaining table and the need for political action.Reinforcing the Act Now! Build Our Future! theme of the conference, the participants adopted a plan which includes action to education and mobilize PSAC members on the implications of economic globalization and the impact of privatization, to encourage active participation in anti-globalization campaigns at all levels, to develop a bargaining strategy reflects the union's diverse membership and to organize the organize and re-organize the 'privatized'.

The participants adopted a number of resolutions on a variety of issues including an education and mobilization strategy against globalization, an increase in funding for the union's Women's Program, funding for a Pride conference and additional funding for the Unity conference, support for the Kyoto agreement and a rejection of the war on Iraq. These resolutions, together with the plan of action, will be referred to the PSAC triennial convention to be held next year.

PSAC women get ready for the opening
of their national conference.

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Communication Canada workers choose their Component

PSAC members at Communication Canada have chosen the Government Services Union (GSU) as their Component. The creation of Communication Canada earlier this year left members represented by two Components - GSU and National Component.

In order to build a strong union presence, it was agreed that members should be represented by one Component and a mail-in vote was conducted. GSU hopes to establish a new Communication Canada Local this fall. The National Component is transferring all relevant grievance and other files to GSU as part of a smooth transition. Communication Canada members with questions should contact the GSU at (613) 560-4395.

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UNDE takes privatization fight to the street

Security was taken by surprise at the Supply Chain depot in Montreal when Union of National Defence Employees (UNDE) members brought their whole convention to the depot. On September 19th, the 121 convention delegates held a one-hour demonstration to highlight their ongoing fight against the Supply Chain Project and government plans to privatize their jobs. Supply chain workers in the depot came out in large numbers to join the demonstration.

PSAC National President Nycole Turmel reminded the demonstrators that the union remains committed to fighting privatization. During her address to the convention, Turmel also noted that "UNDE members are committed to the country they serve and have a right to be treated fairly by their employer. This principle has been violated by the government at every turn. UNDE members represent the largest group of federal workers paid according to where they live rather than for the job they do. That must change."

At the week-long convention delegates agreed to establish a UNDE Standing Committee on Privatization and approved the holding of an annual Conference of Local Presidents after a successful first conference this spring. Among other resolutions, delegates also voted to double the funding for UNDE regional conferences. A number of resolutions were adopted for submission to the 2003 PSAC convention.

Henri Massé, President of the Quebec Federation of Labour, welcomed the delegates to Montreal and reminded them of the benefits of being part of a unified labour movement. They heard more about privatization, deregulation and the attack on Canada's health care system from the Canadian Labour Congress' new Secretary-Treasurer Hassan Yussuf. Garry Smith, former UNDE Local officer and negotiating team member from Victoria was presented with a life membership in the Component.

John MacLennan and Peter Cormier were re-elected to the full-time positions of National President and Executive Vice-President, respectively. Rounding out the executive are Vice-Presidents Debbie Graham (Newfoundland and Labrador/New Brunswick), Doug Pike (Nova Scotia), Philippe Turcq (Quebec), Bob Champoux (National Capital Region), Mary Chamberlain (Ontario), Brian Molsberry (Manitoba/Saskatchewan), Steve Covell (Alberta/North), Garry Robinson (British Columbia), Daniel Verreault (Personnel Support Programs), Monty Montgomery (Canadian Security Establishment) and Employment Equity Advisor Pat Maxwell.

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Jeannette Meunier-McKay, first woman elected President of the CEIU

At the triennial convention of the Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU) held in Quebec City from September 21 to 25, Jeannette Meunier-McKay became the first woman elected President of this PSAC Component. Sister Meunier-McKay takes over from Cres Pascucci, who did not seek a new mandate. This first comes in 2002, a year that marks the 25th anniversary of CEIU's founding.

The convention also elected a new National Vice-President to fill the post vacated by Sister Meunier-McKay. Janet Letwinka, who is from Saskatchewan, was voted National Executive Vice-President by the approximately 150 delegates present. Brother René Coupal from Quebec was chosen as alternative national vice-president.

In addition to the elections, the delegates to the CEIU convention adopted a balanced triennial budget, without any increase in members' dues. The delegates also decided that any surpluses in the 2003-2005 budget would be allocated, on a priority basis, to education, regional training and collective bargaining.

The delegates put a great deal of work into renewing the Component's by-laws and regulations so as to make them more relevant. According to the new President, Jeannette Meunier-McKay, the proceedings of the convention enabled the CEIU to adopt a plan of action for a national campaign against subcontracting. "Our members are increasingly seeing parts of their work slipping away to the private sector. Our action plan will enable us to support them more effectively in fighting the use of subcontracting."

An emergency resolution on term employment was also adopted. Its purpose is to put an end to the practices of Human Resources Development Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Immigration and Refugee Board. These three employers, contrary to the recommendations of the PSAC/Treasury Board joint committee on term employment, keep on laying off CEIU members even after more than five years' service.

Two other important resolutions were adopted during the convention. First, CEIU will pay 50% of the affiliation fees to labour councils for Locals which are affiliated to their provincial federations of labour. Second, members agreed to take one cent per member per month from the CEIU's annual budget to support international solidarity.

The union elected most of its Regional Vice-Presidents before the convention. Here is a list of those who were elected: Robin Kers (Immigration and Refugee Board), Christine Walker (Status of Women - West), Carlotta Fennimore (Status of Women - East), Francine Vézina (Status of Women - Quebec), Denise Best (Newfoundland and Labrador), Donna MacDonald (P.E.I.), Theresa MacInnis (N.S.), Lise Lévesque (N.B.), Jacques Lambert, Doris Giguère, Maurice Simard (Quebec), Roy Borzellino, Frances Russo (Ontario), Don Rogers (Manitoba), Della Winkler (Saskatchewan), Pat Wakefield (B.C. and Yukon), Jacques Archambault (Headquarters).

CEIU emeritus members John Belinsky, Derm Coady and Jeanne Abramowich were made life members.

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Bargaining Update

Deer Lodge Centre

After a strong strike vote, PSAC members at Deer Lodge Centre in Winnipeg have voted to accept a new agreement. The new 26-month contract runs until May 31, 2004 and provides for wage increases of 7.6% for non-nursing staff and 20% for Licenced Practical Nurses. Members will also receive improvements to vacation leave and increased premiums for evening, night and weekend shifts. The employer will now pay 100% of Long Term Disability premiums and cost-share Health Care Plan premiums.

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Greater Fredericton Airport Authority

PSAC/UCTE members working for the Greater Fredericton Airport Authority have a first agreement which provides strong job security and average pay increases of 19% over four years. In August, the bargaining unit had voted 100% in favour of strike. Other negotiated benefits include the joint selection of a new job evaluation plan, protection against harassment and abuse of authority, expanded maternity and parental leave provisions, marriage leave covering all spousal unions, overtime meal allowances and shift and weekend premiums. The agreement expires on April 30, 2005.

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Equity gains in revised Travel Directive

For the first time, the National Joint Council (NJC) Travel Directive has been reviewed by the NJC's Joint Employment Equity Committee (JEEC) and assessed using an "equity lens". The JEEC reviewed the policy and identified potential barriers against members of equity groups.

The PSAC identified that obligations flowing from the duty to accommodate were critical. As a result, some important gains have been made.

The principles of the Travel Directive have been revised to include the need for management decisions to respect the duty to accommodate. The Administration section of the Directive refers to the accommodation of employee needs in determining travel arrangements and the Responsibilities section states that the accommodation of needs must be provided to the point of undue hardship For persons with certain types of mobility disabilities, barrier free travel requires that they have access to appropriate seats.

Another gain involves the definition of "dependent" which will now include children adopted by aboriginal people under Custom Adoption Practice. In addition, dependents who are disabled, regardless of age, will be covered by the revised policy.

Several other issues of concern raised by the PSAC have yet to be corrected. These include the lack of specific measures to ensure that hotel accommodation and other lodging meet acceptable accessibility standards and the restriction that dependent care expenses in a two parent family will only be reimbursed if both parents work for the federal public sector.

The revised NJC Travel Directive becomes effective October 1, 2002. Employers are obligated to accommodate employees up to the point of undue hardship. If you want to know more about the duty to accommodate, you will find "Duty to Accommodate:  A PSAC Guide for Local Representatives" under the PSAC website.

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Table 2 Compensation Study Update

The PSAC and Treasury Board have agreed on Terms of Reference for a joint compensation study agreed to during bargaining last year. The "Operational Services Compensation Comparability Study" is designed to research the rates of pay paid by other employers in the public and private sectors for jobs comparable to those at Table 2.

The Terms of Reference provide that a firm specializing in compensation research will be contracted to carry out the survey. This fall a formal "request for proposal" will be released through the government's contracting system. The research is expected to be conducted in the new year and then reported upon prior to the expiry date of the collective agreement (August 4, 2003). The survey will gather data on wage rates for a representative sampling of jobs within the Operational Services bargaining unit. The PSAC will use these survey results to negotiate overall wage increases for Table 2.

The study will be overseen by a formal joint committee. The PSAC's representatives on that committee are Regional Executive Vice-President (Quebec) Jérôme Turcq, PSAC negotiator Tom Clairmont and Research Officer David Orfald. The terms of reference are available on the PSAC web site.

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Erratum

Due to the writer's oversight, two directors were omitted from the list of newly elected national executive and council of the Agriculture Union in the last issue of the Union Update. They were: Jasmine Stroz-Breton from Montreal, Quebec, and Madeleine David from Gatineau, Quebec. The Update regrets the error.

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