September 19, 2007

Canada Revenue Agency Bargaining Unit

We're negotiating!

After another day of bargaining, your team is pleased to report that the process is going well.

Today, your team tabled a new demand with the employer asking the Agency to provide ergonomic counselling and assessments through an in-house national program. The demand is in response to a CRA decision to shut down an existing ergonomic in-house service being provided by five of our members to offices in some regions.

We'll be continuing to issue bulletins as the process continues. Remember, you can sign up now on the PSAC web site – www.psac-afpc.com to automatically receive Bargaining INFO bulletins as they are issued or by using the “Subscribe” feature on the UTE website at www.ute-sei.org.

More about those solidarity activities

Everyone was getting in on the act when Locals organized activities across the country in support of our negotiating team earlier this week. Saint John, New Brunswick boasted the youngest activist as 10 ½-month old Boyd Bembridge, wearing a big “I support my bargaining team” sticker, joined his mother and the Local executive who were plantgating on Monday.

Across the country, literally thousands of leaflets and stickers were handed out on September 17 as members showed their support for their negotiating team. Many wore their stickers in the workplace thoughout the day. The Sudbury Local also handed out PSAC’s colourful “Public Services are Cool” fans which members appreciated as something “bright and cheerful” for a Monday morning!

In Rouyn, 85% of the members wore jeans and a red shirt to work to show their solidarity, as did many others in Laval, Montérégie, Sherbrooke and Montreal. Members in a number of locations expressed a wish that we could make history by negotiating a new collective agreement before the old one expires. Your team is working on it!

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