March 13, 2007

Important information from PSAC National President John Gordon to PSAC Members Working at Service Canada

Service Canada was created and partially implemented by the former Liberal government. It is being maintained and expanded by the current Conservative government. Service Canada is a reality.

The two main political parties—the ones that are most likely to form the next government and the one after—both agree that Service Canada is here to stay. As a result, it is highly unlikely that Service Canada is going away.

The creation of Service Canada has led to a jurisdictional dispute between two PSAC Components, namely: Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU) and the National Health and Welfare Union (NH&WU). “Jurisdictional dispute” means a dispute over which Component of the PSAC has the right to represent Service Canada members at the workplace level.

This jurisdictional dispute has been confirmed by the PSAC's National Board of Directors. It has also been confirmed by two Ontario judges who were asked by NH&WU in court to declare that no such dispute existed.

Given the clear reality that a jurisdictional dispute exists, it must be resolved if we are to move forward as a Union.

This vote will resolve the jurisdictional dispute, and that's a good thing.

Service Canada represents more than a change in the way that government delivers service to the public. It includes significant changes in your jobs, changes in your classification, changes in work rules, changes in work location and changes in so many other areas.

PSAC has a responsibility to make change work to the benefit of working people; in the context of Service Canada getting it right is critically important to your future.

Getting it right means a unified, consistent and focused union response to governmental and departmental initiatives. Getting it right means focused and consistent representation in the workplace. We need to ensure strong, focused, consistent and effective representation on classification, staffing, health and safety, and many other rights and working conditions.

That's why it makes sense that one Component should represent all PSAC members who work for Service Canada.

This vote is designed to determine which Component will represent the PSAC members at Service Canada.

Service Canada may be one federal department, but with 467 work locations across the country, it is the most decentralized department or agency within the Canadian federal government. That's a huge number of work locations, where local management decisions have an impact on your working lives. That's why representation by one PSAC Component on the workplace issues that PSAC Components are mandated to address is in the best interest of PSAC members employed by Service Canada.

Which Component? The Choice is Yours!

You are currently a member of one of the following PSAC Components:

• Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU);
• National Health and Welfare Union (NH&WU);
• National Component; or
• Government Services Union (GSU).

If you are employed by Service Canada you have a right to vote, and can choose between two Components: CEIU and NH&WU.

Whatever the outcome, you will still be a member of the PSAC. Your collective agreement will be the same, and you will continue to enjoy all rights and privileges that flow from membership in Canada's largest and most committed federal public sector union.

Please take the time to get informed and vote.

In Solidarity,

John Gordon
National President

Your ballot has to be received by April 27, 2007 at the latest to be counted.

Voting Schedule.

Videos:
John Gordon High-resolution / Low-resolution

Canada Employment and Immigration Union

National Health and Welfare Union