November 25, 2008
PSAC Bargaining Units with Treasury Board (PA, SV, TC, EB, FB)
A tentative agreement was reached on November 23, 2008, on behalf of PSAC members who work for Treasury Board in the Program and Administration Services (PA) bargaining unit. The tentative agreement, if ratified, will have an expiry date of June 20, 2011 (4 year agreement).
The highlights of improvements to the collective agreement are as follows:
- Economic Increases and Monetary Gains
2.3% pay increase on June 21, 2007
1.5% pay increase on June 21, 2008
1.5% pay increase on June 21, 2009
1.5% pay increase on June 21, 2010
- Lump sum payment of $4,000 to every member of the PA group who is a member of the bargaining unit on December 15, 2008.
- payment is pensionable.
- will be paid out within 150 days of the signing of the collective agreement.
- members on any type of leave on December 15 are still members of the bargaining unit and will therefore still receive the lump sum payment.
- members who are in an acting position outside the bargaining unit on December 15 will receive the lump sum if they have only been in their acting position for less than four months.
- members will not be receiving the lump sum if they have been acting in a position outside of the bargaining unit for four months or more on December 15, 2008.
Workforce Adjustment (WFA)
- Strengthened the provisions of the WFA to avoid lay-offs by negotiating language that requires the government to review the use of temporary help agencies, contractors and consultants and constrains their use if there is Surplus or laid off persons available to do the work. Education allowance is increased to $10,000 (from $8,000) and financial counselling aid is increased to $600 (from $400). Notification timelines to your union of a WFA stituation are improved and there also other revisions to ensure that the changing role of the Public Service Commission does not result in a reduction of entitlements for our members.
Classification Reform
- A new Memorandum of Understanding has been added to the collective agreement which commits the employer to begin work on a review and redesign of the Occupational Group Structure (OGS) for the PA group within six months following the signing of the collective agreement. This is the first time that we have been able to negotiate a firm commitment to classification reform within our collective agreement. It further anticipates that the parties will complete the initial review and redesign of the OGS within two years.
Other Changes
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Funding for the Joint Learning Program has been secured for the life of the collective agreement.
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New provision on call-back worked from a remote location. Employees who are called at home or elsewhere outside of their normal working hours will receive compensation at the applicable overtime rate, even if they don't physically return to their place of work.
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Term employees who take maternity or parental leave may now be rehired by Parks Canada, CRA or CFIA (as well as Treasury Board) within 90 days of the expiry of their leave in order to avoid having to pay back their top-up. The same provisions also apply to permanent employees who are hired by any of these Agencies when they return from their maternity leave.
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Definition of family has been moved from the Bereavement Leave article to the Interpretations and Definitions article, and this expanded definition will also apply to Leave Without Pay for Care of Immediate Family.
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Bereavement Leave article is amended to allow members to take the leave either at the time of death or to defer the leave if the funeral or memorial is held at a later date.
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The Public Service Labour Relations Act now provides for two new types of grievances: group grievances and policy grievances. Changes to the grievance procedure have been made to reflect these new entitlements.
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Employees now have the ability to cash out their banked compensatory leave once per fiscal year.
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Employees who qualify for Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits may now take Compassionate Care Leave under Leave Without Pay for Immediate Family.
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Various clauses throughout the agreement have been amended to reflect changes to the Public Service Labour Relations Act, but none of these affect any substantive rights.
Concessions
- There are no concessions in the tentative agreement.
Your bargaining team comprising:
Megan Adam
Ken Boone
Michele Coe
Sharon DeSousa
Debbie Graham
Louiselle Laforest
Douglas Marshall
Sylvie Pinard
Geoffrey Ryan
Patty Ducharme, AEC Officer
unanimously recommends acceptance of the tentative agreement.
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Date Modified : 2008/11/27
Public Service Alliance of Canada | 233, Gilmour Street, Ottawa, ONTARIO CANADA, K2P 0P1, Tel.: 1 888 604-7722 (PSAC)