January 30, 2008
Under current collective agreements, federal public sector workers are not entitled to new provincial statutory holidays proclaimed in Ontario and Manitoba. The third Monday in February, to be celebrated in Manitoba as Riel Day and as Family Day in Ontario, is a holiday only for workers subject to provincial employment standards statutes. This restriction also applies to the Family Day holidays observed on the same Monday in both Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Federal public sector collective agreements provide for 11 designated paid holidays, including a day in the opinion of the Employer to be a provincial or civic holiday. Currently the civic holiday recognized by the Employer is the first Monday in August. At this time, federal public sector collective agreements do not provide for a second provincial holiday.
However, it is important to remember that the entitlement to 11 designated paid holidays under federal public sector collective agreements exceeds the allotment of designated paid holidays available under the provincial employment standards acts.
Moreover, in addition to the 11 designated paid holidays, the vast majority of PSAC members employed by Treasury Board (see below) are also entitled to both a Personal Leave day and a Volunteer Leave day which, subject to operational requirements and appropriate notice, could be booked to coincide with Family/Riel Day. Remember that both these leave days must be used before the end of the current fiscal year (March 31).
The PSAC is in favour of more time off for workers and a number of our collective agreements with Treasury Board contemplate the addition of another Designated Paid Holiday pending an Act of Parliament proclaiming a new national holiday. Certainly the PSAC would support the creation of a national Louis Riel day holiday in February.
We continue to lobby the government to enact such a holiday and we encourage members to do the same. So, write, e-mail or fax the Prime Minister at the contacts listed below and, in the meantime, check your collective agreement for leave that you can book to coincide with the new provincial stat holiday.
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2
e-mail: pm@pm.gc.ca
fax : 613-941-6900
In each case, the granting of the leave is subject to operational requirements, and five working days’ notice is required when applying for the leave, except for employees of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency who are required to provide 10 days’ notice.
Program and Administrative Services (PA)
Operational Services Group (SV)
Technical Services (TC)
Frontier/Border Services (PA Agreement)
Education and Library Science (EB)
Canada Revenue Agency
Parks Canada
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Statistical Survey Operations – Office
Home Site Map Contact Us Bargaining Search Join Our Union Français
Date Modified : 2008/02/06
Public Service Alliance of Canada | 233, Gilmour Street, Ottawa, ONTARIO CANADA, K2P 0P1, Tel.: 1 888 604-7722 (PSAC)