December 3, 2009
PSAC members elect their bargaining team
PSAC members at the National Gallery of Canada held a lunch-hour meeting on Wednesday December 2, 2009 to elect their negotiating team for the next round of negotiations. Team members are David Bosschaart, Philippe Carpentier and Christine Fagan. The alternate team members are Jim Prowse, 1st alternate and Ceridwen Maycock 2nd alternate.
The present collective agreement ends in June 2010 and a Notice to Bargain will be sent to the employer in April.
Meanwhile, the members continue to mobilize and fight against the lay-offs of the educator-guides and the employer's attempt to privatize the book store.
For Maria Fitzpatrick, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-president for the National Capital Region, the current Canadian government has demonstrated on several occasions that support for cultural institutions like the National Gallery is not on its agenda and that many jobs in the public sector are now seen as being at risk.
“PSAC members at the NGC are engaging in a most important struggle to protect their jobs and the public services Canadians are entitled to, “Fitzpatrick said. “The upcoming round of negotiation could become a defining moment in the history of the NGC,” she added.
Philippe Carpentier is the President of the PSAC Local at the National Gallery. He says that PSAC members at the gallery have a long history of successful labour struggles and are ready for a difficult negotiation.
“The members stand firmly behind their negotiating team,” Carpentier said. Their commitment and determination will help the team negotiate a fair and just collective agreement,” he concluded.
First row: Christine Fagan and Philippe Carpentier,
Second row: David Bosschaart, Ceridwen Maycock 2nd alternate. Jim Prowse, 1st alternate, David Sauvé PSAC negotiator
Date Modified : 2010/07/29
