Union Update

August 2007

Acrobat format

In this issue:

• Public services are cool, even during a hot summer
• CFIA members ratify agreement
• Coalition bargaining brings collective agreements on military bases
• Another week of negotiations with Parks Canada
• Electoral reform referendum: One chance on October 10, 2007
• PSAC Rates - Meal & Incidental allowances

(ERRATA: In the last Union Update we stated that "PSAC members working at C.F.B. Borden, C.F.B. Petawawa and C.F.B. Trenton have reached new collective agreements." This is incorrect. While CFB Trenton did ratify this agreement, members at C.F.B. Bordon will be voting on August 30th and members at C.F.B. Petawawa rejected the agreement.)

Public services are cool, even during a hot summer

PSAC members have been active this summer in all regions of the country telling Canadians how cool public services are. They’re also delivering the message about the government’s plan to sell prime federal real estate to the private sector.

British Columbia
On Canada Day, PSAC members in British Columbia, distributed over 5,000 fans bearing the message Public Services are Cool, 250 temporary tattoos, and 800 leaflets amongst thousands of people at Canada Place. Members also leafleted and handed out the fans in Burnaby, Queen’s Park, Port Moody, Cloverdale, Abbotsford, Surrey and Terrace.

On July 7, leaflets and fans were handed out at a BBQ hosted by NDP MP Libby Davies and on the Queen Charlotte Islands members leafleted and distributed fans at Skidegate Days from July 19 to 22.  More fans appeared at the Labour of Love Festival at Grandview Park on July 14 and 15 and at the Car Free Festival in Vancouver on July 22.

Prairies
On July 19th, PSAC members in Edmonton kicked off the Public Services Are Cool activity by distributing 2500 fans to the public who attended the Capital X Parade. The fans were a real hit with the parade goers given the hot and humid weather conditions Edmonton has been experiencing.

In Lethbridge, PSAC members had a float in the Coaldale Candy Day Parade and distributed fans to the public.  In Manitoba, fans and flyers were distributed at the Winnipeg Folk Festival and at the Thresher Festival in Austin, west of Winnipeg.

Ontario
In Toronto, 300 PSAC members attended a rally at 4900 Yonge St. to protest the government’s plan to sell the building.  They came out on their lunch break and participated in the barbeque and food bank drive that coincided with the rally.

Speakers at the rally included Alex Sauvé Vice President, Government Services Union, Ken Boone, Alternate Regional Executive Vice President for Ontario and Peggy Nash, Member of Parliament for High Park-Parkdale.

Members of the public who were visiting the building were quite shocked by the government’s sale and lease back plan.  They were encouraged to call their MPs and speak out against the government’s plans. The food bank drive raised donations of non-perishable foods and $490 for the Daily Bread Food Bank.

National Capital Region
In the National Capital Region, PSAC members organized a rally in June to protest the sale of buildings belonging to the federal government and lobbied federal MPs on the need to defend quality public services. The demonstration against the sale of federal buildings attracted the attention of numerous media.

PSAC president John Gordon declared that this sale is a bad deal for the Canadian people and that PSAC will continue to pressure the Government of Canada to put a halt to this sale once and for all.  “Canadians will not be well served by this sale.  It makes more sense economically to remain the owner and preserve and protect public property,” he added.

As for other visits to MPs, members in the NCR met with the Minister of the Environment, John Baird.  Discussions dealt with environmental issues, Parks Canada and the sale of federal buildings.

Québec
In Montreal, PSAC members gathered on July 12 in front of 305 René-Lévesque Blvd. West to protest the sale of that federal government-owned building.

Patty Ducharme, PSAC National Executive Vice-President, Jérôme Turcq, Regional Executive Vice-President for Quebec, Betty Bannon, the President of the Union of Taxation Employees, and Diane Bourgeois, the MP for Terrebonne-Blainville and critic for public works and government services for the Bloc Québécois, attended the demonstration.

305 René-Lévesque Blvd. West is one of nine federal buildings that the government is planning to sell and then lease back for 25 years.

Atlantic
In Moncton, New Brunswick, PSAC members installed a booth at the 2007 Canadian Juvenile/Junior Judo Championship which was held on June 30 and July 1.  The athletes, coaches and parents know only too well the importance of quality public services.  During the event over 400 athletes from across the country were competing for medals.  Many took the time to visit the PSAC booth to find out more about quality public services.

Agriculture Union Local President Jennifer Boucher and National Component Local President Rhéal Vautour spent the day at the Shediac Lobster Festival distributing fans to visitors of the Festival.  It was a hot day and the visitors appreciated the fans and their message."

North
In the north, PSAC members were busy in Yellowknife, Hay River, Fort Simpson and Dawson City distributing leaflets and fans and collecting petition signatures. They also organised a BBQ in Whitehorse.

The union had a strong presence at the Folk on the Rocks Festival in Yellowknife where the PSAC booth attracted the attention of a number of actors, including Festival host John Dunsworth (Mr. Lahey from the TV show Trailer Park Boys).

CFIA members ratify agreement

PSAC members with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have ratified their tentative agreement. Arrangements will now be made to sign the new collective agreement which expires on December 31, 2007. Preparation for the next round of bargaining will begin soon. Discussions are underway to begin negotiations with the employer early in the fall.

Coalition bargaining brings collective agreements on military bases

(ERRATA: In the last Union Update we stated that "PSAC members working at C.F.B. Borden, C.F.B. Petawawa and C.F.B. Trenton have reached new collective agreements." This is incorrect. While CFB Trenton did ratify this agreement, members at C.F.B. Bordon will be voting on August 30th and members at C.F.B. Petawawa rejected the agreement.)

PSAC members working at C.F.B. Borden, C.F.B. Petawawa and C.F.B. Trenton have reached new collective agreements.  The three bargaining units, whose members are all employed by Sunlite Cleaners, are part of PSAC’s Union of National Defence Employees (UNDE).

Among other improvements, the workers will receive salary increases, improved annual and bereavement leaves, a portable seniority clause, and more flexibility in scheduling holidays. The employer also agreed to provide the workers with free work clothing. For PSAC members at C.F.B. Trenton, this is their first collective agreement.  Congratulations to all the team members for their hard work.

Another week of negotiations with Parks Canada

Our PSAC negotiating team met with the Parks Canada team from June 18th to June 22nd. During this week the Employer made five presentations to our team. There were presentations about Assets, Finance, Visitor Experience, National Historic Sites and the corporate plan to 2011-12.

The objective of the presentations was to give both parties a common understanding of how Parks Canada functions. Both sides asked each other questions and sought clarifications on their demands and also talked about how the Parks are managed and cared for.

This week was also a first chance for our team members to start reviewing the editorial changes proposed by the Employer and the changes related to the new Public Service Modernization Act (PSMA). Our team also had a chance to start preparing for its own presentations of our members demands. These presentations to the employer are planned for the fall.

Essential Services Agreements

On June 18, PSAC signed a protocol with Parks Canada regarding Essential Service Agreements (ESAs). There will be joint training of the union and management representatives who will be involved in negotiating the ESAs.

Student employment

Over the summer, Local representatives will be talking with students about their employment with Parks Canada. This is an important issue as the Agency is increasing its use of student workers, and more importantly paying them under student employment programs when they are doing the work of PSAC members.

Electoral reform referendum:
One chance on October 10, 2007

Ontario voters will soon be given an historic opportunity to modernize their first-past-the-post electoral system. On October 10, the province will hold a referendum to determine whether or not the the province should adopt a Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system. Adding a degree of proportional representation to the electoral system gives voters more realistic voting options, will deliver more representative election outcomes and better representation overall.

VOTE for MMP is multi-partisan campaign to make this important reform happen. It welcomes people from all backgrounds and every political party. For more information on MMP and the VOTE for MMP campaign, including details on how to help, volunteer and donate, visit www.VoteForMMP.ca or contact info@voteforMMP.ca, or call 416-644-1034 or toll-free 1-866-283-3MMP.

PSAC Rates - Meal & Incidental allowances
Effective:  July 01, 2007

Kilometric rates

The rates payable in cents per kilometre for authorized official use of private cars within and outside the headquarters area during the calendar year are shown below:

Notes: 

• Rates are always paid in Canadian funds.  The daily minimum kilometric allowance remains unchanged at $2.35.

• The kilometric rate payable when a Canadian registered vehicle is driven on PSAC business travel in more than one province or in the USA shall be the rate applicable to the province or territory of registration of the vehicle.

• Traveller requested kilometric rates (lower rates) no longer apply to the PSAC Travel Directive except for Isolated Posts and Relocation

Directives (see http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/hrpubs/TBM_113/trkr-tkdv_e.asp)

PLEASE NOTE:  These rates may not be in accordance with NJC rates.