No. 47                                                                 August 15, 2001

A decision has been issued in the PSAC’s Section 99 reference to the Public Service Staff Relations Board (PSSRB). The union was asking the Board to declare that the pay equity adjustments are pay for all purposes, except for two specific areas covered in the pay equity agreement. More details on the case are contained in PSAC Pay Equity Bulletin 46. Hearings were held on June 26 and 27 before the PSSRB Chairperson.

The Chairperson has now issued his decision which states that unless the parties can agree on this issue, the matter should go back to the Federal Court or the Human Rights Tribunal. In effect, he has side-stepped the actual issue.

Appreciating that proceeding to the Court or the Tribunal will take time, he has offered the dispute resolution services of the PSSRB to allow the parties to resolve their differences more quickly.

The union is reviewing the decision and considering its options. Members will be kept advised of further developments.