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Welcome to the PSAC e-mail news for the period of October 6 24, 2003 Acrobat format
PSAC, Public Service Integrity Officer on the same wavelengthThe Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) garnered strong support in its fight to improve protection of whistleblowers in the federal public service. In his most recent report, Dr. Edward Keyserlingk, Public Service Integrity Officer, requested that a number of measures be taken to ensure that public service workers are not subjected to reprisals when they disclose wrongdoings. "We agree with the Integrity Officer that a policy is not enough. Legislation must be adopted," said PSAC National President Nycole Turmel. Turmel also endorsed the proposal that Crown Corporation employees enjoy the same protection as federal public service employees. For Turmel, the whistleblowing policy has been given a chance, but experience proves that it does not work. "The evidence keeps mounting that separate legislation with strong provisions for enforcement of the law and protection of whistleblowers is what is needed. The time for study is over and the time for Parliament to consider legislation is overdue," concluded Nycole Turmel.
PSAC press conference calls for federal anti-scab lawThe PSAC held a press conference in New Brunswick on September 26, 2003, in support of federal anti-scab legislation proposed by a Bloc Québécois MP. The press conference was held at Federal Minister of Labour Claudette Bradshaw's constituency office in Moncton, New Brunswick. Speakers at the conference called on Parliament to pass Bill C-328, sponsored by Bloc Québécois MP Monique Guay. If adopted, the bill will prohibit employers under the Canada Labour Code from hiring replacement workers to perform the duties of workers who are on strike or locked out. Conference speakers included New Brunswick Federation of Labour officials, Terrence Carter and Dawn Robichaud, and the PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for the Atlantic Region. Apart from media, about 40 people attended the press conference, including PSAC staff and members of the Atlantic Council, the President of the Moncton and District Labour Council and representatives from the N.B. Federation of Labour, the Canadian Labour Congress, Canadian Auto Workers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the Association of Librarians and Professors at the University of Moncton. The anti-scab legislation will be debated in the House of Commons this month. The PSAC considers the legislation essential in the modern labour market because it promotes civilized bargaining and industrial peace.
Political action by Women's Committee snags MRIIrene Howell, the chair of the PSAC Regional Women's Committee (RWC) in Rocky Harbour, Nfld., received a call recently from a politician advising her that a fixed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unit would soon be coming to the Corner Brook Hospital. At a Western RWC Women's Retreat held from May 31 to June 1, 2003, delegates decided to take political action that included a rally to fight for an MRI for the Corner Brook, Nfld., area. Our sisters held that rally and helped bring further attention to the issue. The extra effort of the women at the Western Retreat and the rally has helped make this dream come true. Once again PSAC members can hold their heads high and know their continued work and efforts do pay off. As Howell aptly put it: "Political action works!"
Canada's food safety is worth more than peanutsThe employees of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) were handing out peanuts to management on October 16, in order to express their anger towards their employer's final position in collective bargaining. The demonstration was held at CFIA headquarters, at 59 Camelot Drive in Ottawa. "The Agency's offer of 1% increase each year of the contract is an insult," said PSAC Regional Executive Vice-president (NCR) Ed Cashman. Members working at the CFIA receive salaries much lower than their colleagues working for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the rest of the federal public sector. "The Agency's employees fulfill a very important role in Canadian society and they deserve a pay increase that is above the inflation rate," Cashman said. Since the beginning of the negotiations in May 2003, the employer's attitude has been tantamount to a refusal to negotiate. While the union made significant efforts to present a package that could lead to an agreement, the employer has not made any movement on any of the union's key issues. "This employer inflexibility is very frustrating," Cashman said. "The employer does not seem to have any idea of the value of our work in protecting the health and welfare of Canadians." The PSAC recently requested the help of a conciliation officer to assist in their negotiations with the CFIA in order not to disrupt one of Canada's most important public health protection systems. "We know how valuable our members' work is for Canadians," Cashman said. "We don't want to disrupt this very important public health protection system, but the employer will have to agree to truly negotiate with the workers."
PSAC to participate in community project in IqaluitA PSAC-led initiative to participate in a community research project led to a coalition that includes the City of Iqaluit. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) is conducting a one-year research project to strengthen women's involvement in municipal public participation processes, and Iqaluit was chosen as one of six Canadian communities to participate. The City of Iqaluit agreed to participate in the project with the PSAC after attending a meeting with the union to discuss making a submission to the FCM. A coalition composed of the PSAC Area Council, the PSAC Regional Women's Committee, The Northern Territories Federation of Labour, Qulliit Status of Women Council and the City of Iqaluit made a joint submission to this project. The Coalition partners will form a steering committee to carry the project forward and Qulliit will provide administrative support services.
Union victory, for non-unionized workersVaughan Davies, president of PSAC Local 90023 on Prince Edward Island, won a major union battle for a group of non-unionized employees. Every year, Parks Canada hires a dozen students from all over Canada and puts them to work performing a variety of jobs at the Prince Edward Island National Park. According to their service agreement, the students must work six hours a day. Recently, a group of these students met Davies and told him that Park management had them working up to 80 hours a week but only paid them for 40 hours. Brother Davies met with Park management to request that this practice be changed. Management turned a deaf ear. Davies raised the issue again at a meeting of the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee. He pointed out that several of these young workers were required to drive trucks on park roads, and that their long hours could constitute a risk due to their excessive tiredness. Management recognized that this was a problem, but nevertheless refused to deal with it. Davies then turned to Prince Edward Island MP Shawn Murphy, to let him know how these young workers were shamelessly exploited. The MP took charge of the issue and, the next day, a Parks Canada deputy minister contacted Prince Edward Island National Park management and ordered an end to this practice. Brother Davies did not stop there. He immediately launched a process to ensure that the young workers be paid all overtime worked during the summer. Once again, he was successful. As per Treasury Board regulations, the students were paid overtime at time and a half. For Brother Davies, this is a clear example of the support unions can provide to unionized and non-unionized workers.
Nunavut hamlet signs on to Social Justice FundPSAC members at the Hamlet of Clyde River in Nunavut scored another win for the Social Justice Fund when they signed a new collective agreement. This will make it the fourth PSAC collective agreement to include the Social Justice Fund whereby the employer contributes one cent for each hour worked per member. The Fund will finance social justice, development and crisis relief activities in Canada and abroad. Other provisions in the new collective agreement include improvements to the Northern Allowance, the pension plan, severance pay, and special and sick leaves, as well as salary increases.
Joint Learning at Communication CanadaThe PSAC / TB Joint Learning Program scored another success earlier this month. Members of GSU Local 70068 at Communication Canada participated in a session on Union Management Consultation with members of the Human Resources team of Communication Canada. GSU Local President Ray Zwicker reported they are now enthusiastic about union / management consultation and are forging ahead. The participants developed both a title for their consultation process and a mandate. The title is Communication Canada Workplace Consultation Forum and the mandate is as follows; "Our consultations will be respectful, open, honest, focused and co-operative; conducted by parties of equal standing; motivated by a win / win attitude; driven by a willingness to compromise and share all information for the betterment of the organization and its employees." The committee members are now developing terms of reference and setting up a meeting schedule.
Left to right: John Heffernan, Communication Canada Classification Advisor; Gerard Trasic, JLP Facilitator; Ray Zwicker, GSU Local President; Yvan Thériault, Communication Canada Classification Officer; Maria Fitzpatrick, JLP Facilitator; and Quinn Watson, GSU Local Vice-president.
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