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Union UpdateJune 27 to July 8, 2005 In this issue:
Robyn Benson re-elected PSAC Regional Vice-President for Prairie regionDelegates to the PSAC Prairie regional convention have elected Robyn Benson as their Regional Executive Vice-President (REVP) for a three-year term. “The PSAC Prairie Region is now more representative than ever, thanks to changes to our regional structure that were accepted by delegates at convention,” stated Benson. “The inclusion of representatives from all equity groups in addition to a youth representative on our regional council will significantly advance PSAC's progressive agenda.” This is Benson’s third term as REVP for the Prairies. She was first elected into the position at PSAC’s Triennial Convention in 2000. Prior to that, Benson had been the Regional Vice-President for the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) since 1993. She worked for 20 years with the Winnipeg Taxation Centre of Revenue Canada, now the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Brian Molsberry was also re-elected as the alternate Regional Executive Vice-President for the Prairies Region. He would become the REVP in the event that Benson could not complete her term of office. About 300 delegates to the regional convention met from June 24 to 26 and passed resolutions calling for a national union strategy to eliminate regional rates of pay and to make this issue a priority political campaign. Many PSAC members working in operational services (Table 2) at Treasury Board, in particular, believe that the employer’s practice of paying different rates based on regional locations to workers doing the same work is discriminatory and does not respect and value the work they provide. Another resolution, which took effect as soon as it was passed, was to guarantee one delegate per area council to the regional convention. The PSAC represents about 23,000 members in the Prairie region. USGE has a new presidentUnion of Solicitor General Employees delegates have elected John Edmunds as the new National President of the Union Solicitor General Employees. The component convention was held in Halifax from July 7 to 11. Edmunds was USGE National Vice-President before the convention. He replaces Lynn Ray who has been USGE National President for 18 years. She was first elected to the National Executive in 1984, holding the position of Regional Vice-President for RCMP and Department of Justice members in British Columbia and Yukon. Three years later, she was elected USGE National President. Ray received a heartfelt ovation from delegates during the convention banquet. Among the many resolutions debated at the convention, delegates voted in favour of making the USGE a more inclusive and more bilingual component. It was decided that the President of the Component should be able to communicate with all the members in Canada’s two official languages, or endeavour to become bilingual during his/her term of office. The component will provide the president with language training when necessary. In addition to National President Edmunds, the USGE executive now includes National Vice-President (NVP) Jackie Schmidt, Regional Vice-Presidents for the National Parole Board / National Parole Service in the east: Ken Hazard. In the west: Alec Brown. In Ottawa for RVP CSC / Justice/ PSEPC / CHRC / Courts/ IPC: Doug Marshall. In Atlantic for CSC: Mike Arsenault, for RCMP/ Justice, Debbie Kelly. In Quebec, for CSC, Martine Racine, for RCMP/Justice France Garnier; in Ontario for RCMP / Justice Janet Hauck; in Manitoba for CSC Ken Friesen; in Saskatchewan for CSC, Barry Stolar; in Manitoba/ Saskatchewan for RCMP / Justice, Jackie Schmidt; in Alberta / NWT for CSC, Stan Stapleton; in Alberta / NWT for RCMP/Justice, Karen Dion; in BC / Yukon for CSC, Keith Glover; in BC / Yukon for RCMP / Justice, Janet McLellan. ILO conference tackles youth unemploymentParticipants to a recent conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) agreed that high-quality public services can significantly increase youth employment. The delegates also committed to encourage the involvement of young people in labour market policies and programs. The ILO also agreed to support efforts to strengthen the capacity of workers’ organizations to reach out and engage young workers. The conference was held in Geneva, from May 30 to June 16, 2005. It was attended by representatives of unions, employers and governments. A report from the conference states that increased public services provides an “enabling environment for increased private investment and job growth” and that there is “considerable scope to expand economic activity in key sectors through public and private initiatives, which will also help economic and job growth.” During her speech at a recent USGE convention in Halifax, N.S., PSAC National President Nycole Turmel also discussed the involvement of young people in the labour movement. She said that the PSAC has been a long-standing advocate of stronger youth participation in the labour movement and within the PSAC. “I think that it is fair to say that our union has done a good job of bringing in new activists over the last few years,” said Turmel. “That's because we are more mobilized and engaged on issues.” You can read the findings from the Committee on Youth Employment under the heading Promoting Youth Employment on the web site: http://www.oit.org/public/english/standards/relm/ilc/ilc93/reports.htm Bargaining Update• PSAC members working at the Canadian Museum of Civilization ratified a tentative agreement reached earlier between the PSAC and the management of the museum. The agreement includes wage increases similar to those obtained in the federal public service: 2.5%, 2.25%, 2.4% and 2.5% for each of the four years of the agreement. The employees will also be entitled to improved vacation leave provisions and improvements to the maternity and parental leave articles. Part-time employees will receive financial compensation for their fringe benefits. “Although the employer did not budge on subcontracting, we recommended the agreement to the membership, as it contains significant improvements to their working conditions,” explained Ed Cashman, the PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for the National Capital Region. • PSAC members reached a tentative agreement with the Hudson Bay Port in Winnipeg. The agreement contains salary increases and improvement on hours of work, vacation, leaves and benefits. If ratified, the new contract will expire on December 31, 2006. • PSAC members ratified tentative agreements with the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires in the Yukon and in Victoria and the Island, and with the Qulliq Energy Corporation in Nunavut. • The PSAC served notice to bargain to the town of Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories, to the Saskatoon Airport Authority and the Pangnirtung Housing Association. 55 foot Tepee in honour of First NationsPSAC members erected a huge tepee at the Assembly of First Nations’ (AFN) Trade Show located at the Sir John Franklin High School. The 26th AFN General Assembly was held from July 5-7, 2005, and the official estimate is that the event attracted over eight thousand delegates, observers, participants and visitors to Yellowknife. The tepee may be the largest ever erected in the North. The poles for the tepee weigh a total of 6000 lbs and were cut in southern Alberta and shipped to Yellowknife for the event. Dene artist Archie Beaulieu painted the teepe canvas, which will be completed at the Dene General Assembly in Rae in August 2005. “The PSAC, Union of Northern Workers and the Dene Nation entered into a joint research project in November 2004 regarding Dene Workers’ Rights. The PSAC is a proud supporter of First Nations’ peoples and the tepee is symbolic of our commitment as a union to building a stronger working relationship with Aboriginal leaders and communities regionally and nationally,” says Jean-François Des Lauriers, Regional Executive Vice-President – North. At the event, PSAC profiled its National Aboriginal Inuit and Métis (NAIM) Network. Nycole Turmel, PSAC National President addressed the Assembly. “The creation of NAIM Network is a major step forward in PSAC’s long history of solidarity with its Aboriginal members in advancing their rights in the workplace and society. The NAIM Network aims to provide a unified voice for the diverse community of PSAC’s Aboriginal, Inuit and Métis members, so that together, they can increase their involvement at all levels in our Union, empower each other, and advance their rights within and beyond our Union”, said Turmel.
The tepee PSAC members erected at the AFN General Assembly Arbitration resolves long-outstanding issues at CSISFollowing a frustrating set of negotiations, the Public Service Alliance of Canada filed for Arbitration on behalf of unionized members employed at Canadian Security Intelligence Service, in an attempt to resolve numerous outstanding monetary and non-monetary issues. An arbitration board hearing was held May 25 - 27 in Ottawa. During Arbitration, PSAC presented compelling evidence that the Employer acted in an "unfair" fashion by providing monetary increases to everyone except the unionized employees. The arbitral award was issued the first week of June and provides a salary adjustment (2.9% to 5.2 %) on January 1st 2004, and annual wage increases of 2 per cent, 2.65 per cent and 2.5 per cent in April 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively. On average, employees will receive a 10.6% increase in salary over thirty three months. On top of the wage increases and the adjustment, the Arbitral award recognized the existence of the "Unfair" disparity prior to the expiry date of the last collective agreement and ordered CSIS to pay each unionized employee on staff as of the date of the report a 'compensation bonus' of $1,600. Finally, the award provides for double time for all overtime on days of rest, one day personal leave, one day volunteer leave, and a number of improved contract language amendments. The new collective agreement expires April 1, 2007. PSAC members fight for salmonBC PSAC members and staff were out in full force at the Steveston Salmon Festival on Canada Day for the launch of a postcard and petition campaign aimed at the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. Over the course of the day, Environment Component activists spoke to hundreds of people about the ongoing job losses at DFO in the Pacific Region, and the impact further budget cuts will have on the protection of salmon and other fish stocks. In the last few years, DFO employees have found themselves increasingly unable to fulfill their mandates in stock assessment, fisheries enforcement, habitat restoration, hatcheries and other enhancement programs.Liberal promises to fund Pacific Region fisheries work have fallen far short of the mark, and continued job losses are planned in the Department over the next three years, further compounding the problem. For Patty Ducharme, the PSAC REVP for B.C., this campaign is as much about protecting the environment and a very valuable resource as it is about saving jobs. “We are calling on the Canadian government to responsibly honour fisheries resources in BC by restoring and increasing funding to Fisheries and Oceans Canada,” Ducharme said.“We owe it to Canadians to protect our fish and the people whose livelihoods rely on them.” The PSAC and the Environment Component ask Minister Geoff Regan and all other Members of Parliament to take a stand for the Pacific fishery and provide adequate funding to the task. For further information on this campaign please visit http://www.psacbc.com/fisheries.
Megan Adam, member of the PSAC B.C. Regional Council, Local 20147 at the PSAC booth at the Steveston Salmon Festival. Supervisors at Pearson Airport fly to the PSACThe twenty nine (29) supervisors employed by TBI Canada at Terminal Three (T-3) of Lester Pearson International Airport became the newest PSAC members last month when the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) certified the Public Service Alliance of Canada as their bargaining agent. T-3 Supervisors organize tasks, schedule work and perform quality assurance tests in various departments including the facilities department, baggage operations and apron operations among others. The PSAC launched the campaign to organize them on May 12 and filed for certification on May 31, 2005. The CIRB released its decision on June 30, 2005. Worker organizer Slawomir Czerwiec believes this intense certification campaign was a successful step towards a first collective agreement. For PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President Gerry Halabecki, this victory has particular significance for the PSAC because the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees Local 4 (UCTE) represents over five hundred (500) employees of the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (“G.T.A.A.”). PSAC will soon send a notice to bargain to TBI Canada to start the negotiation for a first collective agreement.
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