We are Back to the Bargaining Table

Dear Friends,

I am happy to be able to start this email to you with some good news.

After months of pressure from PSAC and its members, the federal government has agreed to return to the bargaining table.

I want to take a moment and thank everyone who emailed Minister Yves Duclos urging Treasury Board to get back to the bargaining table. The Minister clearly heard the 15,000 PSAC members who sent emails. Even though it shouldn’t take this kind of pressure to get the government to the negotiating table, it is by working together through actions like this, that we are able to overcome major obstacles.

Negotiations for 70,000 members in the PA group have resumed starting on June 23 to July 3. It includes common issues for all 4 TB tables and Phoenix damages.

Bargaining will also resume for nearly 30,000 PSAC-UTE members at Canada Revenue Agency the week of July 6. EB, SV and TC may be meeting in the coming weeks if an agreement is reached at the common issues table. CFIA and Parks are likely to also resume pending the success of this week’s negotiations.

We are back to the table, however, as our National President, Chris Aylward stated, “now they have to show up with a mandate to reach a fair settlement without any more delays.”

In addition, we are continuing to work with DCL and separate employer locals as they face layoffs and changes to their working conditions as an impact of COVID. Our primary goal is to minimize the impact to members and their families and to ensure our members feel supported in these processes.

Please stay tuned to the provincial and national websites for updates.

In Solidarity,
Marianne Hladun

Make Sure Your Contact Information is Up-To-Date!

To ensure that our union is able to provide important information to keep you informed about COVID-19, your workplace rights, and enable your participation in union activities, including collective bargaining, it is crucial that we are able to reach you directly.

Take a moment to create an account via the PSAC Member Portal and update your contact information, including your personal email address, cell phone number, and home phone number.

REMINDER: It is required that you use your personal email for union communications. Do not use an email address associated with your employment.

Member Portal

State of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Over the past few weeks, disturbing information has come to light on the state of the CMHR from staff who alleged racism, homophobia, and sexual harassment that was dismissed by human resources staff and numerous managers.

Unfortunately, these allegations didn’t come as a surprise. PSAC/UNE Local 50773, which represents over 160 staff at the museum, has been raising these issues with museum management since at least October 2018. As recently as a month ago the union made proposals in contract talks with the museum to ensure anti-harassment training for all museum staff – including management – proposals that were rejected by the museum.

A good first step has been taken with the resignation of CMHR’s CEO, however there is much more work that needs to be done to repair the loss of trust and respect from the staff as well as the general public.

Response to Winnipeg Free Press editor, Paul Samyn, on his COVID-19 Email Introduction on Service Canada Employees

On Monday, June 22nd – a day after the end of National Public Service Week – Paul Samyn, Winnipeg Free Press editor, focused his introductory comments for the COVID-19 daily email on Service Canada employees. He questioned the continued closer of Service Canada offices, insinuating that Canadians can’t get access to those government services and criticized the employees and federal government plans that continue to rely on remote work as we navigate through this global pandemic.

We thought it was important to inform Mr. Samyn, and the public, of some of the facts he is missing, including anyone that can’t get help online or over the phone can make an appointment to meet with someone in person. It typically takes 1-2 days to get an appointment. Additionally, closing Service Canada offices to the general public protects those visiting the offices for help as much as it does the workers. As we know, COVID-19 isn’t gone and we have to continue to do the things that helped flatten the curve and stop the spread in the first place.

The Winnipeg Free Press chose not to publish our response, so we published it ourselves. Please read our response to Mr. Samyn’s comments and help get the word out through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Now is the Time to Protect Public Services

For National Public Service Week, Marianne Hladun wrote an op-ed to highlight the contribution of public service workers throughout the global pandemic we continue to be challenged by as well as the critical value of Canada’s public services in general.

At all levels of government, it’s become clear just how essential public services are and we must ensure that our political leaders understand this. But predictably, cuts to public services are already being contemplated and, in some cases, implemented.

The lesson from the pandemic is that there has never been a more important time to strengthen and expand—not cut—public services and to recognize the incredible jobs that public service workers do every day. Read the full op-ed on the PSAC-Prairies website, CPPA – Manitoba, Calgary Herald, or the Edmonton Journal.

Webinar #12: Simple Steps to Being a Better Ally

What does it mean to be an Ally? How can you build your knowledge and skills to take meaningful actions in the workplace to be a better ally to equity seeking members?

View the recording here to discover how the word ‘ally’ is a verb and it means ACTION!

Webinar #13: Preventing a Grievance, Strategies for Early Conflict Resolution

Have you ever wondered if there was another way to resolve a workplace issue besides a formal grievance?

View the recording here and learn what situations may benefit from conflict resolution, understand the steps that need to be taken and who needs to be involved for the best outcomes.

We hope folks enjoyed our webinar series! We are taking a break for the summer but check back in the fall for more educational opportunities. To ensure members have access to all that great content, all webinars have been recorded & posted to our website.

View Webinars

As a reminder, all PSAC Regional Offices will remain closed until further notice, however, our phones are still being answered and staff are using technology to continue to provide service. You can find the contact information for your respective regional office on the PSAC-Prairies website.

Don’t hesitate to contact me directly by phone, 204-805-4536, or via email, REVP-Prairies@psac-afpc.com.

PSAC’s top priority is the health and safety of our membership and that commitment continues to guide your union leadership’s decision-making and actions.