2014-01-06

PSAC NCR NEWSLETTER FROM THE REGIONAL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

December 2013
 

BILL C-4: PSAC DEFENDING YOUR RIGHTS THROUGH LEGAL ACTION

On December 10, Bill C-4 received Royal Assent without any amendments to reflect the concerns of the PSAC and other labour groups. This means that the Conservatives passed the bill without proper public debate, yet again circumventing the democratic process. As you may know by now, the Bill drastically changes the rules around collective bargaining, severely weakens health and safety protections in the Canada Labour Code, and prevents federal workers from filing discrimination complaints with the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

PSAC has been working with other federal unions over the last few weeks and we have now announced that we will undertake joint legal action against the government over the labour provisions contained in Bill C-4.
 

FEBRUARY 13-16: BARGAINING CONFERENCES TO NEGOTIATE YOUR NEXT COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT

PSAC will be holding National Bargaining Conferences for the PA, SV, EB, FB and TC units on  February 13-16 in Ottawa (see if these units include your classification code by clicking here). Now that Bill C-4 is law, these conferences will allow us to have critical discussions on demands and strategy in advance of actual negotiations with Treasury Board later this year. More information on the conference will be available on the PSAC website in January.

 
CANADA POST CUTS: PSAC SUPPORTS POSTAL WORKERS AND THEIR UNION    

As you’ve read in the news, Canada Post has announced that it is laying off workers, trimming service, and also sharply raising the price of sending mail in Canada. In the words of PSAC President Robyn Benson: “As a business strategy, offering worse service at a higher cost seldom succeeds. And yet that is what the corporation is doing." PSAC stands in solidarity with postal workers and their union, and continues to call for innovation at Canada Post, like improved parcel delivery, public internet access, and banking services, which I’ve written about at greater length here.
 

ARE YOU PART OF THE 'NON-CORE' PUBLIC SERVICE? THIS CONFERENCE IS FOR YOU!

The PSAC will be holding a regional ‘separate employer’ conference on January 18 for members in the National Capital Region working for the non-core public service. The conference will be an excellent opportunity to learn about PSAC and how you can make your union relevant in your workplace. The conference will feature a series of speakers, including social media expert Ian Capstick and the NDP’s labour critic, Alexandre Boulerice, and workshops on key issues facing PSAC and the membership today. More details are available on our website.
 

ESPECIALLY FOR YOU: VIA RAIL DISCOUNTS

Did you know that as a PSAC member, you are eligible for 10% off VIA Rail tickets for yourself and up to three other members of your family travelling with you? The discount applies to VIA’s “best available regular public fare” at the time of purchase of a train ticket, excluding taxes. You can purchase in person using your PSAC member card or online by logging into the PSAC members’ portal and then navigating to the VIA Rail discount.
 

MAKE EDUCATION PART OF YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: WINTER 2014 COURSES

Winter term courses are now posted on the regional website. In particular, if you are new to PSAC or newly interested in our union, I urge you to sign up for our introductory Talking Union Basics course on January 31-February 1. Your collective agreement guarantees your right to take these free courses, and PSAC will fully reimburse your leave without pay for courses scheduled during working hours.
 

2013: WHAT PSAC DID FOR YOU

Although the fight around Bill C-4 has been a central part of PSAC’s work in the last two months, it is important for us to celebrate the things we’ve won together over the last year. Here are a few:
 
  • February: PSAC wins a federal court decision upholding a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling prohibiting employers from discriminating against employees with family obligations.
  • March: PSAC reaches pay equity settlements with five employers, including the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
  • March: PSAC succeeds in having Treasury Board send out amended Record of Employment (RoE) documents showing that members who participated in alternation did not quit but were in fact laid off, allowing them to potentially qualify for Employment Insurance.
  • April: PSAC wins a resounding victory when the Public Service Labour Relations Board (PSLRB) ruled that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) violated the Canada Labour Code when it retaliated against a PSAC member for raising health and safety concerns in the workplace.
  • August: PSAC wins a federal court decision cancelling a premature and forced contract ratification vote imposed by Treasury Board on Border Services (FB) members.


HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND BEST WISHES FOR 2014!

The PSAC regional offices will be closed from December 24 to January 2 (January 3 for our Gatineau office). This has been a remarkably busy year and I hope you will find the time to rest and celebrate in the company of your family and friends. I wish you a safe, relaxing and happy holiday. All the best for 2014: health, love and peace, and most of all, good contracts for all!


Larry Rousseau
Larry Rousseau
Regional Executive Vice President
National Capital Region
Public Service Alliance of Canada

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