News Release

February 27, 2004

PSAC calls on Treasury Board to include
whistleblower protection in labour contracts

OTTAWA – The Public Service Alliance of Canada, the largest union for federal public sector workers, wants a clear process in place immediately that would protect its members from reprisals should they report wrongdoing in the government.

The PSAC has laid whistleblower protection on the bargaining table with Treasury Board and is calling on the government to put it into effect without waiting for negotiations to be completed.

“Your personal undertaking to fully protect whistleblowers ‘as though whistleblowing legislation is in place’ is a good first step, but it may well prove to be insufficient,” says PSAC National President Nycole Turmel in a letter sent to Treasury Board President Reg Alcock earlier this week.

“Public sector workers still need to know who to talk to, the rules that are to govern how investigations are to take place, and what remedies are available should they subsequently have reason to believe that they have been subject to reprisal.”

In the letter, the union is specifically asking Treasury Board to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would give immediate effect to its demand for whistleblower protection.  This would allow the PSAC to recommend that Treasury Board workers report any alleged wrongdoing to the Public Service Integrity Officer, since this office has established procedures on investigations. 

The letter also asks that the MOU explicitly gives federal public sector workers the right to grieve and to adjudication by the Public Service Staff Relations Board should they report wrongdoing and become subject to reprisals from their employers. 

The PSAC also points out that this protection should be extended to public sector workers in agencies and crown corporations and that information of any process that will facilitate disclosure of wrongdoing have to be made widely known among all public sector workers.

Despite the Treasury Board President’s commitment to protect whistleblowers now, the government delivered a different message to one of the PSAC’s negotiating teams.  Treasury Board told the team that they are happy with the government action on legislation due in March.  They also claimed to be satisfied with the report of the Treasury Board committee on wrongdoing, which included a recommendation of legislation.

“This response is inadequate, insufficent and fails absolutely to provide federal workers with the protection they need if they are to come forward with information about wrongdoing,” says Turmel.  Undeterred, the PSAC negotiating teams will continue to push for whistleblower protection to be incorporated in collective agreements in advance of legislation.

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For information: 
Louise Laporte, PSAC Communications, (613) 560-4287

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