News release

August 30, 2004

PSAC looks for Alcock to settle Parks labour dispute

OTTAWA / WINNIPEG – Members of the union representing Parks Canada workers camped out in front of Treasury Board President Reg Alcock's offices in a continuing bid to   force him to accept his responsibility and help settle a two-week-old strike.

The demonstrators from the Public Service Alliance of Canada stationed themselves in front of the Treasury Board office in Ottawa and Alcock's riding office in Winnipeg early this morning.

“There are five days left before the Labour Day weekend, the last long-weekend in the summer when people can enjoy their national parks and historic sites,” says Ed Cashman, the PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for the National Capital Region.   “Mr. Alcock has the capacity to call on Parks management to return to the negotiating table with a better offer, but he's shirking his responsibility.   Now he has only five days to act, otherwise the long weekend will be ruined for a lot of people, and Canada 's tourism industry will continue to suffer..”

  The Parks Canada Agency, although a separate employer, receives its bargaining mandate from Treasury Board.   This became glaringly apparent recently when the Treasury Board President and the Treasury Board Cabinet Committee intervened and rejected a collective agreement reached between the PSAC and the Office of the Auditor General.

“We've been bargaining with Parks since October of last year and throughout our negotiations, it was obvious that the management team was getting its signals from Treasury Board,” says Robyn Benson, the PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for the Prairies.   “Now that we've reached an impasse and were forced to strike, Mr. Alcock is abdicating his responsibility.”

The union is striking over wages, benefits and job security.   A particular sticking point is the 20-per-cent wage gap between operational service workers at Parks Canada and their counterparts in the private and public sectors.   The wage gap was proven in a September 2003 pay study jointly commissioned by the union and Treasury Board.  

The employer's latest offer was 6.5 per cent over three years and a mere four per cent to address the 20-per-cent wage gap.   The union found the offer insulting in light of the fact that ministerial executive assistants received a 25% wage increase in December 2003 and senior management received raises and 90 per cent received bonuses.

PSAC Parks Canada members are being joined at the two demonstrations by PSAC members at CRA, Treasury Board and CFIA, all of whom will be in a strike position shortly.

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For information:   Ed Cashman, PSAC REVP, National Capital Region,                                    (613) 297-1924

                              Robyn Benson, PSAC REVP, Prairies ( Winnipeg ),                                      (204) 782-0040       

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