December 10, 2007

PSAC Parks Canada Bargaining Unit

Students are our flexible workforce: Parks Canada Agency

The Employer seems hell-bent on using students as a flexible workforce and to permanently replace bargaining unit members. On November 22, the last day of bargaining, Parks Canada said they "have a business to run and intend to do it in the most efficient manner."

Your PSAC Bargaining Team came away from negotiations even more determined to fight for bargaining unit work and to protect bargaining unit jobs. Although we did agree to grammatical changes and also made the necessary changes to include the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan in the collective agreement, we have not reached agreement on language that protects bargaining unit work.

We return to the bargaining table the week of January 28, 2008, and the week of February 18, 2008. On the top of the list of items for discussion will be "job security" and "no-contracting out" of bargaining unit work.

While standing up to the Employer's flagrant disregard for our right to do our work, your bargaining team believes that it remains an important issue to protect student rights in the workplace. We need to ensure that they are treated with respect, given training (including health and safety training), and that their rights under the law are protected.

There is nothing more critical to workers than to have job security. Parks Canada is not interested in bargaining unit job security. We are. On January 28, we will again make Parks Canada aware that they cannot give our jobs away and that we will fight to protect our jobs, our families, and our futures. Is there anything else more important?

The fight with Parks Canada is a fight for job security. It is a fight we cannot afford to lose. For more information on Parks collective bargaining and to find out how you can participate in mobilization activities, please contact your Bargaining Team member, your local executive, or the PSAC local regional office, or visit our website at:

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