November 24, 2008
News release
PSAC, Treasury Board settle
Union makes gains in tough bargaining environment
Ottawa - The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and Treasury Board have reached tentative agreements for more than 100,000 members in the main bargaining units governed by the Public Service Labour Relations Act.
“The members can be proud of gains the union has achieved in a very challenging collective bargaining environment,” says PSAC national president John Gordon.
It has been a difficult round of bargaining, says Gordon. “Talks began in an expanding economy with reasonable expectations of economic increases. Times change, the economic landscape has been altered and now, after 18 months of bargaining, a deal has finally been reached that does not contain any concessions.”
In view of the current economic circumstances, the government has mandated wage increases across the federal public service. While these increases are less than what our members expected when bargaining began, circumstances have changed and many Canadians are now facing the prospect of layoffs and the loss of pension benefits.
In response to these difficult economic times, PSAC and its Bargaining Teams adjusted wage expectations and returned to negotiations with a resolve to negotiate significant improvements in a number of areas of long-standing concern to our membership.
With this in mind we have advanced the employment and economic security of our members in the following areas:
- Negotiated national rates of pay for PSAC SV members who work in the trades, ending 41 years of pay zones;
- Negotiated a commitment in the collective agreement to classification reform beginning with the PA group – the largest bargaining unit – and later to be extended to other PSAC bargaining units;
- Negotiated a first collective agreement for the FB (Border Services) group that reflects the nature of the professional services they provide and compensates them accordingly;
- Negotiated language that requires the government to review the use of contractors and consultants in order to avoid layoffs through strengthened workforce adjustment appendix (WFAA) provisions; and,
- Negotiated expanded employment mobility for federal public sector workers.
These agreements serve to protect and enhance the employment and economic security of PSAC members and provide the government with a predictable wage bill until 2011.
While our expectations were higher for this round of collective bargaining, we should be proud of what we were able to accomplish in these difficult economic times, says Gordon. “Membership mobilization and solidarity helped the teams reach tentative agreements without any concessions. We need to continue to work together to protect membership rights, now and into the future.”
For information:
Mark Rogers, PSAC Communications 613-560-5482
or cell no. 613-323-1728
67-241108
Date Modified : 2010/07/29
