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Union UpdateOctober 10 to 28, 2005 In this issue:
The members' view of Service Canada
The government says the goal of Service Canada is to provide better, one-stop service to more Canadians in more communities, delivered with the right service attitude. The PSAC is concerned about how this new initiative will affect the quality of service to the public and to our members who provide those services. We are getting a picture from our members in the field. Here are some examples that contradict the employer's claims: The employer insists that Service Canada will improve front-line service to the public, but many members are telling us that their managers have instructed them to direct more citizens to computers and that the quality of person-to-person service is being undermined; managers have told some of our members that jobs in the new agency will be generic and demand less specialized knowledge, raising concerns that de-skilled front-line jobs may be reduced to that of “Wal-Mart greeting”. Unrealistic time limits are placed on workers who serve clients, mostly at call-centres, affecting our members' workload and the depth and quality of service to the public. The employer claims that most job losses will be fair and mostly through attrition, but term workers are already being terminated, and casual workers and students are being hired to do their work.The employer claims that front-line jobs at Service Canada will be interesting and rewarding, but we've heard workers are being asked to serve the public supported only with one-page reference sheets provided by departments and agencies; we've heard reports that in some cases as little as two hours of training is being provided. The employer has said that they will not privatize, but members are concerned about privatization and that more of their work will be transferred to private sector employers like Quantum, a private company that currently operates 1-800-O Canada . As the PSAC develops a strong and effective action plan to protect our members and the quality of services to the public, we will need to know from our members in the field what is being done in your workplaces. If you have examples similar to the ones outlined above or other examples that contradict the employer's claims about protecting the quality of your jobs and of the service to the public, we urge you to forward the information to your PSAC Component or nearest PSAC Regional Office. Please include what managers said and the exact workplace locations where these instructions are being given. It would also be helpful if you can provide us with documents, where they exist, in which these instructions have been written down. Also, if you have met with your Member of Parliament, let us know with whom and what the MP or his/her representative said during your meeting. You can forward your information to workingforcanadians@psac.com. Any information you provide will be treated in strict confidence and used only to ensure our members' rights are protected. New President for Natural Resources UnionClaudia Thompson was elected National President of the Natural Resources Union (NRU) at their 2005 national convention in Vancouver , held from September 30 to October 2, 2005 . Thompson joined the union at the Local level (30177, as Secretary- Treasurer) in 1986 and moved on to become Local President in 1996. She has served as the Co-Chairperson of the Finance Committee for the past two NRU conventions and has been a delegate to both the NRU triennial convention and the PSAC convention. At the 2002 NRU convention, she was elected to the position of 2nd National Vice President of the Component. The following were elected as members of the NRU national executive: Patrice Lascelles as 1st National Vice President and Peter Neelands as 2 nd National Vice President. Delegates to PSAC convention are Carrie Bolton as Delegate # 1, Len Dolan as Delegate # 2, and Bernie Brotschi as Alternate Delegate. Carol Choffe was elected as Equal Opportunities Co-ordinator and Dennis Ketchum was re-elected as Health & Safety Officer. The guest speaker at the NRU convention was the deputy-mayor of the City of Vancouver , Ellen Woodsworth.From PSAC activist to leader of the NDP in New Brunswick
Brewer has a solid history of working for social change through community development, union involvement and politics. After graduating from Dalhousie University , she began a career in communications with the Government of New Brunswick. She went to Iqaluit , Nunavut in 2000 as communications advisor to the health and social services department for what was supposed to be a year.
While in the North, Allison chaired the PSAC's Iqaluit Regional Women's Committee. In 2004, the PSAC nominated her for the Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Person's Case. That October she was honoured at a ceremony at Rideau Hall for her work as a union and human rights activist, a feminist and disability rights advocate. In addition to her work in the union and human rights movements, Allison was vice-president of Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council, a board member of the Kamatsiaqtut Nunavut Help Line, co chair of the 2002 Arctic Winter Games media relations committee and secretary to the Frobisher Bay Kayaking Club. Beside the Governor General's Award, her courage, tenacity and commitment to the community have earned her the Iqaluit Pride & Friends of Pride Rainbow Ulu Award and two City of Iqaluit Volunteer Recognition Awards . She is also an Honourary Member of the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women. During the 2005 PSAC National Women's Conference, Sister Allison Brewer reminded the delegates of the need to support the human rights of our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered sisters and brothers. She is the first openly gay leader of a political party in Canada.Union of Veterans' Affairs Employees Reorganization ConventionThe Union of Veterans' Affairs Employees convention took place last October 1-4. More than sixty delegates and observers took part. The delegates adopted a series of resolutions to significantly revamp the current structure of the Component's Executive Committee. In the past, one of the regional vice-presidents also occupied the position of Executive Vice-President. However, both of these positions shall be separate from now on. Quebec and the Western Region had two regional vice-presidents but now only have one each. These changes produced some lengthy discussions and numerous resolutions were amalgamated. The Executive Committee of the UVAE is now made up of the National President Denis Dupré, National Executive Vice-President Yvan Thauvette and Regional Vice-Presidents: Kim Coles representing Charlottetown , Donna Lamy, Atlantic Region except Charlottetown , Magali Picard , Quebec , Lorne Brady , Ontario and Bonnie Heidt, Western Region. The main speakers at this convention were Harold Leduc of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association, Mary Ann Burdett, National President of the Royal Canadian Legion and Nycole Turmel, National President of the PSAC. In recognition of 2005 as the Year of the Veteran, UVAE National President Denis Dupré gave each participant a 20-centimeter statuette representing a Canadian infantry soldier from the First World War.Members in Newfoundland and Labrador win deal on overtimeCEIU members in Newfoundland and Labrador pushed back against unreasonable overtime rules and have won the agreement they were seeking. Beginning in August, regional management had capped daily overtime at two and a half hours per day. With the cap in place, management was able to avoid paying a ten dollar meal allowance for overtime work of three hours or more. For members, the move meant that overtime which could have been worked in two nights per week was now spread over three or more evenings. Most saw this as an unwelcome intrusion into family life. Commenting at the time, CEIU National Vice President Denise Best said “Members are being asked to give up more evenings with their families so that the employer can save a ten dollar meal allowance. We're fed up with this treatment.” Under Best's leadership, members across the region were organized to turn down overtime opportunities. After a month of action, talks began with management that led to the agreement the union was after. “We're back to the system that worked well for everyone” said Best, “members can now choose how much overtime they will work on any given occasion.” “Our members stood their ground on the issue and I'm proud of them. They are committed to doing the work needed for clients to get their EI, but they refuse to be treated unfairly by the employer. This is a win for our members and our clients.”Bargaining UpdatePSAC members working at the Fresh Water Fish Marketing Corporation in Winnipeg have ratified a new collective agreement. The new contract provides salary increases for the next two years and improvements to bereavement leave, shift premium and statement of benefits. The employer also agreed to donate to the Social Justice Fund one cent per member for each hour worked, beginning May 1, 2006 . PSAC members have ratified new collective agreements with the Unitarian Services Committee in Ottawa and with the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority in Cornwall . Notice to bargain was served to the Communications Security Establishment (Department of National Defence) in Ottawa. Pay equity newsTaxation of interest payments Back in January of this year, the Tax Court judge hearing our challenge against the government for taxing the interest payments received as part of our federal pay equity complaint settlement, warned PSAC that it might be some time before a decision was issued. The latest word from the Court is that a judgement will be issued “shortly”. No one is telling us what “shortly” actually means. Information will be posted on the PSAC web site as soon as a decision is issued. Pay equity for separate employer units In November 2000, the PSAC filed a Statement of Claim on behalf of our current and former members working for seven separate employers under Part II of the Public Service Staff Relations Act, arguing that the federal pay equity adjustments should apply to these employers as well. Earlier this year we believed that the Discovery phase of our statement of claim had been completed. However, long after the deadline, the government released hundreds of additional documents from the Privy Council Office. This has resulted in additional examination of their witnesses and additional undertakings to provide yet more information. That process is still ongoing and we do not yet have a Court date scheduled. This is just one more example of the need for the Liberal government to introduce long-awaited proactive pay equity legislation now.
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Allison Brewer, a former PSAC activist, has been elected leader of the New Democratic Party in New Brunswick on September 25, 2005 .
PSAC members and staff from the PSAC Kingston Regional Office joined about 300 participants at Kingston City Hall to mark the 10th anniversary of silent vigils organized by the Sisters of Providence on October 17, 2005 . Participants encircled Kingston City Hall with two large banners covered in slogans such as “Make Poverty History”, “End Legislated Poverty” and “Greed = Need”. The vigil coincided with the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.