2019: A year of results

2019 saw new collective agreements for 14 groups, new scientific integrity policies, Phoenix compensation and progress on the new pay system. Together, we made this all happen.

Our collective bargaining strategy was successful – bringing home historic leave for survivors and victims of domestic violence, increases in family leave, first language on workplace harassment, and cost of living increases for all groups. Members in the Computer Systems (CS) group continue to work hard for a new collective agreement. We stand together with them and all groups working toward a new collective agreement!

We’ve had advances on Phoenix. We made the government understand that Phoenix must be replaced and that we must be consulted. Our calls for the government to commit funding to the Next Generation Human Resources and Pay System were successful. We won compensation for members paid through the failed Phoenix system. And we agreed to a settlement framework that will ensure individual members are compensated for financial losses and serious damages. You will get the money you are owed.

We built on our previous round of bargaining where we secured new language on contracting out. We’ve monitored government contracting practices, filed hundreds of policy grievances when we’ve seen public service work being contracted externally. We have seen progress in shifting the mentality of politicians and executives.

We ushered in the implementation of scientific integrity policies in all departments that have more than 10 scientists. We are protecting public scientists and science.

We made clear that Canadians and Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) professionals want to see tax loopholes closed. Seventy-seven percent of Canadians and 87% of CRA professionals agree that e-commerce companies like Netflix, Google, Amazon and Uber should be subject to taxes for business carried out in Canada.

During the federal election, we let Canadians know that federal scientists think climate change is a crisis in need of immediate action. And that Canada is not currently doing enough.

We were present on Parliament Hill - lobbying, testifying at committees and providing our expert advice in written briefs and public consultations. We held discussions with Members of Parliament and Senators on our annual Lobby Day.

We worked hard to make our collective voice heard loud and clear by Canadians and our elected officials.

It has been a big year. So many important wins. Through our membership survey, we know that eighty-one percent of our members are pleased with the work of our union. And we are proud of all that we have accomplished together.

We are building progress in our union – we are leading progress in Canada.

Learn more about our work in 2019:


5 April 2017
PIPSC President Debi Daviau’s comments on today’s technical briefing regarding the Phoenix Pay system and news suggesting that performance payments may have been awarded to department executives overseeing the system

30 March 2017
We have received a notice regarding the vacation, compensatory, lieu days, lieu hours and lay day leave cash-out of March 31, 2017 for the Core Public Administration.

24 March 2017
The release of Budget 2017 has generated a variety of lukewarm reactions: “Stay the course,” “wait and see,” “lots of words, few dollars.” All of these phrases describe a situation where an ambitious Budget 2016, coupled with an uncertain economic climate, has led to an uninspiring final product

13 March 2017
Help protect the retirement security of all Canadians! Download and print this postcard and send it to your Member of Parliament or order your pre-printed copies by email from bettertogether@pipsc.ca

2 March 2017
Last Friday marked the ‘sad’ first anniversary of the Phoenix pay system’s implementation. The first year of Phoenix can only be characterized as an abject failure. It has meant prolonged anxiety and pay problems for federal public service professionals across the country.

2 March 2017
Last week I had the opportunity to appear as a witness at the Standing Committee on Government Operations for their review of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, commonly referred to as whistleblower legislation.