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:


10 October 2018
On October 4, 2018 I made a presentation to the Government Operations Committee of the House of Commons about the current state of the federal public service hiring process. This was very timely, as the government had just released its own study of the issue.

1 October 2018
On September 26, 2018 Member of Parliament Daniel Blaikie (Elmwood-Transcona, NDP) introduced Private Member’s Bill C-414, which seeks to extend by one year the deadline by which employees of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories can continue contributing to their public service pension plans.

7 September 2018
I wanted to take the time to write to you with an update on your CFIA S&A Group bargaining.

29 August 2018
A new Bargaining Protocol has just been signed between the Institute and the Treasury Board.

15 August 2018
On behalf of all PIPSC members, I’d like to express our support and encouragement to our fellow members and all of those currently affected by the ravages of the forest fires in British Columbia this summer.

1 August 2018
I recently wrote to Michael Wernick, Clerk of the Privy Council, to express my concerns with his recent comments claiming it is difficult to fire public servants.