PIPSC Welcomes Appointment of New Federal Pay Equity Commissioner

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada welcomes the appointment of Karen Jensen as the first federal Pay Equity Commissioner. This is an important step towards closing the gender pay gap in the federal public service and federally-regulated workplaces.

It is 2019, yet overall women are making 32 percent less than men, with Indigenous women and women with disabilities facing the steepest gender pay gaps, making between 45 and 56 percent less.

According to the government’s own release, as Canada's Pay Equity Commissioner, Ms. Jensen will play both the education and enforcement roles with regard to the new legislation, which sets out clear steps for employers to proactively achieve pay equity in their workplace. Working within the Canadian Human Rights Commission and supported by a unit of subject-matter experts, she will be responsible for assisting individuals in understanding their rights and obligations under the Act and facilitating the resolution of disputes related to pay equity.

Ms. Jensen brings a wealth of experience to this new role and PIPSC looks forward to working with her to ensure we achieve long-awaited proactive pay equity in our workplaces.

Published on 18 September 2019

5 March 2019

PIPSC continues to fight for pension protection at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories

Protecting our members’ pensions remains a top priority for PIPSC. On February 26, 2019 CRPEG President Jonathan Fitzpatrick was joined by Canadian Alliance of Nuclear Workers (CANW) representatives Steven Schumann and Matt Wayland in a meeting with three members of the Opposition on Parliament Hill. The issue: the return of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories workers into a public service pension plan.

28 February 2019

Do Better than Phoenix: pay now, not later

The news this week that it will take a further three to five years to clean up the Phoenix backlog, and 10 or more years to stabilize the system, makes it obvious that on the third anniversary of the launch of the Phoenix pay system we should be laser-focused on implementing its replacement as soon as possible.

21 February 2019

Bringing PIPSC’s Priorities to the Hill – PIPSC Lobby Day 2019 a Huge Success!

On Tuesday February 5th PIPSC members were on Parliament Hill to discuss the importance of the critical public services we deliver to Canadians. A delegation of close to 30 members, representing a range of Groups and Regions, met with over 30 Parliamentarians. It was a unique opportunity to bring key priorities directly to the decision makers.

20 February 2019

PIPSC submits comments on draft legislative proposals related to salary overpayments

PIPSC recently submitted comments to Finance Canada’s public consultation into draft legislative proposals related to salary overpayments.

11 February 2019

PIPSC testifies before the Senate Human Rights Committee on working conditions in Canada’s penitentiaries

On February 6, 2019, PIPSC President Debi Daviau and Steward Éric Massey, Nurse at the Archambault Institution in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights to discuss the issues faced by our members at correctional institutions across Canada, in particular those of our health care services members (SH Group).

16 January 2019

Salary overpayments caused by Phoenix: the government finally takes a step in the right direction

The federal government has just announced that it is proposing new measures to help correct the wide-ranging issue of employees having to repay the gross instead of the net amount of a salary overpayment caused by system, administrative or clerical errors. This is particularly significant for PIPSC members: tens of thousands of you have experienced this problem first-hand thanks to the calamitous Phoenix system.