Phoenix – A PIPSC Timeline

January 14, 2021	The Phoenix compensation agreement rolls out a new phase of compensation for members who faced severe personal and financial impacts attributable to Phoenix.
October 16, 2020	NextGen HR and Pay will function in parallel to Phoenix for a pilot phase at Canadian Heritage.
March 6, 2020	The government announces that SAP will develop a pilot for the NextGen HR and Pay system.
March 3, 2020	Because of PIPSC’s advocacy, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki backtracks on a plan to move Civilian Members onto Phoenix due to numerous unresolved issues.
February 20, 2020	Approximately 200 federal public servants are victims of a confidentiality breach due to Phoenix’s failures.
November 29, 2019	Former PIPSC members who were paid at least one day by the Phoenix system can submit a claim for compensation.
October 10, 2019	The roll-out of the next phases of the Phoenix Compensation Agreement is delayed by the federal election. It will continue after the new government is in place.
September 6, 2019	The government announces the investment of $117M in the design and delivery of the Next Generation human resources and pay system (NextGen), the much-awaited successor to the disastrous Phoenix.
July 12, 2019	PIPSC begins working with the employer to set up a clear, one-stop process for Phoenix damages claims.
June 13, 2019	The government of Canada and 15 public service unions, including PIPSC, finalize the joint agreement.
June 6, 2019	Institute Vice-President Stéphane Aubry and PIPSC Economist Ryan Campbell appear before the Standing Senate Committee to provide advice on Phoenix overpayments.
May 3, 2019	In a major victory for tens of thousands of affected Institute members, PIPSC and other public service bargaining agents reach a tentative agreement with the Treasury Board on compensation for the damages caused by Phoenix.
February 25, 2019	President Debi Daviau holds a press conference on Parliament Hill to provide an update on the third anniversary of the failed Phoenix pay system, and launches a Week of Action across Canada.
February 14, 2019	PIPSC submits comments to Finance Canada’s public consultation into draft legislative proposals related to salary overpayments.
January 15, 2019	Following prolonged pressure by PIPSC and other bargaining agents, the Government proposes introducing legislation to allow employees overpaid by Phoenix to repay only the net amount they were overpaid.
November 30, 2018	PIPSC President Debi Daviau assumes the role of Co-Chair of the Joint Next Generation Human Resources and Pay Technical Sub-Committee, which draws on subject matter experts from government and bargaining agents to oversee procurement and implementation of a new pay system.
September 19, 2018	The Government begins the process of replacing Phoenix with the announcement of a procurement plan. Treasury Board President Scott Brison states “We will have working prototypes...tested in this calendar year.”
August 30, 2018	PIPSC urges the Government to speed up implementation of a Phoenix replacement, releasing the results of an Environics Research poll that shows nearly half (46%) of Canadians believe six months is a “reasonable time to wait” for a replacement.
June 15, 2018	In a major breakthrough, PIPSC and the Government of Canada agree to collaborate on finding a replacement to the Phoenix pay system. President Daviau hosts a “next steps” webinar for members.
May 30, 2018	PIPSC responds to the claim in the second and final report of the Auditor General that the Phoenix fiasco is an “incomprehensible failure.”
May 10, 2018	PIPSC launches an online platform allowing members to share their stories about the Phoenix pay system and how it has impacted them.
April 17, 2018	President Debi Daviau hosts a town hall, outlining PIPSC’s campaign to help members get the support they need now to fix their pay issues and drive development of an alternative pay system.
April 3, 2018	Members of PIPSC’s AFS Group National Executive propose that the Canada Revenue Agency’s corporate administrative system (CAS) be adopted more broadly, arguing it would greatly reduce errors and the time required to adapt a new pay system to the public service.
March 28, 2018	PIPSC releases the results of a member survey showing 67% can’t be sure their retro pay is correct. A further 9% indicatethey have not yet received their retro pay.
February 28, 2018	On the second anniversary of Phoenix, public service employees rally in Ottawa with a call to “Nix Phoenix” and build an alternative pay system. PIPSC Lunch and Learn training sessions begin and by early April, over 100 members across Canada are recruited and trained to engage colleagues in the Nix Phoenix Campaign.
February 27, 2018	The federal budget commits $16 million towards finding an alternative pay system to replace Phoenix.
February 16, 2018	PIPSC and other public service unions issue a plea that the government work with federal employees to build a payroll system that works “accurately and on time – every time.”
January 30, 2018	PIPSC President Debi Daviau writes to Treasury Board President Scott Brison to protest news the government won’t meet its deadline to correct the T4 slips of employees overpaid due to Phoenix. The government committed to correct the slips if employees reported their overpayments by January 19, allowing those employees to repay only the net as opposed to the gross amount owed. The government subsequently announces it will adopt a “flexible and respectful approach to managing the recovery of overpayments”.
November 15, 2017	PIPSC launches an online action encouraging members to email the Working Group of Ministers and urge them “to build a new pay system that works, using the in-house expertise of our own computer systems professionals.”
November 14, 2017	PIPSC President Debi Daviau and Vice-President Stéphane Aubry hold a press conference calling on the federal government to build a new pay system relying on the government’s own IT professionals. An online survey of PIPSC members confirms 87% do not believe Phoenix can be fixed. The government later states it is looking for alternatives to Phoenix.
September 29, 2017	PIPSC President Debi Daviau writes to Treasury Board President Scott Brison, urging him to dedicate more resources to correct the impact on retirees.
September 26, 2017	Federal public service unions press the government to pay damages caused by Phoenix.
June 29, 2017	PIPSC President Debi Daviau meets with the Working Group of Ministers responsible for fixing Phoenix and proposes the government train 30-40 key members of PIPSC’s CS Group to seek Phoenix solutions.
May 5, 2017	PIPSC files the first of several policy grievances, claiming the Employer has “made continuous and on-going errors in pay,” and that problems paying disability benefits and parental leave benefits are violations of the Canadian Human Rights Act. (Failure to process retroactive pay triggers additional policy grievances in 2017.)
February 23, 2017	PIPSC and other public service unions mark the first anniversary of the Phoenix pay system by urging the government to add a $75-million contingency fund to the upcoming budget. PIPSC members join in a day of social media action urging the government to “#Fix Phoenix.” (On April 27, the government announces it will reallocate $140 million to fix Phoenix.)
January 12, 2017	PIPSC President Debi Daviau holds a press conference calling for a separate, parallel pay system to better address the ongoing hardships of PIPSC members. (Two weeks later, on January 26, Treasury Board issues a memo encouraging deputy heads of departments to exercise greater discretionary power to support those facing financial hardship.)
October 31, 2016	PIPSC and other unions mark Halloween – the date Phoenix was to be fixed – by holding a “Haunted by Phoenix” rally to keep members’ concerns in the news.
September 15, 2016	After pressure from PIPSC and other unions, Treasury Board opens a claims office for public servants seeking reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses due to Phoenix.
August 18, 2016	PIPSC members join in a protest against Phoenix outside then-Minister of Public Services and Procurement Judy Foote’s office in St. John’s. The next day, PIPSC’s President meets again with Minister Foote to urge that individual departments be empowered to expedite emergency pay.
August 4, 2016	PIPSC offers assistance to summer students affected by Phoenix.
July 28, 2016	PIPSC President Debi Daviau attends an Emergency Committee meeting on Parliament Hill to demand emergency pay be processed faster and ask how Phoenix was approved without adequate testing.
June 14, 2016	PIPSC launches a loans program for members facing financial hardship due to Phoenix.
June 11, 2016	PIPSC releases Programmed to Fail, a report on the impact of outsourcing in the federal government. The report leads to greater scrutiny of the IBM Phoenix contract.
June 3, 2016	PIPSC President Debi Daviau meets with Treasury Board President Scott Brison to urge timely fixes to members’ Phoenix pay problems.
April 15, 2016	After numerous reports of problems with employee pay, PIPSC and other unions call on the government to delay the second rollout.
February 28, 2016	The federal government rolls out its new Phoenix pay system for employees in 34 departments. A further 67 departments are scheduled to join in April. The system, contracted to IBM in 2011, bypasses input and IT expertise from PIPSC CS Group members who built the previous pay system used for 40 years.