For Immediate Release

Forget Phoenix. Let’s build a new federal pay system that works, says PIPSC President Debi Daviau

Ottawa, November 14, 2017 – The Phoenix pay system needs to be replaced with a new system that works built by the government's own IT professionals, says the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), which represents over 50,000 federal government employees.

"After nearly two years of problems with IBM's Phoenix pay system, our members have lost confidence in the promise of fixing Phoenix," said PIPSC President Debi Daviau. "Despite all efforts to fix Phoenix, the number of open cases of pay problems has grown to 330,000 as of October 2017 – with no end in sight. Enough is enough."

In its proposal, PIPSC calls for parallel processes to deal with the immediate pay crisis plaguing public servants and the long-term needs of the government.

To address immediate needs, PIPSC is calling on the government to hire additional staff to help employees impacted by the Phoenix pay system. For a faster, longer-term solution, PIPSC is calling on the government to task its own IT professionals with building a new pay system based on the latest version of PeopleSoft, the widely used human resources management system, and adapting it to the complex needs of the Government of Canada pay environment.

"The government needs to stop throwing good money after bad and start investing in a system that works," added Daviau. "As it happens, we already have the expertise and the people within the federal public service capable of designing and building it. They just need the opportunity to do so. The longer the current government delays investing in a properly designed pay system, the longer it will continue to waste tens of millions of public dollars on private contracts to patch a faulty system that was broken from the start. And the longer federal employees will be made to suffer for a bad system."

Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter (@pipsc_ipfpc).

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For further information:  

Johanne Fillion, jfillion@pipsc.ca, 613-228-6310, poste 4953 or 613-883-4900 (cell.)

The Institute applauds the introduction earlier this week of Bill C-65, the federal government’s long-awaited legislation addressing workplace harassment and violence. For years, PIPSC advocated for the government to recognize and tackle this issue of critical importance to Canadians everywhere.

The Bill cannot come at a more opportune time for our members. The latest annual survey of the public service shows a rise in workplace harassment and a significant rate of workplace stress. One-third of public service workers (34%) said their workplace stress was “high” or “very high”. A similar number of respondents (27%) felt that their workplace was not “psychologically healthy.” The percentage of workers who said they have been harassed at work was up to 22% from 19% in 2014. The results were even higher for equity groups, with the highest rates of harassment (40%) being reported by workers with disabilities. Aboriginal workers also reported high rates of harassment (33%).

The new legislation covers federally-regulated workplaces, including the public service. Changes being proposed to the Canada Labour Code include repealing weak provisions and ensuring that employers are required to take steps to prevent and protect employees against these behaviours, to respond to them when they do occur, and to offer support to those employees affected by them.

The government will also launch an awareness campaign to challenge misconceptions and stereotypes, develop sample policies for employers, and will provide outreach to help employees and employers navigate the process.

While the Bill is a step in the right direction, PIPSC will be working with the government to ensure the legislation addresses its members’ concerns when it comes to ensuring their workplaces are harassment-free, and that adequate/appropriate recourse is available to harassment victims so that their complaints are addressed promptly and fairly.

As well, the legislation needs to provide an inclusive definition of “harassment” that reflects all its forms. If labour inspectors are involved, there must be adequate staffing and training. Finally, the legislation must ensure that those affected have the right to representation and information about the progress of their complaint.

We will update members as C-65 makes its way through the legislative process.

Attention News/Assignment Editors:

Media Advisory

For immediate release

PIPSC President Debi Daviau to Issue Statement on Phoenix, the Federal Government’s Troubled Pay System

Ottawa, November 10, 2017 – On Tuesday, November 14, Debi Daviau, President of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) will hold a press conference on Parliament Hill about the troubled Phoenix pay system and outline a key demand of the government.

Since the new payroll system was rolled out in February 2016, more than half of federal public servants have experienced ongoing pay problems, including being underpaid, overpaid or not paid at all. The Liberal government pledged to fix the problem for good by the end of October 2016, but has long since missed that self-imposed deadline.

Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Time: 11:00 a.m.

Place: National Press Theatre, 150 Wellington St, Ottawa

Speakers:

• Debi Daviau, President, PIPSC
• Stéphane Aubry, Vice-President, PIPSC                                   

PIPSC represents some 55,000 public-sector scientists and other professionals across the country, most of them employed by the federal government.

Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter (@pipsc_ipfpc).

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For further information:  

Johanne Fillion, 613-228-6310, poste 4953 or 613-883-4900 (cell.)