Last week, the federal government introduced Bill C-62, An Act to amend the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act and other Acts.

The Bill is aimed at repealing two blatantly anti-labour pieces of legislation introduced by the former Harper government, Division 20 of Bill C-59 and Bill C-4.

The first of these sought to unilaterally impose an inferior disability and sick leave management system on public servants, an unwarranted and significant attack on our members’ rights.

Bill C-4 would have drastically changed the rules for collective bargaining within the public service, giving the government full control over union rights such as the right to strike and the right to arbitration. The government would have also determined what positions would be considered essential.

While one of the Liberal government’s first decisions was not to exercise these powers, PIPSC welcomes the introduction of Bill C-62, which will formally put an end to measures introduced by the former government that eliminated any real hope of a level playing field in federal labour relations.

We hope the Bill will proceed promptly through the legislative process and that it will be adopted shortly. It’s time to finally turn the page on a sombre time for Canada’s labour movement as a whole, and the federal public service in particular.

For Immediate Release

PIPSC to MPs: End Outsourcing, Restore Public Science, Ensure Tax Fairness, Fix Phoenix

Ottawa, October 24, 2017 – Representatives of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) will be on Parliament Hill today to meet with Canada’s elected officials on issues of critical importance to the delivery of public services – namely, restoring Canada’s public science capacity, reducing over-reliance on outsourcing of government services, and ensuring the integrity of our tax system.

Led by PIPSC President Debi Daviau, Institute members will convene with several Members of Parliament (MPs), including Treasury Board President Scott Brison, to advocate that the 2018 federal Budget invest more in the professionals who comprise Canada's public service.

“Outsourcing costs the government money, jobs, morale, accountability and productivity,” said Daviau. “The government should make a commitment to insourcing first in implementing plans and projects. It must also rebuild Canada's public science capacity to keep Canadians safe, healthy and prosperous by hiring more scientists and researchers to replace the 1,500 federal scientists lost prior to 2015. Finally, it must strengthen Canadians’ faith in the fairness and impartiality of the tax system by holding offshore tax havens and large corporate tax evaders to account”.

In addition, PIPSC representatives will be pressing MPs on the need to fix the troubled Phoenix pay system once and for all. Close to half of federal public servants have been impacted by problems with their pay linked to Phoenix.

“Many of the problems now faced by government – from fighting climate change to ensuring federal employees are properly paid – have their origin in previous funding cuts and an overdependence on outsourcing,” added Daviau. “We’re here to argue that that needs to change.” 

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada represents some 55,000 professionals across Canada’s federal and provincial public sectors.

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

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For further information:

Johanne Fillion

613-228-6310, ext 4953 or 613-883-4900 (cell)

jfillion@pipsc.ca