Ottawa, September 9, 2019 -- Dr. Margaret Haydon, a scientist who was fired by the government for blowing the whistle on Health Canada's approval process of a controversial veterinary drug, has filed an appeal to the unfair compensation provided by the Federal Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board in her case.

In July 2004, the government fired Dr. Haydon and her colleagues Dr. Gerard Lambert and Dr. Shiv Chopra for going public with their concerns about the approval of the recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), used to increase milk production in cows. The drug could have leached into Canadian dairy products and impacted public health. Their efforts to keep bovine hormone growth out of Canada’s milk supply were ultimately successful – but at a personal and professional cost.

“Every time you drink a glass of milk, you should thank Dr. Margaret Haydon, Dr. Gerard Lambert and Dr. Shiv Chopra for ensuring it isn’t laced with harmful drugs,” said PIPSC president Debi Daviau. “But what did these scientists get for preserving your food safety? Fired. The government dragged their reputation and careers through the mud. It was unconscionable and we can’t allow that to ever happen again.”

After years of administrative tribunals, Dr. Haydon won her case before the Federal Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board. But the Board limited the return of lost wages to only a period of 10.5 months.

“The compensation awarded by the tribunal was unfair and not enough to deter future governments from conducting reprisals against public service professionals who speak truth to power,” said Daviau. “Not only are we going to continue to fight for a fair compensation for Dr. Haydon, we’re going to fight for a better Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act to actually protect whistleblowers and the public.”

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada represents 60,000 public service professionals across Canada.

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Today, President Debi Daviau joined the Treasury Board to announce the next steps in the journey to replace Phoenix. This is an encouraging step forward.

PIPSC members, including President Daviau have been an integral part of the process and will continue to be consulted through piloting and testing. It is critical that we remain vigilant and ensure the process to replace the pay system stays on track

Details in the press release below:

Government of Canada qualifies 3 vendors to advance Next Generation solution

June 12, 2019 - Ottawa, Ontario – Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Canada’s hard-working public servants must be paid accurately and on time. The Government of Canada is committed to making this right for its employees.

Today, the Government reached another milestone in its ongoing efforts to eventually replace the Phoenix pay system. Following an innovative and agile procurement process that sets the template for transformative technological change, the Government has selected Ceridian, SAP, and Workday as the qualified vendors. These vendors will continue to work with the Government to identify the path forward for the Next Generation solution, in preparation for the replacement of Phoenix.   

For the past year, the government has been asking vendors to prove their capacity to deliver through a series of three increasingly complex stages (or gates). Throughout the process, the government engaged closely with bargaining agents, technology providers and, most importantly, public service employees. From January to April, in-person and digital User Expos were held across the country to gather insights from thousands of employees on potential features of a new system and for them to provide feedback.

Bargaining agents, notably the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada representing government IT professionals, have been closely involved throughout the process and the government is committed to continuing to work with them in the next stages of the project.

The next step will be to establish partnerships with one or more of the vendors for the co-design and the delivery of pilot projects, to test solutions against the real complexity of federal government HR and pay needs. The government will continue to engage with employees and bargaining agents in an open and transparent manner, so that the new solution addresses the needs of a modern public service.

Quotes

“We’ve learned the lessons of the past and have radically changed the way we are pursuing a modern, user-friendly and mobile HR and pay solution. We’re investing the time and resources to make sure the solution fits the needs of our employees. Our world-class public service deserves no less.”

- The Honourable Joyce Murray, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government

“Our Government is committed to finding a system that meets the needs of employees, in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. To support this goal, we are taking an agile procurement approach that includes continuous collaboration with industry, government departments, unions and employees at each stage of the process.”

- Steven MacKinnon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility

“This is another encouraging step on the long road to a new, reliable pay system. The consultation process has been productive and our members will continue to participate in ongoing piloting and testing. I will remain vigilant that the work to replace Phoenix remains on track and is a top priority.”

- Debi Daviau, President of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada

Associated links

• Next generation human resources and pay system for the public service
• Government of Canada takes next steps towards next generation pay system

Ottawa, May 28, 2019 - PIPSC members have successfully negotiated with the Treasury Board to secure a 7% wage increase over the next 4 years.

“Our members give their best to Canada and to their families. We went into these negotiations to get a deal that acknowledges and supports this,” said PIPSC President Debi Daviau. “We’ve made progress on parental leave and we’ve secured pay increases that reflect the growing cost of living. This agreement will improve our members’ lives.”

The agreement includes a historic win with 10 paid days of leave for survivors of domestic violence. “We want to make sure the workplace is not a barrier to survivors seeking support when facing domestic violence. This measure is a significant step in that direction,” said Daviau.

Parental leave top-up has expanded by five weeks and is now equitable for adoptive parents.

The union has also secured language on harassment that for the first time in Canadian public service enshrines the right of a worker to a workplace free of harassment and violence.

The agreement secures PIPSC collaboration with Treasury Board on replacing Phoenix, financial penalties for late contract implementation and retroactive pay.

“Our members have led the way on scientific integrity, contracting out, tax fairness and replacing Phoenix. With this agreement we are now making historic progress to end workplace harassment and secure measures on domestic violence,” said Daviau. “Our membership is focused, knowledgeable and engaged – that’s how we get results.”

PIPSC occupational groups for Audit, Commerce & Purchasing (AV), Audit, Financial and Scientific – CRA (AFS), and Applied Science and Patent Examination Group (SP) have secured these measures in their group-specific tentative agreements. Other PIPSC groups will get to do the same, once they reach tentative agreements at their negotiation tables.

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada represents 60,000 public service professionals across Canada.

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Late last week, a subcommittee of federal public service unions and employer representatives reached a tentative agreement to provide damages to public service workers in light of the ongoing Phoenix payroll debacle. This tentative agreement was two years in the making. Today, the undersigned unions are pleased to announce they have signed on to this deal.

It’s important to recognize that this agreement in no way absolves the employer of its obligations to pay out any outstanding monies owed to the hundreds of thousands of public servants who continue to face issues with their pay, nor does it remove the employer’s obligation to stabilize the current payroll system and continue work to find its replacement as quickly as possible.

What this agreement does, though, is:

1. provide immediate compensation to every public servant represented by these unions; and
2. create a process by which additional costs can be reimbursed and additional compensation/damages can be awarded to those affected by payroll errors.

Specifically, this agreement:

• provides as a starting point, two (2) days of annual leave for anyone who worked in the public service in 2016-17 and additional one (1) day of annual leave for those employed in 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20, for a total of five (5) days for those employed since Phoenix was deployed, regardless of if or how they were affected by Phoenix;
  • A day of leave shall be equal to eight (8) hours per day, or seven and one-half (7.5) hours per day where the standard workweek is thirty-seven decimal five (37.5) hours per week
• establishes a process by which those who are no longer employed in the public service but were during the timeframe above can apply for reimbursement equal to that amount of leave;
• extends the existing process for claiming out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of Phoenix problems;
• creates a process for claiming additional costs including losses incurred as a result of having to cash in investments as a result of pay issues; losses associated with deferred RRSP contributions; costs associated with delayed severance or pension payments; or interest on loans, mortgages credit cards or other forms of debt;
• allows for the reimbursement of sick leave for members who took such leave because of Phoenix;
• allows for payment of interest on delayed severance payments and pension entitlements or missing pay;
• does not preclude additional damages being sought for claims alleging discrimination including issues related to maternity, parental or disability leave;
• allows for claims related to consequences of lost occupational capacity, lost security clearances, bankruptcy or significant impacts on credit ratings; and
• creates a process for claims related to mental anguish and trauma or other personal hardship.

We have also secured a commitment from the employer that should a bargaining agent secure additional compensation outside of this settlement, all signatory unions will receive the same compensation.

The ongoing Phoenix debacle is unprecedented in the scope and scale of harm caused to employees across the public service. While no amount of compensation could ever begin to provide full redress, it is our opinion that this agreement — in addition to the employer’s commitment to fully resolve outstanding pay issues and the steps taken previously to mitigate the impact on tax filing errors and defer collection of overpayments — represents a significant and concrete recognition of the frustration and anguish felt by every public servant.

More details on the implementation of this agreement, including timelines, will be made available in the coming weeks.

So far, the following unions have signed on to this agreement; others are expected to sign in the coming days and weeks.

• ACFO-ACAF
• Association of Justice Counsel
• Canadian Air Traffic Control Association
• Canadian Federal Pilots Association
• Canadian Military Colleges Faculty Association
• Federal Government Dockyard Chargehands Association
• Federal Government Dockyard Trades and Labour Council (East)
• Federal Government Dockyard Trades and Labour Council (West)
• IBEW 2228
• PIPSC
• Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers
• Research Council Employees Association
• Unifor Local 87-M

OTTAWA, March 19, 2019 -- Budget 2019 makes a significant investment in fixing the problems of the current Phoenix pay system, but falls short in announcing new funding for the government’s replacement, says the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC).

“Despite a commitment in the Budget to replace Phoenix, the absence of any major funding to ensure it happens without delay is a disappointment to our members,” says PIPSC President Debi Daviau. “Funds to help employees with their pay problems are welcome but provide only a short-term plan to deal with what remains a three-year-old crisis. Our members need to know there is light at the end of this nightmarish tunnel. The government is still paying for the mistakes of the past rather than investing in a fix for the future.”  

In its final Budget before the next election, the federal government has also left undone much of the job of restoring the public service to levels that would ensure tax fairness and adequate investment in public science.

While the Budget invests an additional $77 million a year in the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) to, among other things, combat tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance, the Agency’s budget remains almost $500 million less than in 2012. “The Budget’s investment at the CRA will not go far to address much-needed training and technological improvements to catch offshore tax cheats and enforce tax fairness,” says Daviau. 

The government deserves praise for replenishing the ranks of federal scientists, engineers and researchers over the past three years – 1,500 of which positions had been lost due to cuts under the former government. But actual spending – in particular, on government R&D – is lower today than it was under the Harper government. “Canada needs more, not less, federal government science and we are very disappointed that this budget makes little investment in government research and development,” said Daviau.

With collective bargaining underway and many public servants still stung by Phoenix and the impacts of Harper-era budget cuts, the government needs to do better to ensure the public service is restored and that our members’ demands for better pay protections, improved family leave and stronger safeguards against workplace harassment are among its own priorities. The current budget leaves a lot to be desired.

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada represents approximately 60,000 public service professionals across Canada, most of them employed by the federal government.

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

For further information: Johanne Fillion, 613-228-6310, ext 4953 or 613-883-4900 (cell), jfillion@pipsc.ca

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OTTAWA, February 25, 2019 – The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) is marking the third anniversary of the Phoenix pay system failure with a National Week of Action. This week, members and union officials are organizing events across the country.

Phoenix has hit PIPSC members hard. The federal government must ensure that this is never repeated. Members deserve pay protections and PIPSC is bringing this issue to the bargaining table negotiation for language that provides pay protections and ensures that the Phoenix failure will not be replicated.

“We’re looking for pay protections in our new contracts and we’re expecting a strong funding commitment in the budget to ensure the timely and effective implementation of the new pay system,” says PIPSC President Debi Daviau. “After everything public servants have been through with Phoenix, I would certainly be very surprised if the federal government didn’t come through on these commitments.”

PIPSC is sending a clear message that the Phoenix failure has a personal face, and that face is their members. Members who are still forced to try to navigate a broken system to understand their pay stubs, back pay, repayment plans, to access promotions, change jobs or even to take sick leave.

PIPSC members will be available to speak to the personal hardship Phoenix has caused them.

Pushing on all fronts, PIPSC is organizing in the workplace, pushing at the bargaining table and laying our clear expectation for the federal budget. “We are pulling out all stops, our members need to see clear commitments from the federal government,” says President Daviau. “We work hard and we need our employer to do better.”

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada represents 60,000 public service professionals across Canada.

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

For further information: Johanne Fillion, 613-228-6310, ext 4953 or 613-883-4900 (cell), jfillion@pipsc.ca

Ottawa, February 21, 2019 – The federal government needn’t worry about a consumer backlash to a sales tax on Canadians’ Netflix accounts, if newly released results from an Environics Research poll and a separate survey of Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) tax professionals are any indication, says the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC).

When asked if “E-commerce companies such as Netflix, Google, Amazon and Uber, should be subject to Canadian taxes for business carried out in Canada,” almost 8 out of 10 Canadians (77%) agreed, more than half of them (54%) strongly. Professionals at the CRA went further, with almost 9 out of 10 (87%) agreeing and almost 7 out of 10 (67%) strongly agreeing.

“It’s clear that Canadians, including our own CRA members, believe it’s only fair that foreign e-commerce giants who do business in Canada be taxed,” said PIPSC President Debi Daviau. “In fact, it’s high time they were, and we hope the next federal budget includes measures to ensure they are.”

The findings are contained in a third and final report on tax fairness based on the two surveys. In addition to taxing e-commerce companies, the report, which examines the ways some companies have been avoiding taxes, recommends:

• Creating a publicly accessible “beneficial ownership” registry to curb the use of shell companies that redirect profits from one country to an offshore tax haven in another (Canada is particularly vulnerable to this practice, also known as “snow washing”), and
• Ending “profit shifting” – the strategic transfer of corporate profits from one country to another in order to minimize or eliminate paying taxes – a practice Canada and other member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development are seeking (if too slowly) to end.

Over 7 out of 10 (75%) of CRA tax professionals surveyed believe that federal and provincial governments should require corporations to publicly identify "beneficial ownership" relationships. And over two-thirds (71%) believe that Canadian rules related to setting up offshore corporations or tax accounts are too lenient and should be reformed.

The public opinion survey by Environics Research was commissioned by PIPSC and conducted by telephone among 1,000 Canadians between July 3 and 8, 2018. The results can be considered accurate + or – 3.2%, 19 times out of 20.

Invitations to participate in the CRA professional employees survey were sent to 11,599 members of the Audit, Financial and Scientific Group (AFS) between February 20 and March 6, 2018, of which 2,170 (18.7%) responded.

The full report on the survey results, titled Shell Game: How Off-Shore Havens, Tax Loopholes, and Federal Cost-Cutting Undermine Tax Fairness, can be read here.

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada represents approximately 60,000 public service professionals across Canada, including nearly 12,000 auditors, managers, forensic accountants and other tax professionals at the CRA.

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

For further information: Johanne Fillion, 613-228-6310, ext. 4953 or 613-883-4900 (cell), jfillion@pipsc.ca

Ottawa, February 5, 2019 – Members of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) will be on Parliament Hill today to meet with Canada’s Parliamentarians on issues of critical importance to the delivery of public services – restoring Canada’s public science capacity, reducing over-reliance on the outsourcing of government services, ensuring the integrity of the country’s tax system, and replacing the troubled Phoenix pay system.

Led by PIPSC President Debi Daviau, Institute members will meet with dozens of Members of Parliament (MPs) and Senators, to advocate on behalf of public services and the professionals who deliver them.

“Canada’s public service is the best in the world”, said Daviau. “But right now it’s operating under a number of constraints that are limiting its ability to deliver to Canadians. Outsourcing of the work best performed by public servants, failure to pay them on time or at all, lack of resources to catch tax cheats and the need for more public science are all very serious concerns for our members that we will be discussing with MPs and Senators today”.

PIPSC representatives will call on the government to quickly find a fully-functional replacement for Phoenix; to reinvest in the Canada Revenue Agency; to increase funding for federal Research and Development; and to bring spending on outside consultants back to 2005/2006 levels, as promised during the last election campaign.

“We’re on the Hill today to remind Parliamentarians of the critical social and economic role that the public service plays in Canada. We’re here to remind them that we need to give public servants the tools they need to keep working effectively for Canadians”, concluded Daviau. 

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada represents some 60,000 public service professionals across Canada.

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

Ottawa, February 4, 2019 – Members of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) will be on Parliament Hill tomorrow to meet with Canada’s Parliamentarians on issues of critical importance to the delivery of public services – restoring Canada’s public science capacity, reducing over-reliance on the outsourcing of government services, ensuring the integrity of the country’s tax system, and replacing the troubled Phoenix pay system.

WHAT: PIPSC on the Hill

WHEN: Tuesday February 5, 2019, from 9 am to 5 pm

WHERE: Parliament Hill, Ottawa

WHO: Debi Daviau, President of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, and other senior PIPSC representatives

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Media Contact: Johanne Fillion, 613-228-6310, ext 4953 or 613-883-4900 (cell), jfillion@pipsc.ca