On June 2, 2022, Ontario voters re-elected the Ford Conservatives. While this is not the result we were hoping for, it is the reality we face together. We must continue our fight for fair wage increases for our members.

June 2022 marks the 3rd anniversary of Ford’s Bill 124. Bill 124 limits collective bargaining wage increases to 1% per year for 3 years for all Ontario public servants. This includes essential hospital workers.

We refuse to accept Bill 124. 

“My top priority is restoring the right to bargain a fair collective agreement.” said President Jennifer Carr, “Our members have worked tirelessly to provide care and treatment for vulnerable patients throughout the pandemic – Bill 124 completely ignores their hard work.” 

We are working with the Ontario Federations of Labour, other unions to challenge this bill. We have also supported the Ontario Health Coaltion’s efforts to raise awareness healthcare privatization throughout the election campaign. Together we are fighting to restore collective bargaining rights through a constitutional challenge to Bill 124.

It must be repealed.

Our members have provided essential services to Ontarians. We will not stop fighting for you until you get the respect, and wages, you deserve.

PIPSC has partnered with the Future Skills Centre on a new project, Navigar, to help members understand, prepare for, and make the most of opportunities to advance their careers. 

With this new PIPSC initiative, members will have access to evidence-based research and insight into how their careers are changing. It will recommend relevant and accessible training opportunities to keep members ahead of changes in their jobs.

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The Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) has released its latest guidance on the hybrid workforce.

PIPSC and the other federal public service unions submitted recommendations to the TBS on this issue earlier this year, as part of ongoing discussions around this future public service model – one that TBS President Mona Fortier has publicly committed to.

While the guidance focuses on telework, it is unfortunately based on the current policy that was developed pre-pandemic. We have been pushing the Treasury Board for over 2 years to provide a full, clear and consistent definition of the hybrid workforce. We expected a more substantial document that took our recommendations into account.

At a time when businesses, organizations and other unions across the country have started to embrace the new normal of 21^st century work – a model that includes remote work – the government is showing that it lacks flexibility and remains stuck in a pre-pandemic mentality.

Its failure to evolve means it risks falling behind – and it will likely result in losing experienced public service professionals who will take their talents to employers that better embrace this new way of working.

A recent PIPSC survey found that a majority of our members preferred to continue working from home:

• Over 60% prefer full-time telework
• Over 25% prefer a hybrid model
• 11% prefer returning to the workplace full time, with some flexibility to work occasionally from home

The survey also found that 60% of members indicated they can do all of their work from home. 25% said that most of their work can be done from home. Only 3% said that they cannot work from home.

We need to ensure that access to hybrid and telework arrangements is provided equitably, accommodates member preferences, and is approved without bias or unreasonable criteria. Accessibility and accommodations need to be considered. Home office expenses such as high-speed internet should be paid by the employer.

In addition, measures are needed to protect the right to disconnect and work-life balance. Departments and agencies must be transparent and work with our representatives on their plans to open up worksites. They must respect collective agreements and all applicable legislation.

Finally, there needs to be a clear plan and approach to open offices. Workplace strategies like hot-desking and hotelling need to be re-examined. 

We will continue to push the Treasury Board to improve and deliver on its commitment to a remote and hybrid work model. We will keep our members updated on a regular basis.

1. Fairer taxation and investing in the Canada Revenue Agency: 
PIPSC members at the centre of solutions

We have long advocated for increased tax fairness and investing in the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to go after tax avoiders.

Budget 2022 makes banks and insurance companies pay a little bit more through a 1.5% increase in their corporate income tax rate and a 15% one-time tax on taxable income over $1 billion. That will mean $6.1 billion in new revenue over the next 5 years through fairer taxation. 

The budget also provides $1.2 billion for the CRA over the next 5 years to go after tax cheats and close tax loopholes. This is welcome news. Properly resourcing the CRA to go after tax cheats has been a central demand in our tax fairness campaign. 

All told, action on a fairer tax system is budgeted to raise $16 billion in revenues over the next 5 years. To every member who took action, this win is yours!

Yet, there is so much more to do. While the government has made a new commitment to examine a minimum tax regime, we still have a long way to go to achieve tax fairness. It’s time to change the game – you can learn more about our work on Tax Fairness here.

2. Strategic policy review:
Must not impact the level of services we deliver to Canadians

The past 2 years have shown how vital public service professionals are to Canada. When COVID-19 hit, PIPSC members were ready. You quickly pivoted to working remotely while getting critical new programs running in record time. Public service employees worked on health services, vaccines, research, and keeping our food supply safe.

The surprise announcement of a “Strategic Policy Review” – with projected revenues of up to $6 billion – is a concern to all Canadians who rely on public services. 

We all remember Harper’s strategic spending review. The Conservative government cut services for veterans, people on EI, and so many other Canadians while going after the jobs of 19,000 public servants.

We have serious questions about this review. And we will ensure the review is focused on making government work better – not making the public service smaller. 

3. Mental health supports for Black public service workers:
A positive step, but more must be done to make workplaces equitable and inclusive 

Budget 2022 provides $3.7 million over 4 years for a Mental Health Fund for Black federal public service workers. The program will operate through the Treasury Board but promises Black-led engagement, design, and implementation. 

This is the result of the strong advocacy of Black members of the Public Service. PIPSC along with other allies support the fight for the government to acknowledge the reality of systemic anti-Black racism in the public sector. Action must be taken to remedy the systemic issues that create discriminatory workplaces.

This is a positive step forward, but there’s more work to be done to create more equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplaces.

4. Public Sector Pension Investment Board:
Workers getting seats at the table

Another positive step forward in Budget 2022 was the expansion of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board from 11 to 13 members – adding 2 seats for representatives from public service unions. The government has promised to consult all federal bargaining agents to establish a fair process for selecting the new members. 

Many of us were shocked to learn that our pension plan is the sole owner of Revera Inc – a company that runs long-term care facilities for profit. We don’t want our pension to make money this way. 

Your pension protects your future. You work hard now, and your deferred salary needs to be there when you retire. We’re pleased to see that unions now have a seat at the table.

5. Science and research funding:
Some progress, but still well short of restoring Harper-era cuts

Budget 2022 invests $183.2 million over 7 years in the National Research Council (NRC) for low-carbon construction research. It also invests $144.4 million over 5 years to the NRC and Natural Resources to support research and development around critical minerals. 

The budget also includes a new initiative to explore ways to modernize the NRC and better integrate it with the work of “university researchers and business partners.” Further information will follow as there were no details included. PIPSC will continue to monitor this initiative to ensure public funds support public research.

Budget 2020 commits $34.6 million over 5 years towards Canada’s ability to protect our research, including establishing a Research Security Centre to provide advice and guidance to research institutions. These initiatives are part of a larger investment of $159.6 million next year and $33.4 million annually to protect Canada’s research and intellectual property from foreign threats.

Other new research investments in Budget 2022 include:

• $40.9 million over 5 years to the federal granting councils to support promising Black student researchers.
• $14.5 million over 5 years to support the Canadian High Arctic Research Station.
• $12 million over 2 years for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to investigate the latest detection of potato wart and help prevent its spread.

Overall we are happy to see that support for the broader Canadian science and research ecosystem remains a government priority. However, the cuts to public service science and research from the Harper era run so deep that this does not heal the wounds. Time and more details will show how much this budget supports the federal government’s own scientists and researchers.

6. Review of the Public Service Disclosure Protection Act:
Improving protection for whistleblowers in the public service

Budget 2022 commits $2.4 million over 5 years to a review of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act with the goal of providing better protection for whistleblowers. 

We look forward to working with the Treasury Board on making sure this review leads to concrete improvements and stronger protections for whistleblowers – people who, at great personal risk, provide an invaluable service and help make government work better for Canadians. 

On February 28, 2022, Treasury Board President Mona Fortier announced updates to occupational health guidance for the federal public service, paving the way for our members’ gradual return to the workplace (RTW). No formal timelines have been introduced to date.

The Minister had previously indicated that the future of the public service will be based on a hybrid model (part telework and part office).

Our ongoing discussions with the Employer are an excellent opportunity to promote innovative and flexible work solutions for our members.

Many have expressed a preference for working from home at least part of the time, because it provides them with a better work-life balance with no loss of productivity or effectiveness.

With new technologies, public servants no longer need to be “tied to their desks.” Our members have amply demonstrated their ability to continue providing the services and programs that Canadians depend on despite the professional and personal impacts of COVID.

Hybrid and telework arrangements that accommodate member preferences and respect the right to disconnect are the way of the future for the public service. We continue to push for  creative and ground-breaking workplace solutions for our members that will help define the “new normal” going forward.

If you’re affected by the ongoing convoy protest in downtown Ottawa, your safety is the utmost priority.

If your worksite is in the protest zone, try and arrange safe work arrangements with your manager. If you are required to enter the downtown Ottawa protest zone, but you are still unable to safely access your office, your manager can consider using “Other Leave with Pay” (Code 699), for paid leave during this exceptional time.

If needed, you can retroactively use Code 699.

These instructions were sent to managers following discussions between PIPSC and the Treasury Board. If you’re unsure if you need to use Code 699 due your worksite being inaccessible, contact a steward in your workplace.

As the convoy holding downtown Ottawa hostage enters in the second week, it’s time for all levels of government to step in and protect the public’s safety.  

PIPSC firmly believes in Canadians’ Charter-protected right to peaceful protest, but as has been proven over the past week, this convoy has had a detrimental impact on local residents, businesses and downtown workers. 

Convoy demonstrators have been flouting public health guidelines, threatening workers, and members of the community – specifically racialized folks, 2SLGBTQ+ people, and women. PIPSC deplores the images of swastikas, confederate flags, and other symbols of hate brandished throughout the convoy’s presence in the capital.

Many small businesses in the downtown core, already struggling as a result of the pandemic, have been forced to close due to concerns for employee safety. Reports of hate crimes have skyrocketed. Some residents are trapped in their homes out of fear of leaving. We are hearing from our members that sleeping, let alone working from home, is a struggle with the constant blaring of horns. Residential areas are being overrun by noise, the smell of fuel smells and an influx of convoy participants.  

We understand that people are tired and frustrated. It is now time to focus on delivering strong public services and provide workers with access to care leave, fair wages and a safe workplace. 

For now, the horns must stop – it’s time for the convoy to leave.