Many groups are bargaining now and members are working hard to get new collective agreements. You have the full solidarity and support of the 65,000 PIPSC members from coast, to coast, to coast.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency Groups

All three of our Canadian Food Inspection Agency CFIA groups are now in the bargaining process.

• Informatics group
• Scientific and Analytical group
• Veterinary Medicine group

Their bargaining teams are currently working hard in collaboration with our professional negotiators to bring a resolution to their bargaining issues.

Computer Systems Group

Our Computer Systems (CS) Group has a Public Interest Commission (PIC) scheduled for June 22 & 23. The role of the PIC is to help both parties come to an agreement. Information sessions and rallies are currently being organized and this group will need everyone’s support, especially if they take on job actions to support their demands.

Manitoba Association of Government Engineers

The Manitoba Association of Government Engineers (MAGE) Group is now negotiating with the government of Manitoba. This provincial government has put forward Bill 28 which seeks to limit workers’ rights. However, wage increase must be negotiated – not legislated by governments. We are fighting Bill 28 in court to ensure our members maintain their right to collective bargaining.

If Bill 28 is not defeated, it would limit annual wage increases to 0% in the first and second years of the collective agreement, 0.75% increase in the third year and a 1% increase in the fourth year. This is well below the basic cost of living increases and is unacceptable.

Nav Canada Group

Nav Canada (NavCan) Group members and their bargaining team have worked hard and members voted March 10 to ratify their tentative agreement.

New Brunswick Groups

Our groups in New Brunswick are now heading into negotiations with the provincial government. Currently, there is a minority conservative government and an election could be called any time. We know these groups will fight hard to get a fair deal no matter the political climate they face.

Ontario Groups

Our members in the Ontario health sector and those working at the University of Ottawa are also beginning negotiations. Much like our members in Manitoba, these groups are up against a regressive provincial government. We are fighting Bill 124 in courts. This bill seeks to undermine workers’ rights by replacing collective bargaining with legislating wages. Bill 124 would cap all wage increase at 1%, below the cost of living. We are fighting back.

Our members working for the Senate, Museum of Nature, Museum of History and Museum of War are also getting ready to engage in negotiations with their respective employer.

We are standing together. Despite the resistance of employers or challenging political climates, we will not back down and we will deliver the best deal possible. We are 60,000 members strong and better together. Solidarity!

On February 11, 2020, the National Research Council (NRC) held a symposium in Ottawa to mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The symposium celebrated women working in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields across the federal government.

PIPSC Vice-President Norma Domey represented PIPSC at this milestone event as per her portfolios. The highlight of the celebration was a scientific poster session, with an opportunity to view and discuss results from over 100 projects led by women in research-based departments and agencies across the Government of Canada. 
 

Vice-President Domey was pleased to also network with PIPSC women involved in our Science Learning Lab which focuses on systemic solutions to remove barriers experienced by women in science across Canada.

PIPSC is proud to represent the many thousands of women working in STEM across the federal public sector and salutes their invaluable contributions to science and technology in Canada.
 

Government Selects SAP to work on the Next Generation Human Resources and Pay Solution Pilot

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat 
Mar 06, 2020, 11:01 ET     

OTTAWA, March 6, 2020 - Every public servant deserves to be paid accurately and on time. That is why the government is working on creating a long-term, sustainable, and efficient human resources and pay solution that meets the diverse needs of federal employees across Canada.

Today, the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Digital Government, announced that SAP has been selected to work with the government on a pilot to test the real complexities of the government's HR and pay requirements. This follows a rigorous evaluation process involving three qualified vendors undertaken over the past several months.

SAP will work with the Government of Canada on a pilot to test a potential HR and pay solution against the real complexities of the government's HR and pay requirements.

All three vendors – SAP, Ceridian and Workday – remain part of the qualified list of suppliers for future HR and pay work with the government.

Public servants, as well as bargaining agents, have been involved throughout the process and the government is committed to continuing to work with them in the next stages of the project. Long-term work to stabilize the Phoenix Pay System will continue with Public Services and Procurement Canada.
 

"Canada's hard-working employees should be paid accurately and on time. Today's announcement is an important milestone towards building an efficient next generation solution that is better aligned with the complexity of the federal government's HR and pay structure. I am focused on moving this forward while taking the time to get it right."

- The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Digital Government
 

"This marks a significant step towards building an HR and pay solution that works. Our members have been called on to support building a new solution that serves their needs, and I am pleased to see that there's a light at the end of the tunnel."

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

"Building on the progress that has already been made, our focus remains on eliminating the backlog and stabilizing the Phoenix pay system, even as the Government takes significant steps towards finding a future solution. Stabilizing the current pay system and ensuring that employees are supported throughout the process are essential requirements for a smooth and successful transition to any new pay system."

- The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement
 

"Team SAP looks forward to continuing to work with public servants, unions and employees on a modern, digital solution — one that will meet the needs of the Federal Public Service and its employees."

- Andy Canham, President of SAP Canada

SOURCE: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

On February 25, 2020, PIPSC sent a significant delegation to Parliament Hill in Ottawa, part of the Canadian Labour Congress’s annual Lobby Day.

Hundreds of representatives from Canada’s labour movement met with Members of Parliament and Senators, bringing to the forefront issues of importance not just to workers but to all Canadians, including the introduction of a national Pharmacare plan, a national minimum wage and retirement security.

A coalition of Ontario unions, coordinated by the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), and representing approximately 270,000 employees and over forty different unions, announced today that they have filed a constitutional challenge to Bill 124, the Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act.

Bill 124 violates the collective bargaining rights enshrined in the freedom of association guarantee of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

A growing list of public and private sector unions opposes Bill 124, with this constitutional challenge being a part of the Ontario labour movement’s broader campaign to repeal the Bill.

“Wages are negotiated at the bargaining table, not imposed by legislation. We are proud to stand together with other unions to protect the right to collectively bargain,” said PIPSC President Debi Daviau. “We will not let the Ford government attack our members’ rights. We continue to fight back.”

“Every worker in Canada has the right to freedom of association and to collectively bargain with their employer. The members of this coalition, together with the other unions who have already and will soon launch similar challenges, will protect that right,” said OFL President Patty Coates. “Opposition to Bill 124 will continue to escalate until the government repeals this unconstitutional legislation.”

Bill 124 limits compensation increases, including salaries, pensions and benefits, for millions of unionized broader public sector workers in Ontario to 1% for three year periods, a rate even lower than inflationary increases to the cost of living.

“Workers in this province are standing against cuts to public services in our communities and against violations of our rights under the Charter,” said CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn. “There are more of us than there are of them, and we are battling this on every front, from MPP offices to the halls of Queen’s Park, rallies in the streets, and now to the courts. The Ford government created a crisis and is now looking for someone to blame, but we refuse to be their scapegoat or to pay this price.”

“This legislation interferes with the rights of Ontario’s faculty to bargain collectively, undermines the autonomy of Ontario’s universities, and will erode the foundations of Ontario’s important public services,” said Michael Conlon, Executive Director of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations. “OCUFA is proud to be part of this coalition of unions challenging a needless and unconstitutional law.”

“In 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized that the freedom of association guarantee in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms provides constitutional protection for a meaningful right to collectively bargain, and for the right to strike,” said Steven Barrett of Goldblatt Partners, lead counsel for the union coalition.

The coalition of ten unions which first announced their intention to file a Charter challenge in December 2019 has quadrupled in size.

Workers affected by Bill 124, and forming part of the coalition, include those employed by the provincial government, crown agencies, school boards, universities and colleges, hospitals, non-profit long-term care homes, children’s aid societies, social service agencies, and the electricity and energy sectors.

By coordinating resistance efforts, unions have previously successfully challenged legislation that violates workers’ rights, including the previous Liberal Government’s Bill 115. The courts found that Bill 115 violated workers’ Charter rights, and it was ultimately repealed.

“Let me clear: the labour movement in Ontario is united in our opposition to this unnecessary, unfair, and unconstitutional attack on workers’ rights,” said Coates.

PIPSC RCMP civilian members’ concerns have been heard. It’s been recommended that deeming is delayed due to Phoenix.

The President of the Treasury Board, Jean-Yves Duclos, in consultation with the Minister of Public Safety, Bill Blair, has decided to recommend to the Treasury Board not to proceed with the planned RCMP deeming date of May 21, 2020.

“This is the right decision and a win for our members. We are pleased to hear that our civilian members’ concerns with Phoenix have been heard loud and clear,” said Debi Daviau, PIPSC President. “I want to thank all PIPSC members for standing with the RCMP civilian members by emailing decision-makers.”

Thousands of PIPSC members emailed key decision-makers to stop the transition of RCMP civilian members to Phoenix. They asked them to delay deeming and remain with the current pay system until the government introduces a new, fully functional pay system.

Brenda Lucki, the RCMP Commissioner, contacted RCMP civilian members to inform them that extensive testing on the stability of the Phoenix pay system was completed and that they concluded they were “not completely satisfied that all conditions are in place to successfully proceed with deeming.”

“We will continue to work with the Treasury Board and the RCMP Commissioner to ensure that we have a clear path forward. We must ensure that there are appropriate mechanisms to bring the RCMP into the public service,” said Daviau.

As PIPSC leadership continues their work with the RCMP Commissioner, we will keep RCMP civilian members informed of any changes or progress.

The existing terms and conditions of RCMP civilian members’ employment remain unchanged with this announcement.

Any RCMP civilian members who experience any workplace issues should contact their steward.

Protests in support of the Wet'suwet'en people are taking place across the country. These protests have been escalating in British Columbia and Ottawa.

We support the right to protest guaranteed by the Charter, and the safety and well-being of our members is very important.

As a PIPSC member working in areas where a protest may be occurring, here is what you need to know:

• You have the right to refuse to work or cross a picket line in the event you are unable to safely access your workplace and/or safely perform your duties.
• Please do not confront protesters or place your safety at risk.
• If you have any concerns about your safety, please immediately contact both your supervisor and a PIPSC steward in your workplace for accurate information about how to proceed.
• In the event that you are unable to safely access your workplace and/or safely perform your duties and your employer refuses to pay you for missed hours, please contact a steward.

If you have any questions or concerns your stewards are here to help. If you are unable to reach a steward, please contact an Employment Relations Officer. 

We stand in solidarity with the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO), the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (EFTO), Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF).

The Ford government’s reckless cuts to public education are already impacting classrooms:

• reduced support for students with special education needs and mental health issues
• overcrowded classrooms
• mandatory e-learning courses for high school students

Just as we have seen in the public health system, the Ford government is pulling resources out of the public education system and laying the groundwork for private interests to profit from our students’ education. We must fight back.

We encourage students, parents and all labour activists to join education unions on the picket lines to send a strong message to the government that they must stop the cuts that hurt kids.

All four Ontario teachers’ unions, representing nearly 200,000 teachers and education workers, are holding a one-day province-wide strike on February 21. Nearly 200,000 teachers and education workers will strike across 72 school boards, affecting nearly 5,000 schools across the province in protest of the government funding cuts to education.

We must fight back against the Ford government’s attack on workers.

We are proud to join eleven Ontario unions representing more than 250,000 provincial public sector employees in a coordinated Charter challenge against Bill 124. This unconstitutional legislation would allow the provincial government to impose salary caps, including for pensions and benefits, on a variety of unionized and non-unionized public sector workplaces.

We must fight in solidarity with education unions to protect public education.
 

Over the past few days, the media has reported illnesses among federal employees working at the Terrasses de la Chaudière office complex in Gatineau. The government has hired an engineering firm to investigate the numerous air and water quality, and mould and insect issues reported by public service employees located in these facilities.

In addition to the health hazards currently under scrutiny, many older federal facilities throughout Canada are also filled with asbestos. Even newer buildings are known to suffer from leaking and other issues.

"The inexcusable state of federal buildings across the country is an extremely concerning situation that can only be corrected by a long-term, and expensive, commitment on the part of the government," says Debi Daviau, PIPSC President.

We took part in employer consultations about the state of affairs at the Terrasses complex and we will continue to keep a very close watch on the situation.

"But no matter where they are located, PIPSC members must under no circumstances be exposed to unhealthy and hazardous work environments," continued Daviau.

"I expect the government to take immediate and decisive action to address these issues, no matter the cost. This could include moving employees to uncontaminated locations while renovations to their offices take place or providing them with greater flexibility to work from home until problems are resolved. I’m tired of short-term solutions and I want to see a detailed plan from the government right away."

As consultations continue, we will keep members informed about new developments.

Eddy Carmack is a retired PIPSC member who has received many awards for his work in oceanography, especially related to climate change and northern climate science. He has received the Officer of the Order of Canada award for 2020.

The Order of Canada is part of the Canadian Honours System that recognizes the outstanding contributions of Canadians to their community, and their service to the nation. Officers of the Order of Canada are individuals who are beyond exceptional in their contributions to Canadians. 

As an oceanographer and northern climate expert, Eddy has contributed a great deal of knowledge and research that helps us understand climate trends today. During his career, he participated in over 90 field investigations in the Antarctic, Arctic, Yukon and Siberia where he collaborated with other researchers from around the world. 

He is the 2007 Massey medalist of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, and the 2010 Tully medalist for the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society, among many other awards and accomplishments. 

In his retirement, he researches the Northwest Passage and BC waters from his own small vessel. 

We are proud of PIPSC members like Eddy. 

Every day, public servants give their best at work to make a difference in the lives of Canadians, and they deserve the best in return. From food and agriculture to oceanography and climate science, our public service makes the world a better place — and we have people like Eddy to thank for it. 

Congratulations, Eddy! 

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