The Canadian Labour Congress has released a must-read report on Islamophobia in the workplace. Islamophobia at Work: Challenges and Opportunities explores the rise of anti-Muslim attitudes and discrimination in Canada. It provides recommendations for employers, trade unions, and governments on how to address this pernicious phenomenon.

The report comes just weeks after the horrific terrorist attack at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Those attacks were a stark reminder of the urgency of addressing Islamophobia in our communities.

There has been a steady rise in hate crimes targeting Muslim communities in Canada over the past several years. In 2017, a young man consumed by hatred killed six men attending prayers at a Québec City mosque. His name was even cited by the New Zealand terrorist. 

That same year, reported hate crimes targeting Muslims rose by 151 percent across the country, which is alarming since many such crimes are often not reported due to a fear of backlash and reprisal. Meanwhile, members of far-right groups continue to mobilize online and offline, organizing anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rallies which further demonize these communities.

This report aims to address the impact of this harmful climate on Canadian workplaces with specific recommendations aimed at reinforcing the responsibility of employers to educate management and staff about legal obligations around human rights and religious accommodations. It further encourages governments to do more to support anti-racism awareness campaigns and develop strategies to address online hate. According to the report, trade unions must play an important role in championing fairness, equity and social justice for Muslims in Canada.

As a champion of the Joint Union/Management Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion, PIPSC contributed to the development of the report Building a Diverse and Inclusive Public Service, which makes recommendations to identify and address barriers to racialized people joining and advancing in the public service, and contributing their talents to serve Canadians. We continue to encourage the Treasury Board Secretariat to implement each of these recommendations as soon as possible.

We at PIPSC join the collective labour movement in denouncing all Islamophobia and racism and encourage our members to take part in anti-harassment and inclusiveness initiatives in their workplaces. We are now at the bargaining table fighting for stronger anti-harassment measures to ensure the public service is a safe and healthy workplace for everyone.

If you have any questions, please contact the Human Rights Committee, chrd-cdpd@pipsc.ca.

08 March 2019

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY traces back to the 1900s, rising from the labour movements in North America and Europe, signaling a growing movement for women to participate equally in society. The United Nations recognized 1975 as International Women's Year and began celebrating International Women's Day on March 8, later adopting a resolution designating March 8 as International Women's Day.

It is an opportunity to celebrate the progress made to achieve gender equality and women's empowerment and to reflect on the improvements made and strive for momentum towards gender equality worldwide. It is a day to recognize the extraordinary acts of women and to stand together, as a united force, to advance gender equality around the world.

This year's theme for calls for action, to harness the power of technology to create a more equal world. Innovation and technology represent opportunities, but trends show a growing gender digital divide and women are under-represented in the field of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and design (STEM). It is a barrier to developing and influencing gender-responsive innovations and achieve transformative gains. It is imperative to remove the barriers facing women in STEM, so new ideas and solutions will be unleashed that will transform our society and strengthen our economy.

PIPSC invites members to celebrate, recognize and acknowledge the achievements of women in their life!

#IWD2019 #WomensDay #InnovateForChange #BalanceforBetter #WIKI4WOMEN

Status of Women Canada
https://cfc-swc.gc.ca/commemoration/iwd-jif/theme-en.html

United Nations - International Women’s Day
http://www.un.org/en/events/womensday/index.shtml

UNESCO - Priority Gender Equality
https://en.unesco.org/genderequality

PIPSC 2019 Human Rights and Diversity Committee
Email chrd-cdpd@pipsc.ca

PIPSC Celebrates National Engineering Month!

Every March, Provincial and Territorial engineering regulatory bodies throughout Canada celebrate the contributions of engineers in our day to day lives and spread awareness of the engineering profession to youth.

The Engineering Sector Council, which represents members from the Federal Public Service, Federal agencies and separate employers, invites you to celebrate National Engineering month (March 2019) with them and thousands of PIPSC members across Canada. 

Visit https://engineerscanada.ca to find out more about National Engineering Month and to find activities in your local area.

Engage in the conversation!

• Share highlights of your celebration of engineering month or interesting engineering stories on the PIPSC Facebook page.
• Follow the action on Twitter by using the hashtags: #NEM2019 and #NEGM2019.

The Engineering Sector Council promotes engineering within and outside of PIPSC and is always planning activities to support PIPSC members who are in the engineering profession. Contact Jonathan Fitzpatrick (jfitzpat@pipsc.ca), Chair, Engineering Sector Council if you have any questions.

On February 26^th, the Canadian Labour Congress brought labour leaders from coast to coast to Ottawa to meet with federal MPs and Senators. Over 350 activists, including PIPSC members, pushed officials hard for a pharmacare plan and in support of better pension protection for workers and pensioners when companies go bankrupt. It was the largest day of lobbying in CLC’s history, with a total of 354 participants in 194 meetings. 

Canada is the only industrialized country in the world with universal healthcare that does not include medications.

Today, 3.5 million Canadians can’t afford to fill their prescriptions. From birth control to insulin, one third of Canadians do not have coverage through their work and are left to pay out of pocket.

Canada’s unions are working to win a universal prescription drug plan that covers everyone in Canada, regardless of their income, age or where they work or live.

All Canadians will benefit from increased accessibility to medications as well as the cost-savings of coordinating bulk purchasing. Did you know, in New Zealand, where a public authority negotiates on behalf of the entire country, a year’s supply of the cholesterol-busting drug Lipitor costs just $15 a year, compared to $811 in Canada? Pharmacare makes good economic sense.

91% of Canadians believe our public health care system should include a universal prescription drug plan. Together we can build it. Add your voice to the call for a universal prescription drug plan for all Canadians.

SIGN THE PETITION

When it comes to pensions, governments can and must put workers and pensioners first.  Bankruptcy laws must be changed so that workers and pensioners are first in line, not last, when it comes to paying creditors.  The federal government must give workers’ pensions and benefits super-priority status, so that they are paid out of the remaining assets before other creditors (like banks, financial lenders and debt holders).

Over 60 participants traveled from across Canada to learn, share ideas and plan for increased engagement among PIPSC young professionals.

These activists have built concrete plans to roll out the Do Better campaign on the ground at the regional level. There is no doubt this work will build member engagement and demonstrate solidarity at the bargaining table.

Join them by learning more or getting involved in the campaign:

DO BETTER

Participants also gained insights from keynote speaker David Colette, CEO and co-founder of Abacus data. He shared cutting-edge analysis on the views and behaviours of Millennials and how they are impacting today’s workforce.

Other informative panels focused on capacity building, effective organizing strategies, lessons learned from successful movements, and tools for membership engagement.

If you’re a young worker looking to get involved in PIPSC member outreach activities, contact our mobilization team: bettertogether@pipsc.ca.

The firing last week of long-serving Québec government agronomist Louis Robert for making public claims of “private-sector interference in a public study of pesticide use” reminds us of the importance of defending public science and showing solidarity with both whistleblowers and the unions that represent them.

We therefore express our solidarity with M. Robert and the Syndicat de professionnelles et professionnelles du gouvernement du Québec (SPGQ) and encourage others to do the same.

Governments should never turn a blind eye to the concerns of professional government employees, especially ones brave enough to bring such issues to public attention.

Transparency shouldn’t come at the cost of one’s career.

Signed by the members of the Professional Union Network of Canada,

AMAPCEO - Ontario's Professional Employees
ACFO - AFAC
Professional Employees Association (PEA)
Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC)

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) mourns the death of a true friend and supporter, former Ottawa-Centre MP Paul Dewar, who died of brain cancer at the age of 56 on February 6, 2019.

As MP between 2006 and 2015 for a riding with one of the highest concentrations of federal employees, Paul supported federal scientists in their fight for the right to speak and was an outspoken advocate for human rights, labour, strong community, and youth – in particular, through the recent establishment of Youth Action Now, an organization dedicated to “creating a world that is fair, inclusive and sustainable.”

In memory of Paul’s contributions to our community, PIPSC has made a donation to Youth Action Now.

PIPSC extends its deepest condolences to his family and friends.

February 6 marks the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Professional Institute in 1920.

As we reflect on our history, we can be proud of our achievements: our pay equity victories, the socially progressive family leave package which improved maternity, paternity and adoption leaves; pay plans for incumbent-based work of scientists; career development packages for maintenance and enhancement of professional qualifications; and the dental, health and workforce reduction plans over the past decades.

We are the people who do the things that matter to all Canadians – we look after our water quality and our national food supply; inspect our children’s toys; supervise our financial institutions and pension plans; provide severe weather warnings; and ensure that the government has the money it needs to keep the programs we have come to consider part of our national identity from disappearing. These are only some of the tasks Institute members perform every day to safeguard the well-being and security of our fellow citizens.

As we look back on these first 99 years, we can be justifiably proud of the commitment and determination that PIPSC members have always shown in overcoming the numerous obstacles that have confronted them over the years. As it enters its 100th year, the Institute will continue to stand up for its members, to do everything in its power to protect their hard-earned rights, and to ensure that their valuable contributions are recognized by their respective employers and appreciated by Canadians from coast-to-coast.

We’ve come a long way since 1920, in large part because we have stood together through challenging times. Let us take pride in our accomplishments and be encouraged to face the challenges of the future with renewed energy and commitment.

On November 28, PIPSC - BC/Yukon Region - Yukon Branch demonstrated support for fellow unionists of PSCAC YEU who are on strike in Whitehorse. The branch made a generous donation of $1000 to support PSAC Many Rivers’ counsellors and staff.
 

PSAC YEU articulate well that “you cannot care for others if you are unable to care for yourself. In a workplace that does not provide fairness, respect and transparency, fighting for our rights and the rights of our clients is exhausting and unsustainable.”

Learn more about why PSAC YEU members have been pushed to strike: https://www.yeu.ca/why_we_are_striking

The PIPSC 2019 Young Workers Forum is taking place on Friday, February 15th and Saturday, February 16th, 2019 in Gatineau, Quebec.

This Forum is a unique opportunity for young workers (age 40 or under) to participate in a two-day session focused on campaign planning and skills training. The goal is to develop strategies to engage young workers in the union and strengthen regional young workers’ committees.

Participants will connect with other young professionals from across the country and to develop and implement a national campaign that responds to priorities and interests of young workers.