The news last week that the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has won major improvements to its members’ dental plan has prompted many PIPSC members to ask if they can soon expect similar improvements.

PIPSC and PSAC negotiate with the federal government separately. While no PIPSC agreement has yet been reached, we hope the conclusion of the PSAC agreement will now allow us and other unions to successfully negotiate an agreement of our own.

With PIPSC in the lead, we are negotiating the dental plan in conjunction with other federal public service unions through the National Joint Council's Dental Board.

We will be certain to inform all affected members as soon as an agreement is reached.

On September 19^th the federal government officially began the process to replace Phoenix. Scott Brison, Treasury Board president, announced a procurement process to plan, design and purchase a new system suggesting a Spring 2019 implementation.

PIPSC has been pushing to replace Phoenix for almost a year and began working with the federal government in June to find an appropriate and reliable replacement.

“We've been calling to nix Phoenix and push the government to replace it with a pay system that works. I'm glad to see that our hard work is finally paying off and we can see a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm also encouraged to hear Minister Brison refer to specific timelines for the selection of a new system," stated PIPSC President Debi Daviau. "Of course, the job is not done until everyone is reliably paid. In the interim, we would like the government to fully explore all potential solutions, like the CAS system at the Canada Revenue Agency. The existing CAS system could be deployed to pay public service employees more quickly and take pressure off the existing system.”

PIPSC continues to advocate for an urgent replacement of the Phoenix system by working with and pushing the government forward, winning the support of Canadians, as well as making the voices of PIPSC members heard.

You can read more about the September 19 Procurement day here: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-potential-replacements-for-phoenix-pay-system-to-start-testing-soon/

Learn more about how you can join the campaign to nix Phoenix visit: https://action.pipsc.ca/nixphoenix.

Candidate Profiles for the PIPSC 2018 National Election are now available!

Voting will be open for the PIPSC National Election in just under a month.Take this opportunity to learn about the diverse and talented members who are running for PIPSC leadership this year.

Members will be voting to elect the PIPSC President, Vice-Presidents (full and part-time) and Regional Directors.

PIPSC continues the fight to nix Phoenix and to insist on viable solutions proposed by our membership. 2018 collective bargaining is also kicking into high gear. The upcoming election of the PIPSC Board of Directors is the opportunity for members to choose the leadership who will see PIPSC all through these challenges and the next three years.

Be sure to get to know your 2018 PIPSC National Election candidates!

All members will receive a ballot between October 12th to 15th and the voting period will be open until November 2nd at 12:00 PM ET. Visit the National Elections page for more information.

Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is an annual national public education campaign coordinated by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) designed to help open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental illness.

Mental illness affects more than six million people across the country about one in five Canadians. (http://www.camimh.ca/mental-illness-awareness-week/about-miaw/) This week is an opportunity to shine a light on the stigmatization of mental illness and work to create a society where it is easy for people with mental illness to seek the help they need. Mental Illness Awareness Week seeks to highlight the hidden significant burden mental illness places on us all.

In order to raise awareness and decrease stigmatization, MIAW has shared Faces of Mental Illness featuring personal stories from individuals living with mental illness.

The PIPSC Mental Health Resource Guide is available as a resource. This Guide is a comprehensive tool-kit that will help you recognize the signs of mental illness, provides advice on starting these difficult conversations and includes information on where to access resources for support. We all have a role to play in break down stigma and making it easier for all of us to seek support for mental illness.

This week, Canadians marked our first Gender Equality Week. On June 21^st, 2018 Bill C-309 was passed legislating the fourth week in September as Canada’s annual Gender Equality Week.

The theme, “Everyone Benefits”, highlights the benefits that people of all genders enjoy when gender equality increases. Fairness, economic prosperity, health, happiness, peace, security and limitless possibilities are among the many benefits of gender equality promoted by the Government of Canada. Read more here: https://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/commemoration/gew-ses/about-apropos-en.html.

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada represents 57,000 professionals across Canada's public sector, over 40% of whom are women, and the vast majority of whom work in the federal public service.

The right of women to equal pay for work of equal value with men has been reinforced by Canada's ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and other international human rights instruments as well as by the Canadian Human Rights Act currently.

For nearly a decade, however, there's been a void in pay equity in the federal public service amongst its relatively higher percentage of unionized and increasingly female workforce. This translates for us into an urgent need for pay equity legislation that will provide true, proactive, and timely means to implement pay equity and operate in a manner consistent with, amongst other things, existing human rights obligations, lessons learned from past experience, and pay equity jurisprudence. It is the Institute's view that a proactive federal pay equity regime is a critical, albeit overdue, step in Canada's progress towards a fair and functional labour sector.

The Canadian Labour Congress also joined with PIPSC and women’s organizations across the country to call for an end to the gender pay gap in Canada.

“One of the most persistent barriers to gender equality in Canada is the gender wage gap. Women make up almost half of the Canadian workforce, yet women overall make 32% less than men. Women of colour, Indigenous women, and women with a disability (or who have any combination of these characteristics), earn even less than their white, able-bodied counterparts,” 

CLC President Hassan Yussuff points out in an editorial piece for the Toronto Sun. (https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/yussuff-time-for-government-to-walk-the-walk-on-pay-equity). The CLC is calling for the Federal Government to create an autonomous commissioner focused on pay equity that would be led by the Pay Equity Commission.

In the case of Indigenous women in Canada the pay gap is the most severe. Indigenous women in Canada earn 63 cents for every dollar earned by a non-indigenous man. (https://www.canadianwomen.org/the-facts/the-wage-gap/) This Gender Equality Week, the Native Women’s Association of Canada is calling for the inclusion of Indigenous women in the public discussion of gender equality in Canada.

OTTAWA, September 28, 2018 – As the federal Finance Committee prepares for cross-country public hearings on next year’s Budget, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) has released a fact sheet showing 72% of Canadians agree “in the next federal budget, funding for federal government science programs should be restored to what it was in 2011.” The finding, by Environics Research, is significant since overall funding for federal government science is in fact lower today than it was under the Harper government, in particular for research and development (R&D).

While Statistics Canada figures show overall funding of government science has increased from $10.4 billion in 2015/16 to $11.3 billion in 2018/19, actual spending is projected to be $112 million lower in 2018/19 than in 2014/15.

Worse, spending on R&D by government scientists has declined by $891 million compared to 2010/11 under the Harper government.

While some science funding has shifted to the private sector to encourage innovation, R&D by federal scientists has declined steeply.

“The strength of Canada’s R&D network depends on a robust federal government presence,” says PIPSC President Debi Daviau. “We cannot rely increasingly on the private sector alone to provide needed innovations. Often the very innovations we most need – for example, better weather forecasting, more resilient crops, improved pollution monitoring – result from R&D in areas of direct federal government responsibility, which is why we’re calling for more funding in next year’s budget.”

The StatsCan numbers reinforce the findings of a 2017 survey of federal scientists, which discovered well over half (58%) believe their departments do not have sufficient resources to fulfill their mandates. The problem is particularly pronounced in the Canadian Space Agency (79%), Natural Resources Canada (64%) and even Environment and Climate Change Canada, where 60% do not feel their department has sufficient resources.

The public opinion survey by Environics Research (commissioned by PIPSC) was 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 online survey of federal scientists, also hosted by Environics Research, were sent to 16,377 scientists, engineers and researchers in over 40 federal departments and agencies. Of these 3,025 (18.5%) responded between May 29 and June 27, 2017. The survey is considered accurate + or – 1.8%, 19 times out of 20. 

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada represents 55,000 public service professionals across Canada, including approximately 16,000 scientists, engineers and researchers, most of whom are 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

PIPSC and the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) celebrated the renewal of their collective agreement on July 23^rd, 2018. The renegotiation of this agreement took place entirely on First Nations land and included Elders supporting the work with prayer, wisdom and input. The negotiations fostered a meaningful relationship between both parties. Additionally, the renewed collective agreement includes traditional First Nations approaches to conflict management and resolution.

"We are proud to be a part of the renewal of this historic agreement between our members and the First Nations Health Authority because of the incredible work that both parties did in incorporating First Nations-based principles and practices to negotiations," said PIPSC President Debi Daviau. "We felt there was a genuine effort to work together and both sides were guided by the objectives they serve: good jobs in healthy communities. We look forward to continuing this approach through the life of this agreement and beyond."

This important approach is in keeping with the PIPSC commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in Canada. The initial agreement in 2015 set precedent for labour relations that incorporate First Nations perspectives, values and sensibilities. It was the first agreement of its kind in Canada.

"We want to thank our partner the Professional Institute for their collaboration and being open again to including First Nations Elders in this work and incorporating First Nations perspectives into the agreement,” said Joe Gallagher, CEO of the FNHA. "I want to raise my hands to team members on both sides for the commitment to working together in a good way for the interest of First Nations peoples and our organizations. We are always better together."

The terms of the Collective Agreement are from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2020.

On August 20, Treasury Board initiated its process of soliciting feedback from employees of the Federal Government about their engagement, leadership, workforce, workplace, workplace well-being, and more, through the Public Service Employee Survey (PSES). At the unions’ request, it also asks a few questions about pay problems resulting from Phoenix. 

Because the Institute believes firmly that informed data should be used to effect change, we support full participation by our members in the 2018 PSES.

The survey is being conducted from August 20 to September 28, 2018, and is being administered by Advanis, on behalf of the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board of Canada. Responses will be treated in a confidential manner.

More information about the 2018 PSES:  https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/services/innovation/public-service-employee-survey/2018/2018-about-public-service-employee-survey.html

The Institute’s submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance regarding the 2019-20 Pre-Budget Consultation is now available online. 

PIPSC believes the next federal budget should address the following priorities:

(1) Invest in intramural scientific capacity and intramural research and development (R&D).

(2) Enlist the assistance of the Chief Science Advisor to develop more detailed metrics to monitor the government’s science capacity.

(3) Nix Phoenix. Expand and accelerate efforts to find a permanent, in-house solution.

(4) Dedicate adequate resources to innovative Phoenix solutions.

 (5) “Reduc[e] the use of external consultants, bringing expenditures closer to 2005/06 levels,” as promised in Real Change: Growth for the Middle Class - The  Liberal Fiscal Plan and Costing, 2015.

(6)  Prioritize training and professional development within the public service.

(7) Close tax loopholes, reform privacy laws and prevent “snow washing”.

(8) Reinvigorate the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Call for Volunteers for 2019

PIPSC Standing Committees of the Board of Directors

If you are interested in participating as Chair, Member or Friend on a standing committee of the Board for 2019, you are invited to submit your expression of interest by completing the prescribed form and sending it to committeevolunteers@pipsc.ca by the deadline of Friday, October 5, 2018.

Committees of the Board

• By-laws and policies Committee
• Elections Appeals Committee
• Elections Committee

Executive Compensation Committee (See Note 2)

• Finance Committee
• Human Rights and Diversity Committee
• Information Technology Services and Projects Committee
• Professional Recognition and Qualifications Committee
• Science Advisory Committee

Training and Education Committee (Chair) (see Note 2)

Note 1 By-Law 17.1.3 Composition - All Committees shall consist of five (5) to seven (7) members and, unless otherwise specified, shall include one (1) member from each Region. Where there is a Vice-President liaison to a committee, the Vice-President does not count as a member of the committee.

Note 2 There will be no solicitation process for members of Executive Compensation Committee, or for the Training and Education Committee. Institute By-Laws and policies require that members of these committees be selected from members of the Board of Directors and/or the designated individual from the Chair of the Regional Training Committee respectively. However, members may indicate their interest in the position of Chair of the Training and Education Committee by filling out the appropriate form.

Note 3 Only volunteers who have complied with the due-process call for nominations, and have adhered to the prescribed time lines, shall be deemed to be eligible candidates.

Application Process

Volunteers shall be limited to applying to two (2) Standing Committees of the Board, and must indicate their preferences in priority order.

Duly fill out the prescribed form as follows:

• Clearly identify the committee(s) by title. If requesting to volunteer on two (2) committees, rank these in order of preference.
• Indicate your Group and Region.
• State whether you are applying as Chair, Member or Friend.

Note 4 If you are not selected as Chair, you will automatically be considered as a member or as a friend.

Note 5 A “friend” of a committee is a member interested in the activities of the committee, but who is unable to participate as an active member. Note that there are no “friends” on the Executive Compensation Committee, the Elections Committee, or the Elections Appeal Committee.

• List any Committees of the Board on which you served for the past five (5) years.
• Include a brief rationale (on the prescribed form) outlining the reasons why you wish to be considered and what you would bring to the work of the committee you are applying for.
• Submit the prescribed form containing your expression of interest by the deadline to committeevolunteers@pipsc.ca.

Deadline

The deadline for expressions of interest is no later than Friday, October 5, 2018.

Information

Please consult the information on the Selection Process and Selection Criteria by following these links:

Committees of the Board, Institute By-Laws and Policy on Committees of the Board of Directors.

If you have any questions, please contact us at: committeevolunteers@pipsc.ca.