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1. When you first arrived on the PIPSC Board (or Committee or Group Executive) what were the biggest issues that confronted this body, as you recall.
2. Name the main accomplishment(s) achieved during your term in office on the Board? Be as detailed as you wish. If a particular individual played a key leadership role in this regard, please identify that person.
3. What significant matter did the Executive (or committee or Group Executive) not get done that you wish it had been able to get done before your term was complete? How do you explain this result?
4. When you left the PIPSC Board (or committee or Group Executive), what were the chief issues confronting the incoming Executive, again, as you recall them? Had the issues changed? Were the issues essentially the same? Were there new developments that amounted to “game changers” that had an impact on incoming Board priorities?
5. Name (up to) three individuals who, in your opinion, have most influenced in a positive way the direction and achievements of PIPSC: You may choose three names for each time period. You may repeat the names from one time period to another. The persons named need not be elected executive members.

a. In the last 50 years or more (i.e. since 1965)? Briefly identify the contribution made by each.

1.

2.

3.

b. in the last 25 years (i.e., since 1995)? Briefly identify the contribution made by each.

1.

2.

3.

7. (Optional) Can you give a short outline of an event or episode that was in some way exceptional during your term in office on the Board, a PIPSC committee or a Group Executive. This need not relate to the Board or constituent body per se, but something in the field of Public Sector unionism that, for you, was an important milestone for PIPSC or which provides an insight into something important in the development of Public Sector Unionism in Canada and/or the Federal Public Sector.

8. Like any institution, PIPSC has had its successes and failures; there have been good times and bad times and we all like to focus on the more positive experiences. However, it is also important to acknowledge some of the more difficult times in our history. Are there any times that stand out for you as particularly difficult or dangerous for PIPSC and its members?

With much appreciation for your cooperation,

100th Anniversary Committee

The Professional Institute will be celebrating its 100th Anniversary on February 6, 2020. In preparation for this event, the 100th Anniversary Committee is gathering current and historical information about PIPSC and its various entities. The Groups are an important and integral part of the organization of PIPSC and we would appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to fill out this questionnaire and return it to 100anniversary@pipsc.ca.

Questionnaire

The Institute applauds the introduction earlier this week of Bill C-65, the federal government’s long-awaited legislation addressing workplace harassment and violence. For years, PIPSC advocated for the government to recognize and tackle this issue of critical importance to Canadians everywhere.

The Bill cannot come at a more opportune time for our members. The latest annual survey of the public service shows a rise in workplace harassment and a significant rate of workplace stress. One-third of public service workers (34%) said their workplace stress was “high” or “very high”. A similar number of respondents (27%) felt that their workplace was not “psychologically healthy.” The percentage of workers who said they have been harassed at work was up to 22% from 19% in 2014. The results were even higher for equity groups, with the highest rates of harassment (40%) being reported by workers with disabilities. Aboriginal workers also reported high rates of harassment (33%).

The new legislation covers federally-regulated workplaces, including the public service. Changes being proposed to the Canada Labour Code include repealing weak provisions and ensuring that employers are required to take steps to prevent and protect employees against these behaviours, to respond to them when they do occur, and to offer support to those employees affected by them.

The government will also launch an awareness campaign to challenge misconceptions and stereotypes, develop sample policies for employers, and will provide outreach to help employees and employers navigate the process.

While the Bill is a step in the right direction, PIPSC will be working with the government to ensure the legislation addresses its members’ concerns when it comes to ensuring their workplaces are harassment-free, and that adequate/appropriate recourse is available to harassment victims so that their complaints are addressed promptly and fairly.

As well, the legislation needs to provide an inclusive definition of “harassment” that reflects all its forms. If labour inspectors are involved, there must be adequate staffing and training. Finally, the legislation must ensure that those affected have the right to representation and information about the progress of their complaint.

We will update members as C-65 makes its way through the legislative process.

Fellow members,

Canadians should not have to worry about their retirement.

But actions taken by the federal government raise questions about its commitment to enhancing retirement security for Canadians – a key promise in the last federal election.

Over a year ago, the Minister of Finance introduced Bill C-27, a dangerous piece of legislation that could end up in added risks and reduced benefits for retirees. This isn’t progress and it isn’t what people voted for in 2015.

Current bankruptcy laws (notably the Companies' Creditor Arrangement Act, or CCAA)  see Canadians exposed to similar risks. Retirees are in a particularly vulnerable position and federal policy makers are responsible for protecting them.

This is why the Institute supports Member of Parliament (MP) Scott Duvall’s newly-introduced private Member’s Bill C-384 to protect the rights of retirees when a company goes bankrupt. It’s completely unacceptable for retirees to have to scramble to adjust to reduced - or no - benefit payments because employers are allowed to push them to the back of the line under current bankruptcy laws. The recent example of Sears Canada readily comes to mind in that regard.

When workers devote decades to a company and actively contribute to the prosperity of the Canadian economy, it’s only fair that their employer and their government have their backs when they retire.   

The proposed changes contained in Bill C-384 are important because they will provide retirees with added protection and peace of mind at a crucial time in their lives. This is progress, a step in the right direction.

I encourage you to write to your Member of Parliament asking them to actively support this Bill, and to sign the petition sponsored by MP Duvall calling for changes to Canada’s bankruptcy laws. It can be found online at:

https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-1261
 
Together we can make a difference in the lives of millions of current and future Canadian retirees.

Better Together !

Debi Daviau,
President

Last week, the federal government introduced Bill C-62, An Act to amend the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act and other Acts.

The Bill is aimed at repealing two blatantly anti-labour pieces of legislation introduced by the former Harper government, Division 20 of Bill C-59 and Bill C-4.

The first of these sought to unilaterally impose an inferior disability and sick leave management system on public servants, an unwarranted and significant attack on our members’ rights.

Bill C-4 would have drastically changed the rules for collective bargaining within the public service, giving the government full control over union rights such as the right to strike and the right to arbitration. The government would have also determined what positions would be considered essential.

While one of the Liberal government’s first decisions was not to exercise these powers, PIPSC welcomes the introduction of Bill C-62, which will formally put an end to measures introduced by the former government that eliminated any real hope of a level playing field in federal labour relations.

We hope the Bill will proceed promptly through the legislative process and that it will be adopted shortly. It’s time to finally turn the page on a sombre time for Canada’s labour movement as a whole, and the federal public service in particular.

October 10, 2017 is World Mental Health Day. The Institute is pleased to announce that the Mental Health Resource Guide is now available! The 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.

PIPSC is committed to supporting mentally healthy workplaces for all, and we pride ourselves in providing our leaders and members alike with tools they need to succeed.

With an estimated one in five Canadians experiencing a mental health issue every year, odds are you or someone you know is affected. In the workplace, this becomes especially problematic because while you might recognize the signs of a mental health issue, these types of conversations can be difficult and sensitive when it involves a colleague.

We recognize that education is an essential component in raising awareness and ensuring that those experiencing these types of issues are given the help they need.

We all have an important role to play in ensuring that our workplaces are mentally healthy and with this guide you will be better equipped to deal with what is quickly becoming the mental health epidemic.

Together we can break the stigma!

For more information: education@pipsc.ca

The Institute joins its fellow National Joint Council (NJC) bargaining agents in calling for more and better consultation on the Treasury Board Policy Suite Reset, an initiative introduced in 2014 “to streamline and clarify Treasury Board policy instruments while shifting public service culture towards a focus on better service and results.” (*)

PIPSC believes that the Reset has grown beyond the scope of its mandate, particularly when it comes to Treasury Board policies on people management. On these policies, the initiative is moving towards the elimination of clear accountability at the highest levels and fails to provide clear guidelines on such important workplace issues as daycare, employment equity, duty to accommodate, harassment, terms and conditions of employment, and many more.

The significance and scope of the proposed changes is such that the consultation process must be extended and re-oriented to include the participation of relevant NJC committees and subject matter experts. This will result in much more meaningful consultation and collaboration between the parties.

NJC bargaining agents raised these issues with the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Chief Human Resources Officer in a letter earlier this month. We look forward to her response to our concerns.

(*) As defined on the Canada School of Public Service web site

The Institute’s submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance regarding the 2018-19 Pre-Budget Consultation is now available online.

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

(1) Invest in Tax Fairness:

• Commit $400 million, annually and ongoing, to enhance the CRA’s ability to target tax haven abuse, corporate tax avoidance and evasion, and complex tax schemes.

• Consult with front-line workers and invest in the training, technology and infrastructure required to keep pace with tax cheats.

• Close tax loopholes and overhaul Canada's tax and secrecy laws that allow some to evade taxes.

(2) Withdraw Bill C-27:

• PIPSC recommends that the federal government withdraw Bill C-27 and create a legislative and economic environment in which defined benefit pension plans can actually thrive.

(3) Restore Public Science:

• Hire more scientists and researchers to replace the 1,500 federal scientists lost prior to 2015.

• Invest in government scientific capacity at federal departments and agencies – as opposed to only favouring non-government activities. A healthy Canadian scientific and research community depends on both.

• Conduct meaningful consultation with PIPSC’s scientific community in advance of the science infrastructure initiatives that will be carried out in the coming years.

(4) Reduce Outsourcing, Increase Insourcing:

• The government should create a task force with unions to reduce outsourcing, fix problems and build institutional knowledge within the Federal Public Service. The federal government makes up one of the largest IT enterprises in the country. It should listen to its employees’ advice, trust their abilities and train them to address tomorrow’s problems.

• Reduce reliance on outside IT and other professional services to 2005-06 levels by 2019-20.

Don’t just take our word for it. Ask the experts who just published the International Civil Service Effectiveness (InCiSE) Index 2017. Canada’s public servants are number one!

And you can help keep it that way by visiting our new action.pipsc.ca member website, where you’ll be able to learn more about our “Best in the World” advertising campaign.

From Labour Day to the end of October, PIPSC will be running street ads in the National Capital Region on Wellington and Sparks streets and in Hull near Place du Portage, as well as elevator ads in office buildings located in the downtown Ottawa core.

These ads feature six PIPSC members, government professionals like you, from across Canada. Read their profiles, watch their videos, and find out what they do and why their work is so important to Canadians from coast to coast.

And on action.pipsc.ca, you’ll be able to endorse our call for more investments in Canada’s professional public service.

We’re the best! Let’s keep it that way.

Andrew

Proud to be protecting jobs

Cecilia

Protecting ecosystems: we’re in it together

Claude

Lord of Canada's photo history

Eva

A civilian in the military: pride and purpose

James

Making Canadian history

Valerie

Being there to care

PIPSC members are invited to participate in the following Canadian Labour Congress Labour Day events:

Atlantic Region:

http://canadianlabour.ca/event-calendar/all-events/labour-day-events-2017-atlantic-region-september-2-4

Ontario Region :

http://canadianlabour.ca/event-calendar/all-events/labour-day-events-2017-ontario-region-september-2-4

Prairie/NWT Region:

http://canadianlabour.ca/event-calendar/all-events/labour-day-events-2017-prairie-region-september-2-4

BC/Yukon Region :

http://canadianlabour.ca/event-calendar/all-events/labour-day-events-2017-pacific-region-september-2-10

In Solidarity,

The Mobilization Team