The mini-budget update – otherwise known as the Fall Economic Statement – given by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland on November 21, 2023, heavily prioritized housing and affordability for Canadians.

We continue to strongly advise the government to tackle its goal of fiscal restraint by addressing the costly outsourcing within their IT departments. 

The government identified $691 million per year in new spending reductions at federal departments and agencies. These savings were found as part of their ongoing spending review, over and above the $15 billion already announced in Budget 2023. Few details were provided, and we remain concerned about potential job losses or service cuts. 

The FES ominously pledged to “return the public service closer to its pre-pandemic growth track.” This would be hard to achieve without a budget freeze and attrition, at the very least. The growth in the public service is on par with the growth in Canada’s population. On a per capita basis, Canada’s public service is at the same size as it was in 2012, despite providing more services to an aging population. It is misleading for the government to promote a narrative of unfettered growth when the public service has only been keeping up with the growth in the country’s population.  

The government’s dependency on outside IT Consultants is destructive and fiscally irresponsible. By reducing outsourcing and bolstering in-house capacity through employee empowerment and upskilling, we will reach the goals outlined in the Fall Economic Statement and improve services to Canadians.   

Now is the time for the government to hone in on our recommendations and work to develop a long-term, strategic approach to IT within the government.

Bright spots in the Fall Economic Statement include improvements to the Competition Act that will protect Canadians from price gouging by companies that have unfair monopoly power. Many of these changes are in line with recommendations made by PIPSC members at the Competition Bureau. If implemented accordingly, this will represent the most comprehensive set of reforms to the act since it was first instituted forty years ago.  

The FES also showed that “net actuarial losses” due to the government’s pension liabilities are now in fact surpluses, meaning public service pensions are a contributor to the government’s fiscal health. 

The government also announced its intention to continue with the implementation of the Digital Services Tax at the end of 2023. This measure will make it harder for the big tech companies to avoid paying Canadian taxes by booking profits in tax havens. Recently, there has been international pressure to stop or delay this change until an international solution can be implemented. Staying the course is the right response.

With the announcement by the Front commun intersyndical du secteur public québécois that a second strike sequence will take place from November 21 to 23, and the announcement by the Fédération autonome de l'enseignement (FAE) that an indefinite strike may be called as of November 23, the closure of schools and daycares will likely create childcare challenges for some employees.

To mitigate these challenges, we recommend that members explore the following options in discussion with their immediate manager:

• flexible working hours,
• use of family members, friends or alternate care arrangements, 
• teleworking or modified work arrangements.

If none of these options are viable, and you are unable to work because of the closures, contact your steward immediately for advice and guidance on the leave available under your collective agreement. We are of the opinion that, due to the unpredictability of rotating strikes, employees may, depending on their individual circumstances, be entitled to take family-related leave in this context.

We will assist you in determining whether an individual or group grievance should be filed, particularly for any discrimination based on gender or family status.

We have all been appalled by the bloodshed we’ve witnessed in the past three weeks. 

The conflict in the Middle East has taken a personal toll on PIPSC members with a direct connection to the region. We have members who have lost loved ones in the Hamas attacks on October 7. Members who have lost loved ones in the Israeli response. Members who are worried for the safety of their loved ones across the region. And members who are facing growing Islamophobia, antisemitism and anti-Palestinian racism in our own communities. 

We send these members our deepest condolences and our solidarity. We are in contact with the Muslim Federal Employees Network and the Jewish Public Servants' Network to monitor the experience of our members in the workplace and in the community. We stand united against any expression of hatred. We support our members in creating hate-free spaces for dialogue, engagement and solidarity at a time of grief and division. 

PIPSC has added our support to a growing list of labour and civil society organizations in support of a ceasefire and humanitarian relief. Palestinians, Israelis, and all people in the region deserve to live in peace and security and with justice for all.

We invite all our members to reach out to colleagues inside our union who are directly impacted by this war. This is a time for solidarity and engagement. It’s also a time to reject hatred in all its forms. As a public servant, you are able to engage in rallies, petitions, letter-writing and other political actions that do not promote violence and/or hatred – but you must do so on your personal time (outside of work hours, during paid time off, etc.). If you have any additional questions or concerns, we encourage you to contact your steward.

-30-

PIPSC has put out a detailed guide for members of the Public Service Healthcare Plan to help navigate some of the more complex plan changes and explain the appeals processes when a claim is denied.  Members are encouraged to review this document before reaching out to Canada Life, which continues to face significant and unacceptable backlogs in its PSHCP customer support centers.  Members seeking information on their plan or have general questions, can read through our comprehensive guide and FAQ on our website before reaching out to the Canada Life call center.  A webinar is also available to explain the updated plan.

For client issues, Canada Life is prioritizing urgent matters - such as coverage for high-cost drugs.  Minor administrative and coverage errors will be addressed as capacity increases - please expect a significant delay.  Should Canada Life deny a final appeal or should you not be able to reach them for an exceptionally urgent matter - such as costly treatment coverage - PIPSC can attempt to intervene and ask your claim to be given priority.  We note that PIPSC does not have access to your Canada Life account.

PIPSC, other bargaining agents and the Retirees' Association continue to pressure the Treasury Board to demand better of Canada Life.  This is not the level of service we expect or were promised.  We thank our members for their ongoing patience through this frustrating transition and are taking measures to protect your interests.

All members (even those who don't have the PSHCP) are reminded that, through Service Plus, they can benefit from 90% coverage on prescription medication when filled at our pharmacy partner Mednow.  

The public service healthcare plan covers most PIPSC members and their dependents, including retirees working in the Core Public Administration and at many separate employers.

A live stream of the PIPSC convention 2023, including the Annual General Meeting, will be available to members in good standing. The live stream will be of the main plenary and AGM business only. 

If you would like to access the live steam you will need to register by November 21st using the following link: REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.

On July 8, 2023,  the Isolated Posts and Government Housing Committee (the Committee) finalized its revised methodology for the calculation of the Shelter Cost Differential (SCD) contained in the Isolated Posts and Government Housing Directive (IPGHD). 

Since 2013, the Committee's methodology involved adjusting the SCD rate annually, proportionally with increases to the territorial Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The purpose of the SCD is to provide an allowance to employees who are at an isolated post where the cost of renting private accommodation or government housing is higher than the national average threshold. However, as of August 1, 2023, the revised methodology for the calculation of the SCD came into effect. 

What does this mean for you?

There are now 20 qualifying locations instead of 5 and the same methodology has been applied to all locations. Once a location qualifies, the rate will be adjusted annually by the provincial or territorial Consumer Price Index (CPI), as application, until the next Census results are available. 

For employees in locations where the SCD rate is decreasing (Inuvik, Iqaluit, and Yellowknife), or who will no longer be eligible to receive the SCD (Norman Wells), transitional provisions for the reductions have been put in place. 

Employees who were receiving the SCD at a location which no longer qualifies or if the rate is decreasing will continue to receive the August 1, 2022 amount until December 1, 2023.  On December 1, the amount will decrease by 50% of the amount of the decrease and on September 1, 2024, the amount will decrease by the other 50%. 

If there are any changes to your allowance, the employer should provide you with written notification. This is in accordance with subsection 2.13.2 of the Isolated Posts and Government Housing Directive (IPGHD).

Can I file a grievance? 

Because the SCD calculation and other changes made to the IPGHD are agreed upon through the National Joint Council, the changes cannot be grieved as long as they respect the directive. 

More information or questions?

For other questions, we encourage you to review the FAQ below and visit the following links: New Shelter Cost Differential (SCD) Methodology - Highlights of Changes - IPGHD – August 1, 2023

Revised Methodology for the Shelter Cost Differential (SCD) - FAQ - August 1, 2023

We also encourage you to look at our FAQs below.

Members can also contact their local PIPSC steward if they have any questions.

FAQ:

Steven Raphael is a PIPSC member and has been a First Nation Health Authority (FNHA) worker since 2011. He has been part of the PIPSC union community for 4 years and works with nurses, health managers, and medical office assistants to connect them to the networks of care they need.

“Sometimes there is a lot of stress for nurses trying to get access to medical records, so when I’m helping to troubleshoot a problem in our records system, I try to use positive language to help nurses feel like they’ve had a “win” in their day,” he says.

Through his work, Steven helps improve access to electronic clinical documentation systems, like Panorama Health Records, that help get British Columbians the care they need. Panorama gives nurses in BC communities direct access to individuals’ public health records. Steven’s work is important because he ensures healthcare providers get timely access to correct healthcare data for the individuals they care for.

He is proud of the relationships he has developed with nurses and healthcare providers at different First Nations health services organizations. Grassroots-level relationships are what drive positive change most in the communities Steven works with. He is also proud of the connections he has developed with stakeholders at the FNHA, and with provincial-level partners. Without these strong relationships, Steven says that developing better healthcare systems for First Nations wouldn’t be possible.

“Working with nurses and health managers directly as well as medical office assistants, those are all relationships. Without those relationships you don’t get buy-in and they don’t get that support, so it’s important.”

As a community member, dad and public service worker, Steven knows that community is at the center of good healthcare.

“It’s about the circle of care. The client is in the middle of that circle, and the healthcare providers focus on that inner circle, the client. I get to be a part of that,” he says.

Strong union support is a big part of making the healthcare circle work. Unions make sure that workers like Steven are able to get the support they need to deliver important services that impact patient care. During the pandemic, a big part of that was making sure Steven and his coworkers had what they needed to work and assist healthcare providers from home.

“If I had the same job offered to me, if I would do this exact same work for the exact same pay but not have the union benefit plan, I wouldn’t do it. This union has supported me, but it has also supported my employer,” he says. “I’m proud to be a PIPSC member because I’ve experienced their support directly.”

In 2013, Steven’s wife was diagnosed with cancer. Because of this, Steven’s employer and union came together to make sure he had everything he needed to continue being able to work while also looking after his wife and four daughters.

“It was thanks to the family support leave with PIPSC that I was able to leverage that time and support my family during that cancer fight,” he says.

Steven’s wife, Rochelle, passed away in 2019 after fighting cancer bravely for six years. 

“Without union, hospice and other support from family, we probably wouldn’t have been so successful in keeping our lives together,” he added. “The union really helped me change my working hours, allowed me time to get my kids to school, walk with my youngest and support them in grieving the loss of their mom.”

Steven has experienced the healthcare system inside and out, and he knows how much hard work and dedication goes into creating a system that helps and supports families in times of need.

His primary goal is to ensure healthcare services continue to be developed by First Nations people for First Nations people, and as a union we stand by him. PIPSC will be there to support important public servants like Steven who make a difference in people’s lives every day.