As of April 12, 2023, PSAC confirmed that its members voted to strike. PSAC then has 60 days to call the strike. Before any strike begins, employees should receive direction from their employer about how to handle the strike.

No - only PSAC-represented members are in a legal position to strike. PIPSC members are expected to report to work as scheduled.

PIPSC members are encouraged to show their support and solidarity for PSAC members during their days off, unpaid lunch period, or before/after work hours by joining in picket lines.

Should you encounter a picket line, members are strongly encouraged to consider the following:

1. Respect the picket line
2. If possible, have some form of PIPSC identification with you to show to the picket captain. You do NOT need your membership card. ID can be anything from showing a PIPSC email you've received, or a button
3. Should the picket line not let you cross or you fear for your safety, please contact your manager/team lead to request an escort into the building or directions on how to get into the building. When requested, an escort must be provided.
4. While waiting to enter the building due to a picket line, members are still considered to be “at work” and should not be expected to make up additional time.

A digital membership card from PIPSC is available for your use through the Service Plus infinity program. To access your downloadable ServicePlus membership card from PIPSC, please visit www.serviceplusgroup.ca If you already have your ServicePlus account, simply login, click on your name at the top of the page, then  Manage my account to download your card. If you do not already have your free ServicePlus account, simply visit https://serviceplusgroup.ca/sign-up to create one, then download your card as above.For any questions related to this, please contact  info@serviceplusgroup.ca for assistance.

If you feel unsafe crossing a picket line, please contact your manager/team lead to notify them of the situation. You are encouraged to request for an escort to cross the picket line. When requested, an escort must be provided. Do not attempt to cross a picket line you believe would put your personal safety at risk.

If you are requested at any time to perform any duty of an employee on strike, you should comply to ensure you are not insubordinate (which could result in disciplinary action), unless you believe the assigned work would be a threat to your safety or security. While members should comply with the direction, they are encouraged to raise their concerns with their manager/team lead as it relates to their job description. 

Members should not be asked or assigned work that they are not trained or qualified to perform. Should this occur, please contact your local PIPSC Steward. 

If you were sent home by management to complete your work day due to an inability to cross the picket line, you should not be responsible to work additional hours to make up your travel time to and from the office. If you are directed to work additional hours, please contact your local PIPSC Steward.

If you are told not to report to work in the office on a day that you were previously scheduled as a result of the picket lines, members should continue to work from home as they normally would. If you are unable to work from home, we encourage you to discuss this with your management to find alternative options. Members should not be expected to make up the in office day if instructed by management to stay home. If you are directed to work additional hours, please contact your local PIPSC Steward.

Any issues that members encounter should be raised to their manager/team lead. Members are also encouraged to contact their local Steward should they have any questions or concerns regarding the picket lines.

If you are acting in a PSAC role, you should be following the terms and conditions of the PSAC position and therefore be subject to the strike. If you have specific questions about the strike or the picket lines as an acting PSAC member, please contact your PSAC representative.

If you are acting in a position outside of the PSAC bargaining unit, you are not eligible to participate in the strike vote or take strike action. You must continue to work as you normally would along with other PIPSC members.

Members should not be required to work additional hours or be subject to leave without pay as a result of the pickets, nor can the employer force employees to remain on site during a meal break. If this occurs, members are encouraged to request the direction in writing and immediately contact their local PIPSC Steward. 

We also encourage our members to clearly communicate with their managers their time of arrival at the picket line, whether in the morning or at the end of their meal period.  For example, if you leave the building at 12pm and are back at the picket line trying to enter the building at 12:58pm, you should immediately inform your supervisor that you are finished with your meal period and are waiting to be escorted through the picket line. 

We encourage you to clearly communicate with your supervisor as soon as you arrive at the picket line at the beginning of your day to request an escort. If you are waiting in line for an extended period of time and need to leave your place in line to use a restroom, advise your supervisor and ask for directions. You must be allowed to leave the line and return at the back of the line within reasonable time. Upon your return to the back of the line, inform your supervisor of your return.
Should your employer tell you not to leave the line, immediately contact a PIPSC steward.

If the employer requires you to work from a location other than your permanent workplace on a temporary basis for a period of less than 30 consecutive days, you would be considered on travel status. Being on travel status subjects employees to the relevant provisions outlined in the NJC Travel Directive. 

For cases involving a temporary location change, the NJC Travel Directive states that transportation shall be provided to the temporary workplace, or the kilometric rate paid for the distance between the home and the temporary workplace, or between the permanent workplace and the temporary workplace, whichever is less. 

If this occurs, employees are encouraged to contact their local PIPSC Steward in the event this occurs for further direction on the specifics of your case.

All members of PIPSC are part of a group. Your group is determined based on their work, classification and employer. This structure allows each bargaining unit to determine its bargaining priorities and strategies. It also allows each unit to deal with concerns specific to its members' professions.

Your group has an executive team, elected by you and your colleagues. Your group also selects the bargaining team that will represent you in negotiations with your shared employer. You can find your current collective agreement on your Group Page.

Bargaining is collective. That means rather than negotiating your terms of employment individually, the union leverages the collective power of all members in your group to ensure you get the best deal possible.

This bargaining process is what shapes your collective agreement, and your collective agreement is what shapes everything from your working conditions to your salary. The more you follow this process – and participate where you can – the more likely you are to end up with working conditions that meet your needs.

We will send you regular updates via email or text message to let you know how the bargaining process is going. We will also post updates on this page, and on our social media platforms. Make sure your contact information is up to date, and that you are following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

If you have specific questions during bargaining, you can send them to your shop steward or group bargaining teams!

First of all, collective bargaining begins and ends with members, so it is crucial that you make sure your bargaining team knows your priorities. How can they represent you to the employer if you’re not telling them what you want? So when your bargaining survey comes out, please always take a few minutes to complete it.

Secondly, you will also have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback to your bargaining team throughout the process through events (online and in-person) and via email. Your bargaining team wants and needs to hear from you.

Finally, it is very important that you read all communications from your Group, and that you show up to events. This will ensure that you have the most current information on the process. It will also enable you to chat with your colleagues about bargaining. You can even host a lunch and learn in your workplace to make sure everyone knows how to stay informed.

Through negotiations, PIPSC bargaining teams and the employer’s representatives reach a collective agreement which contains provisions establishing the terms and conditions of employment, paid and unpaid leave, rates of pay, hours of work, and the rights and duties of the parties to the agreement.

There are some issues that we do not bargain. There are other issues where ability to bargain varies from employer to employer.

For example, for federal government employees, we cannot bargain on your pension, your health or dental benefits, classification and staffing of positions, or administrative system changes (such as the dreaded Phoenix).

This is not to say the union doesn’t advocate for improvements and action on these important issues, but that work is done outside of bargaining. As an example, we have been working with other unions and partner organizations to review and improve the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP).

Generally, yes. Once your new collective agreement is ratified and signed, the implementation of the new agreement begins. This will include any pay increases that need to be applied retroactively. The retroactive payment period starts from when the previous collective agreement expired, and ends when your salary is adjusted to reflect the new rates of pay.

You are entitled to a personalized retro payment based on your work history, which includes things like overtime, acting assignments, etc. Some compensation is not subject to retro pay however, such as shift premiums or lump sum allowances.

Once your new collective agreement is ratified and signed and implementation begins, your bargaining team will provide updates on how and when you can expect your retro pay.