While
this will come as no surprise to members receiving their ‘affected’
notices, the Agriculture sector of the public service was especially
hard hit in the March 29 federal budget.
In
fact, cuts across Agriculture Union employers were at or around the
‘worst case’ 10 per cent level ordered by the Harper government.
The Conservatives, National President Bob Kingston pointed out, have
shown a complete disregard for both the important services provided
Canadians and the well-being of the women and men who deliver them.
“These
cuts are frankly worse than I had anticipated,” Kingston said.
“This was a behind-closed-doors exercise by senior management with
no effort to involve either the union or the members who provide
these services. Many of the cuts make no sense in the real world.”
Here’s
a brief overview of the major staffing impacts provided to us by
various employers…
AAFC:
A total of 689 indeterminate positions will be affected, with
Winnipeg and the National Capital Region taking the heaviest blow. Of
this total number of affected jobs, 346 are in the Program and
Administrative Services Group, 231 in the Operational Services Group,
105 in the Technical Services and seven in the Library and
Educational Services Group. Seven Agri-Environment Services Branch
sites will be closed, and AESB, Environment and Research Branch will
be merged into a new Science and Technology Centre. Seven research
and sub-research centres will be closed, including those in Winnipeg,
Bouctouche, New Brunswick and Delhi and Kapuskasing in Ontario. An
additional 188 positions will be lost over the next six years
following a decision to eliminate the Pasture Management Program,
despite this being a revenue-neutral operation.
CFIA:
A total of 308 positions will be lost – 247 indeterminate and 61
terms. Just fewer than 200 of these are located in the National
Capital Region, with PM, AS and CR positions disproportionately
impacted. Technical positions are prominent among the remaining cuts
spread across the country. The loss of some 100 inspector positions
completely undoes the staffing action taken in the wake of the
listeriosis crisis, and then some.
PSC:
A total of 87 positions will be eliminated, mostly through attrition.
Six Library Services jobs will be lost in the National Capital
Region. Four members in Winnipeg and six in Edmonton will receive
affected notices in December 2013 in advance of the closure of those
two Regional Offices in 2014.
CSPS:
Our CSP members were already reeling from a pre-budget decision by
the School to eliminate its language program and lay off 190 teachers
and support staff. Of these 190, 119 term employees were let go as of
March 31, 30 have been declared surplus (half
from the National Capital Region, with the remainder in regions
across the country) and a
further six position to date have been identified from the Advanced
Leadership Program as affected.
DND:
Forty-two positions have been identified as potentially affected,
although no final decision has as yet been made. The targeted jobs
are those of language instructors or program developers in Ottawa,
Borden and Kingston, Ontario and St-Jean and Montreal in Quebec. It
is a clear indication by the numbers affected in Borden that this
worksite will be closed.
The
Agriculture Union will be working hard to ensure our affected members
receive their full rights under the work force adjustment and
employment transition provisions of their collective agreements. Any
member who encounters unfairness or misapplication of these
protections is urged to bring this to the attention of the union as
soon as possible.
In
the meantime, we will continue to take our case against these serious
cuts to the public, both through the media and by working with
like-minded advocacy groups and opposition politicians.
