Local 30048 Dinner Meeting - January 13, 2014

Local 30048 Dinner Meeting
Jan 13, 2014
5:30 pm

Location: to be announced

Agenda:
Local 30048 by-law changes (see www.local30048.ca for copies of current and
proposed bylaws)
2014 PSAC Prairie Triennial Convention
Local 30048 budget for 2014

To confirm attendance and submit additional agenda items for consideration, please RSVP to
stephanieerb68@yahoo.ca by Jan 6/14.

Please plan to attend.
Questions? Contact any current executive member

CFIA rejects PIC recommendations

CFIA bargaining got off to a rocky start this week, with the Employer bargaining team flatly rejecting almost every single recommendation made by the Public Interest Commission.

In the first session of negotiations since the PIC released its report last July, CFIA gave a mind-numbing presentation on why it could not agree to even the most modest of the PIC’s recommendations. 

“This is more than disappointing,” said Bob Kingston, President of Agriculture Union.

“This round of bargaining with CFIA has been a unique experience with respect to its lack of meaningful discussion and progress. In my 29 years of being involved in collective bargaining, I’ve never seen anything like it.  CFIA’s inability to have a rational discussion on the issues before us has not changed one bit.”

The PSAC bargaining team endorsed the report of the Public Interest Commission immediately after it was issued, and called on the Agency to return to the bargaining table and use the recommendations as a guideline to a negotiated settlement.

The impartial Chairperson of the PIC made several recommendations that validated many of the Union’s proposals, including accumulating overtime over the course of a work week, increased and more flexible wash-up time for meat inspectors, and a reduction of the work week to 37.5 hours from 40 for the small number of GL/GS workers employed by CFIA.

Any provision not found in collective agreements in the Core Public Administration (CPA) was dismissed by the Agency as precedent-setting. But it then rejected language recommended by the PIC that does exist elsewhere in the CPA on the grounds that it is a separate agency.

“We are insulted by CFIA’s condescending attitude toward its dedicated, hard-working employees,” said PSAC team member Raphael Tarasco, Third National Vice-President  for Agriculture Union. “We should not be second-class to the rest of the public service.”

“We now have no choice but to advance the schedule for strike training. We encourage all members to sign up.”

Please stay tuned for further developments as your team continues to meet the employer this week. 

http://psacunion.ca/cfia-rejects-pic-recommendations

Holiday Giving Project

The Lethbridge Area Women's Committee and Local Crafters are supporting the Second Annual Holiday Giving Project. Please consider joining in!

For more information, contact Shannan.LittleATgmail.com.

Urgent - Participate in our telephone town hall to find out how Bill C-4 will impact you - Today November 7, 2013

Less than a week after reconvening Parliament, the Conservative government introduced Bill C-4, an omnibus budget bill that proposes to radically change our rights as federal public service workers.

In addition to putting our lives at risk, this Bill puts every one of our collective agreement provisions in jeopardy.

We know that Treasury Board wants to take away our sick leave. We know that the government wants to bring down the costs of its workforce. We also know that Tony Clement has no respect for our work and value that we bring to the public service. 

Bill C-4 is all about making it easier for the government and Treasury Board to come after us in the next round of bargaining and to strip away our long-standing negotiated rights.

To ensure our members have the facts and understand how this will impact their work and rights heading into bargaining in 2014, PSAC Prairie Region is holding a live and interactive telephone town hall on Thursday, November 7.

To participate, all you have to do is answer the phone when we call on Thursday, November 7, starting at 6:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time and 7:30 p.m. Central Standard Time.

We'll be using the member contact information we have on file. If you don't receive an advance phone call or voicemail message on Wednesday, contact Jeffrey Vallis to ensure your phone number is up to date.

Telephone: (204) 956-4625

vallisj@psac.com

Updated bylaws

At our November 25, 2013 Local meeting, we are proposing these bylaw updates.

Local 30048 meeting - Nov 25 - Election and bylaw changes

Local 30048 Meeting
Nov 25, 2013
7:00 pm

Lethbridge Research Centre

Cafeteria Conference Room

Agenda:

Election of local officers for 2013-2014

Local 30048 by-law changes 

Bargaining

If you wish to add an agenda item, please contact Stephanie Erb at stephanieerb68ATyahoo.ca by 

Nov 18/13

Please plan to attend.   

Questions?  Contact any current executive member 

Annual General Meeting of the Lethbridge & District Area Council

The Annual General Meeting of the Lethbridge & District Area Council will be held on Wednesday, October 23 from 6-9 pm in the Community Room of The Lethbridge & District Police Station 135 - 1St Avenue South, Lethbridge , Alberta.

 

Please RSVP Dave Pearson or Sherry Hunt @:

 

peardd@telusplenet.net  or hunt.dowson@gmail.com

TC Agreement Signed

The new TC Collective Agreement is finally in effect. It was formally signed by PSAC and Treasury Board on October 18, 2013.

Treasury Board now has up to 150 days to implement the changes to the Collective Agreement, including adjusting rates of pay and issuing retroactive pay.

In addition, TC members have six months to decide whether to cash out all or part of your accumulated severance pay or to leave it with Treasury Board until retirement or resignation. Please refer to the FAQs on Severance on this website. Members are encouraged to seek the advice of a financial adviser.

The TC Bargaining Team thanks all TC members for your support and patience during this long and difficult round of bargaining.

http://psacunion.ca/tc-agreement-signed

Pay in arrears

Pressure from bargaining agents and our members has paid off. Treasury Board President Tony Clement has confirmed in an Oct. 15 meeting with PSAC National President Robyn Benson that “pay modernization” in the federal public service and the implementation of “pay in arrears” will take place with no impact on PSAC members' pay – no member will experience a claw back.

The employer had proposed a transition that would have resulted in a loss of 4% off member’s biweekly paycheques in 2014. 

http://psacunion.ca/psac-takes-bite-out-pay-arrears

Treasury Board delays signing of new TC collective agreement

Treasury Board informed PSAC late last week that it would be unable to honour its commitment to sign the new Collective Agreement before October 1st, 2013, citing “procedural issues.”

The parties had made plans to formally sign the collective agreement on September 30th, bringing its new provisions into effect. Although wage increases and allowances are retroactive, most other provisions of any new agreement are not effective until the date of signing.

PSAC held ratification votes from mid-August until September 19, 2013, to ensure that the Union would be in a position to sign the agreement by September 30th or earlier.

Treasury Board is now targeting mid-October for the formal signing.

Meanwhile, PSAC has been working hard to ensure that TC members being transferred to the First Nations Health Authority in B.C. effective October 1, 2013, would be entitled to the provisions of the new agreement.  Those assurances were received from the FNHA on September 30.

Faceless Doll Making Project - Sept 24 noon

We will be making Faceless Dolls for the Lethbridge Sisters in Spirit event.
Tuesday, Sept 24, 2013, noon-1pm at LRC.
Crafting supplies will be provided.
Contact Krysty Munns if you would like to participate but can't make it.

Also, please join us at the Sisters in Spirit event on the evening of October 4, 2013.

More on the Faceless Doll project here - http://www.nwac.ca/programs/faceless-dolls-project

For CFIA members - Health Evaluation Form info

In regards to your Health Evaluation Form through a third party provider.

We have been informed that filling out the health history evaluation form is optional.

Local 30048 meeting tonight - Monday, Sept 16, 2013

Local 30048 Meeting
Sept 16, 2013
7:00 pm

Lethbridge Research Centre

Cafeteria Conference Room

(Note that the entrance is located midway along the South side of the building. Park in the west side parking lot.)

Agenda:

Bargaining

Upcoming events (Sisters in spirit vigil, Person’s Day, Take Back the Night march)

City election

If you wish to add an agenda item, please contact Stephanie Erb at stephanieerb68@yahoo.ca by Sept 13/13

Please plan to attend.   

Questions?  Contact any current executive member (see PSAC board at LRC or website below)

What our members have been up to all summer

Take a look at this blog to see what members have been up to all summer in the LRC Food Banks' Garden and the Interfaith Food Bank Teaching Garden.

http://lrcgarden.blogspot.ca/

Upcoming meetings in Lethbridge - Ratification vote, Women's Committee, LDLC

TC Contract Ratification Vote

WhenMon, September 9, 4:30pm – 7:30pm

WhereLethbridge & District Labour Council (LDLC) Office - 105A-3305 18th Ave North, Lethbridge AB (map)

DescriptionThere will be information sessions throughout the evening, approximately hourly, starting at 4:30 with TC bargaining team member June Winger. Voting will be ongoing after each information session. We encourage everyone to attend an information session prior to voting. Location: LDLC meeting room is located in the Palliser Regional Schools building, Room 105 A. Entrance is around the back of the building. Follow the signs once you park. Please bring: your union membership card

Lethbridge Area Women's Committee Meeting

WhenTue, September 10, 5pm – 7pm

WhereLibrary space at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (map)

DescriptionAll Southern Alberta PSAC members who identify as women are welcome to attend. Contact Maria for more information. maria.fitzpatrick10ATgmail.com

Lethbridge District Labour Council meeting

WhenWed, September 11, 7pm – 9pm

WhereLethbridge & District Labour Council (LDLC) Office - 105A-3305 18th Ave North, Lethbridge AB (map)

Ratification Vote - TC Group (EG's) - September 9 2013 - important info!

If you are a Treasury Board TC Group member (that's you - AAFC EG's), make sure you attend one session of this vote. Start times are at: 

4:30pm

5:30pm

6:30pm

You only need to attend one session.

For more information, contact a member of your Local Executive.

TC Contract Ratification Vote
Monday, September 9, 2013

4:30-7:30 pm

Lethbridge & District Labour Council (LDLC) Office

105A-3305 18^th Ave North, Lethbridge AB

There will be information sessions throughout the evening, approximately hourly, starting at 4:30 with TC bargaining team member June Winger.  Voting will be ongoing after each information session.  We encourage everyone to attend an information session prior to voting.

Location: LDLC meeting room is located in the Palliser Regional Schools building, Room 105A.  Entrance is around the back of the building.  Follow the signs once you park.

Please bring:  your union membership card

Fairness Works!

Take a look at the latest campaign from the Canadian Labour Congress.
http://fairnessworks.ca/

TC Contract Ratification Vote - Sept 9 - Important!

TC Contract Ratification Vote
Monday, September 9, 2013

4:30-7:30 pm

Lethbridge & District Labour Council (LDLC) Office

105A-3305 18^th Ave North, Lethbridge AB

There will be information sessions throughout the evening, approximately hourly, starting at 4:30 with TC bargaining team member June Winger.  Voting will be ongoing after each information session.  We encourage everyone to attend an information session prior to voting.

Location: LDLC meeting room is located in the Palliser Regional Schools building, Room 105A.  Entrance is around the back of the building.  Follow the signs once you park.

Please bring:  your union membership card

Questions?  Contact any current executive member (see PSAC board at LRC or www.local30048.ca)

CFIA still “analyzing” PIC recommendations

CFIA has rebuffed PSAC's invitation to return to the bargaining table in September, saying it is “now in the process of analyzing the PIC recommendations” and will let the union know when it has finally has a handle on what the report says.

The Public Interest Commission released its report on July 25, 2013, after a long delay during which the impartial chair attempted without success to restore a consensus on the three-person panel.

The PSAC bargaining team met by conference call to review the recommendations the following day, and immediately sent CFIA's negotiator a note advising that it is prepared to return to the bargaining table using the PIC report as a roadmap to a settlement. The union also proposed a selection of bargaining dates in September.

“Even if CFIA still needs time to analyze the report, it's bizarre that they cannot plan a return to the bargaining table several weeks in advance,” said Chris Aylward, National Executive Vice-President of PSAC.

In a postscript to the report, Arbitrator Lorne Slotnick wrote that he and the two sidespersons, one representing the union and the other representing CFIA, had reached a consensus on the recommendations last March. The PIC itself was convened in February.

The union sidesperson then asked for time to consider whether he would make additional recommendations. Ultimately he decided against doing so in order to order to preserve the consensus.

But the CFIA sidesperson then reneged on three important recommendations to which he had previously agreed:

• that the work week for GL/GS employees be reduced to 37.5 hours from 40;
• that overtime should be accumulated over the course of the week and employees paid for each total period of 15 minutes of overtime worked; and
• that wash-up time for meat inspectors should be increased with more flexibility in accessing that wash-up time.

According to the legislation that provides for a Public Interest Commission, if there is no consensus, the recommendations of the majority, or failing that, of the impartial chairperson, are the report of the PIC.

Your bargaining team will continue to press CFIA to return to the table within a reasonable period of time and work toward a negotiated settlement based on the official recommendations of the PIC.

http://www.psac.com/news/2013/bargaining/20130812c-e.shtml

Tentative Agreement Reached for TC Group!

The Technical Services (TC) bargaining team met with Treasury Board for three days this week and a tentative agreement has been reached.  Details of the settlement will be released as soon as possible.

 

"Congratulations to the TC bargaining team for securing a tentative agreement for TC memberstoday," said Bob Jackson, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for British Columbia. "This shows that collective bargaining works. The government should now get back to the table for other PSAC groups still waiting for a deal."

 

The TC group has more than 10,000 members who are primarily involved in the performance, inspection, oversight and leadership of skilled technical activities.   They have been without a contract for more than two years.

 

 

CFIA PIC Tables Recommendations; Validates Union Demands

PSAC is calling on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to return to the bargaining table, after the Public Interest Commission (PIC) tabled its recommendations last week.

“The PIC report amply demonstrates that many of the demands of our bargaining team are justified,” said Chris Aylward, National Executive Vice-President of PSAC.

“It's time for CFIA to return to the bargaining table and enter into serious negotiations for a new Collective Agreement, using the PIC recommendations as a roadmap for a settlement,” added Bob Kingston, President of Agriculture Union.

The PIC recommended the concession on severance pay that has been accepted by other bargaining units, with the pattern settlement of 1.75%, 1.5% and 2% in a three-year Collective Agreement, along with other language changes that constitute the pattern. These include an increase in bereavement leave, more flexibility in accessing family-related leave, the restoration of sick leave credits to term employees who are rehired within a year of completing their appointment, and cumulative service for term employees for the purpose of moving to the next step on the pay grid.

But the PIC also made several other recommendations that include improvements sought by the Union. Among these are:

• The 40-hour work week for the GL/GS classifications is an anomaly and should be reduced to 37.5 hours with no reduction in pay
• Employees should be able to accumulate all overtime worked over the course of a week. (Such overtime to be paid for each 15-minute total period of accumulated overtime worked.)
• Seniority should be the determining factor in granting vacation in the event of a conflict with the interests of other employees
• Employees should be reimbursed for any medical certificate required by the Employer, to a maximum of $35.
• Employees should be required to give 5 days' advance notice for volunteer and personal leave, down from 10 days.
• Wash-up time for meat inspectors should be increased to 15 minutes per day from 10 minutes and such wash-up time may be used either at the end of the day, or at the meal break, or a combination of both.
• AS-2 and AS-3 Compensation Advisors should receive an annual retention allowance of $2,000, effective January 1, 2012.
• Wages for the SI Group shall be adjusted to the SI level at Parks Canada retroactive to the start of the Collective Agreement, before general economic increases are applied.
• A 2% increase should be added to the maximum salary increment to FI-01 to FI-04 classifications to match that of the same classification at Treasury Board should be implemented retroactive to the start of the Collective Agreement; albeit with corresponding reductions to Transition Allowances.

Unfortunately, not all of the recommendations are unanimous.

The Public Interest Commission consists of a neutral chairperson and a sidesperson appointed by each of the PSAC and the CFIA. The sidesperson for the CFIA dissented on three of the major recommendations: the reduction in the workweek for GL/GS employees; the accumulation of overtime throughout the week to reach the 15-minute threshold; and the increase in wash-up time for meat inspectors, along with the ability to use that wash-up time prior to meal breaks.

A consensus on the recommendations had initially been reached by the PIC; the Union sidesperson considered a dissent on some issues that were not recommended, but ultimately decided to sign the agreed-upon report. The fact that the CFIA sidesperson later decided to renege on some of his recommendations was the key cause of the long delay in receiving the PIC report, which was expected as early as mid-March.

Although there was no consensus on three of the recommendations, the legislation that provides for the establishment of Public Interest Commissions says that if there is not unanimity, the report of the impartial Chairperson is the report of the PIC.

Your Bargaining Team thanks you for your patience and your continued support as we try to reach a negotiated settlement with CFIA. While the PIC report validates many of our proposals, the recommendations are not binding. We need the help of all members at CFIA to encourage the Employer to get back to the table and bargain seriously so that we can bring back a tentative agreement to be voted on as soon as possible.

http://www.psac-afpc.com/news/2013/bargaining/20130731-e.shtml

CFIA bargaining team continues to await PIC report

Patience. That’s the watchword for your CFIA bargaining team as we continue to wait for the release of recommendations from the Public Interest Commission (PIC) held in Ottawa in mid-February.

Like negotiations with many other PSAC bargaining units and the federal government or its agencies, bargaining with CFIA has been frustratingly slow and marked by continual delays on the part of the Employer.

PSAC applied for a PIC after the Employer unilaterally broke off negotiations in April, 2012. The Employer’s bargaining team applied for mediation at essentially the same time. After mediation attempts in January failed, both sides presented their positions on outstanding issues to the Public Interest Commission. (See: PSAC brief to Public Interest Commission[21MB, 210pp PDF]) The PIC consists of an independent chairperson mutually agreed upon by the parties, and a sidesperson representing each party.

Normally the PIC has 30 days to write its recommendations to the Public Service Labour Relations Board (PSLRB), but the independent chairperson sought agreement from the parties for additional time. The PSAC sidesperson has now been advised that it is likely that the PSLRB will release the report by September.

The recommendations of the PIC are not binding on the parties, but it is expected that they will carry considerable weight as the parties try to achieve a negotiated settlement.

Your Bargaining Team thanks you for your support and is looking forward to a return to the bargaining table. Please continue to check this website for further developments.

Date Modified : 2013/07/18

http://psac-afpc.com/news/2013/bargaining/20130717-e.shtml?l=1

Flood volunteerism

An update in regards to the Lethbridge Flood Relief Concert held on July 4. PSAC, with our community, raised $8000 to be donated to the Canadian Red Cross Alberta Flood Fund. Thank you to our members for helping with this event, thank you to the musicians and artists and businesses for their time, talent, and goods, and thank you to our community for their generous contributions.

PSAC encourages members to help out with the flood relief and clean up. If you are volunteering and using your volunteer day or personal time, consider asking your employer to match your time. There are a couple planned volunteer opportunities this weekend. See information below.

TC Group to Head Back to the Bargaining Table

After several months of delays by Treasury Board, negotiations are back on for the TC Group. Bargaining is scheduled for July 29 – 31 in Ottawa.

Negotiations reached an impasse in the spring of 2012, and the TC Bargaining Team applied to have a Public Interest Commission (PIC) appointed to hear both parties’ proposals and make recommendations for a settlement. The PIC began its work in mid-November and its report, delivered in January 2013, supported many of PSAC’s demands. Since February, PSAC has been asking Treasury Board to return to the table to negotiate a fair collective agreement based on the PIC recommendations.

The PIC recommended increasing and expanding recruitment and retention allowances, and improving travelling time and acting pay provisions, among several other recommendations. It also recommended adding an increment to the EG classification wage grid to bring the top rate in line with EGs at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The mandate of the Public Interest Commission was to assist the parties in completing negotiations for a collective agreement. The recommendations of the PIC are not binding, but it is hoped they will provide a road map to a settlement.

The Bargaining Team thanks TC members for their patience and support and is looking forward to the possibility of bringing a negotiated settlement back to TC members for a ratification vote.

Date Modified : 2013/07/04

Sacred Spirit of Water Movie - Thursday July 4 7:30pm

PSAC Lethbridge Area Council and Lethbridge District Labour Council are proud to host the following event. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Alberta Flood Relief Concert in Lethbridge - Thursday evening

Update - We raised $8800 to donate to the Red Cross Flood Relief Fund! Thank you Lethbridge community, our business allies, the talented musicians and artists, and our Local volunteers!

PSAC Local 30048 is proud to support our community's efforts to assist with Alberta Flood Relief. We will be hosting a concession at this event - all proceeds to go towards the Canadian Red Cross Alberta Flood Relief Fund. Join us Thursday evening at CASA from 5-9pm. Admission by cash donation. (Suggested donation $10+).

As well, we are collecting toiletries, infant care products and duffle bags at work to donate to Flood Relief. Bring such items in and we'll ensure they are distributed.

Lethbridge Pride!

Local 30048 was proud to march in the first annual Lethbridge Pride Parade!

We also joined in the Party in the Park distributing PSAC tattoos and frisbees.

We support Lethbridge Pride Fest 2013

Local 30048 and the Lethbridge Area Council is proud to support Lethbridge Pride Fest. Please join us in the first annual Lethbridge Pride Parade. Meet at City Hall just prior to noon on Saturday, June 22, 2013. And please join in the other Lethbridge Pride Events found here - http://lethbridgepridefest.com/.

Webinar: Why do conservatives want to take away your Rand Formula, and what is it anyway? - June 19 & 20, 2013

Join us for this webinar to discuss:

• The origins of the Rand Formula and how it helps workers
• Why conservatives don't like it

Follow the link below to sign up for this very important educational segment.

http://www.psac.com/news/2013/issues/20130614-e.shtml?l=1

We won't be at the party

Boycott National Public Service Week

We are worth more than a pancake! It is an insult for our employer to pretend to celebrate Public Services while continuing its assault on public services and disrespect to our members. Along with our PSAC Sisters and Brothers across Canada, Local 30048 will be boycotting National Public Service Week.

It is also ridiculous to celebrate with an employer that refuses to bargain. We urge our TC group members (AAFC EGs) to send this message to their manager -

"Dear (Manager),

 I respectfully decline your invitation to participate in (the event) because I strongly believe that an employer's first step in recognizing its employees' hard work is to demonstrate willingness to negotiate a fair work contract. Until the Treasury Board returns to the negotiating table with the TC group, I will consider that the employer is refusing us this very elementary demonstration of respect.

I am urging you to join me in requesting that the Treasury Board fulfill its obligation to negotiate in good faith with our union in order to help our organization to achieve its important role!

Yours Truly,"

http://www.psac-afpc.com/news/2013/messages/20130515-e.shtml

Lethbridge Regional Women’s Committee Meeting

Tuesday, June 4, 2013
5:30pm
Lethbridge District Labour Council Boardroom

Light supper at 5:30pm. Meeting at 6pm.
Please RSVP to Maria at maria.fitzpatrick10@gmail.com.
Include any dietary accommodations.

All Lethbridge and Area PSAC members who identify as female are welcome to attend.

Agenda:
Resolutions from Regional Women's Committee
Report on activities
Upcoming activities

Sister Sherry Hunt, poet activist, puts #Harper government cuts to verse @SherryDownson

The following verse was written by Sherry Hunt, a PSAC member of Agriculture Local 30048 in Lethbridge. After reading about the latest cuts to government––with another huge hit to Agriculture in the Prairies––Hunt looked back at the past two years of a Harper majority and how our country has changed.

"It made me think of the well-known quote from Martin Niemöller––although he was speaking of an even more radical threat at the time, under the rule of Hitler," explains Hunt. "I considered what we're facing in Canada, and how we're losing the country we know and love. This verse is certainly no reflection on the original, just the musings of a concerned mother and activist. It's a reminder that we as Canadians need to find our voice and speak up before it's too late."

First they came for the national child care program, but my children were grown, so I said nothing.

Then they came for the status of women funding, but I am not a feminist, so I said nothing.

Then they refused to acknowledge 500+ missing Aboriginal women, but my family is safe, so I did nothing.

Then they came for the statisticians, but I don't understand math, so I said nothing.

Then they came for the Canadian Wheat Board, but I am not a grain farmer, so I did nothing.

Then they came for the climate scientists, but I like warm days, so I said nothing.

Then they prorogued our pensions, but I am too young to care and retirement is far off, so I did nothing.

Then they abused the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, but I am a citizen and have a job, so I said nothing.

Then they betrayed the treaties, but it's complicated, so I did nothing.

Then they came for my coworkers, and I was so happy it wasn't me, I said nothing.

Then they came for me.

*The timeline above may not be in chronological order and is not a comprehensive listing of all of the programs and services that have been cut or communities that have been affected by Stephen Harper and his Conservative government. We encourage readers to add their own verses in the comments section below to help us paint a more complete picture.

Add your own lines here - 

http://prairies.psac.com/first-they-came

Follow Sherry on Twitter - @SherryDowson