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.