International Women's Day Event in Lethbridge

This event is sponsored by the PSAC Lethbridge Area Council.

Upcoming workshops in Lethbridge

Are you interested in a Workforce Adjustment workshop or taking a Talking Union Basics or Grievance Handling course? We'd like to host some educational courses in Lethbridge. Let a member of your Executive know if you are interested in attending any of the above courses.

TC bargaining logo

The TC bargaining team is back at the table this week. Show your support by uploading this Facebook graphic !

 

 

 

 

And an article from the Calgary Herald on the daily work of a TC member.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Every+single+different/6174344/story.html#ixzz1mknEo4Ti

Have a Heart for First Nations Children

Promoting justice for Aboriginal women and girls

For most of us, today is Valentines Day.

But for Aboriginal children living on reserves, today is an especially important day. The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada is at the Federal Court today, arguing that Canada is discriminating against Aboriginal children by underfunding child welfare services. PSAC invites you to Have a Heart for First Nations Children.

February 14 also marks the date of the annual Women's Memorial March, in honour of missing and murdered Aboriginal women. Event are being organized in different cities across Canada.

PSAC deplores the  Harper governement's inaction in the ongoing tragedy of violence against Aboriginal women. The recent report of a Parliamentary Committee demonstrates this government's shocking disregard for the plight of Aboriginal women.

Visit PSAC's campaign page: Justice for Aboriginal People's – It's Time and watch the video made by PSAC members, explaining why they “can't just get over” the colonialism and discrimination that Aboriginal Peoples continue to face every day.

TC bargaining update

February 8, 2012

Employer needs to address no-cost, low-cost and operational issues

Your Bargaining Team resumed negotiations with Treasury Board from January 31^st through February 2^nd, our sixth  session of contract talks since initially exchanging proposals in April, 2011.

Due to illness, the Treasury Board negotiator has been replaced by an individual who bargained the PA collective agreement with PSAC during the expedited round in the fall of 2010.

Because of the change in Employer negotiators, the TC Bargaining Team reviewed with management representatives all of our non-economic demands. We feel very strongly that Treasury Board has a moral obligation to address no-cost, low-cost and operational issues in this round of bargaining.

Non-economic demands

The non-economic package includes proposals such as but not limited to: parking for employees with disabilities; expansion of the no-harassment language in the Collective Agreement; injury-on-duty leave; maternity-related reassignment or leave; and adding gender identity and expression, and political activity, to the prohibited grounds of discrimination in Article 19.

Hours of work (Article 25)

In addition, we reviewed with the Employer team our proposals in Article 25 – Hours of Work. These proposals are intended to prevent management from arbitrarily changing shifts by requiring them to post shift schedules 30 days in advance; and requiring them to pay an overtime penalty for changing an employee's shift with less than 14 days' notice; as well as to guarantee rest periods to all TC members unless in exceptional circumstances operational requirements do not permit.

Retention and recruitment

After giving very careful consideration to the Allowances in Appendix P, your Bargaining Team put forward proposals to increase retention and/or recruitment allowances for Transport Canada TI Civil Aviation, Marine and Rail Safety Inspectors; and add such allowances for TIs in Measurement Canada; for Labour Affairs Officer TIs in HRSDC; and for EGs who are laboratory and x-ray technologists at the Percy E. Moore and Norway House federal hospitals in Manitoba. The proposals on Appendix P follow the tabling of our Pay Proposal last December, and are a symptom of our broken classification system.

We reminded Treasury Board's new negotiator that the pattern settlement reached in the fall of 2010 wasn't acceptable to the TC team then, and it isn't acceptable now.  We impressed upon the Treasury Board team that we are at a critical stage in negotiations. We made it crystal clear that fair wages for all TC members are long overdue. Wage gaps must be addressed in this round of bargaining.

Workforce adjustment

The TC Bargaining Team also tabled principles for changes to Appendix T – Workforce Adjustment to better protect our members faced with layoffs.

Sea Lamprey Unit

Finally, after many sessions spent trying to resolve issues relating to the Sea Lamprey Control Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, ON, your committee was pleased to be able to sign off on amendments to  Appendix I.

Next bargaining session

We are back at the bargaining table for a full week on February 20^th, 2012, and have also scheduled a negotiating session in early March.

Your Bargaining Team members appreciate the invitations they have had from the various Locals across Canada to visit the work sites and provide TC Bargaining updates.

Thank your for your support as we continue the tough slogging toward a fair and decent Collective Agreement with Treasury Board.

http://www.psac-afpc.com/news/2012/bargaining/20120208-e.shtml

Deconstructing the unionbot frame

This is a great article from Trish Hennessy - a must read for all unionized workers.
We need to change the narrative and language surrounding organized labour.

http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/trish-hennessy/2012/02/deconstructing-unionbot-frame

CFIA - one of the NCR's top employers

The CFIA has been selected as one of the National Capital Region's (NCR) top employers for the fourth year in a row. 

http://www.canadastop100.com/ottawa/

Highlights.  Mediacorp editors have confirmed that this employer:

• unique head office that features a variety of onsite amenities including a fully-equipped fitness facility, employee lounge, quiet room for meditation and religious observance and onsite cafeteria (with healthy and special diet menus)
• encourages ongoing employee development with subsidies for tuition and professional accreditation, a range of in-house and online training initiatives, formal mentoring program and career planning services
• supports employees who are new mothers with generous maternity and parental leave top-up payments (to 93% of salary for 52 weeks) and parental top-up for new fathers and adoptive parents (to 93% of salary or 35 weeks)
• helps employees balance work and their personal life with alternative work arrangements including flexible hours, telecommuting, formal earned days-off program and shortened and compressed work week options
• encourages employees to save for the future with contributions to a defined benefit pension plan

What do you think?