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

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.

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

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

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

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

May 2, 2013

TC Group Bargaining Update

Although almost four months have passed since the Public Interest Commission released its recommendations to settle a new contract for the TC Group, Treasury Board says it is still not ready to return to the bargaining table.

The latest answer has become a familiar refrain: PSAC approached Treasury Board, offering to return to the bargaining table and use the recommendations of the PIC as a roadmap to a settlement.  The Employer says that it must first consult with departments before considering a return to the bargaining table.  When asked for an update, Treasury Board's reply is that the department consultations are continuing.

PSAC and the TC Bargaining Team are working hard to mobilize our members to get the best Collective Agreement possible. If you have not done so already, please share your personal e-mail address with either your PSAC Regional Office or your regional or component TC bargaining team member. Good communication is of key importance for our mobilizing efforts.

As well, Essential Service Agreements  (ESAs) for the TC bargaining unit are being finalized with the last of the government departments. We will be posting further information on TC ESAs as soon as it is available.

In the meantime, PSAC President Robyn Benson has communicated with her counterparts at Treasury Board, calling on them to return to the table. It is important that your voice is heard while Treasury Board is talking to your department managers.Here is how you can take action.

We want a fair contract now! 

http://www.psac-afpc.com/news/2013/bargaining/20130502-e.shtml

Preparing for a strike financially

Strike Training and Women's Committee Meeting

Two more dates to mark on your calendar -

Lethbridge Area Women's Committee Meeting
Monday, April 22, 2013 5-7pm
Palliser School Board, 3305-18 Ave N Lethbridge AB

First meeting!
Election of Officers
PSAC members in Lethbridge & Area in good standing and who identify as female are welcome.
Please let a member of the executive know that you wish to attend as a meal will be served.


Strike Training
Tuesday, April 23, 5-8pm
Sandman Hotel

Registration is required.
Register here by Apr 16.
http://prairies.psac.com/education/events/tc-strike-prep-course-lethbridge

This training is especially important to members of the TC bargaining team.

TC Bargaining Update Meeting

Child care provided.

For more information on the Public Interest Commission's report see-

http://www.psac.com/news/2013/bargaining/20130215-e.shtml

Please show your support:

Tell Tony Clement that you support a fair agreement for TC Group workers.

http://poac.psacadmin.ca/tony-clement-tc-support

Annual Dinner Meeting

Our Annual Dinner Meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 21, 2013 at 5:30pm at the New Dynasty Restaurant.

Agenda:

Bargaining 2013/ TC group Public Interest Commission report
Local 30048 budget presentation
Establishment of Lethbridge & Area Women’s Committee

Please RSVP to stephanieerb68@yahoo.ca by noon on Friday, January 18 if you are attending.

Results of the Public Interest Commission - TC group

Here's a link to the PIC for the TC group.
http://www.psac.com/news/2013/bargaining/20130114-e.shtml


The TC bargaining team is now in the process of analyzing this report and determining next steps, namely whether the recommendations will lead to a return to the bargaining table, or if the team will ask members for a strike mandate.

TC PIC brief and Outstanding Issues-Executive Summary

Link to documents -

http://www.psac.com/news/2012/bargaining/20121221b-e.shtml

November 21, 2012

TC bargaining team defends interests of members before the PIC

The TC bargaining team made its submissions on its outstanding bargaining proposals before a Public Interest Commission in Ottawa on November 13-15, 2012.

TC members underpaid

Your team told the Commission that TC members are already underpaid according to a joint pay study done by the Employer and the Union in 2007-2008, and shouldn’t be put in a worse economic situation because of the significant concession the Employer is demanding on cessation of severance pay for voluntary departures.

Proposal for new increments

The Team made the case for a new increment to be added to all steps on the wage grid in the TC collective agreement, pointing out that EGs make up a significant proportion of the bargaining unit and that EGs at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency – the closest and best comparator for that classification – achieved an additional increment in the first round of bargaining after the Agency was created about 13 years ago.

Recruitment and retention issues within specific groups in Transport Canada, Health Canada, Measurement Canada and HRSDC were also discussed, as well as proposals for a number of allowances, and the Union’s demand to roll the $2,000 allowance received by some Primary Products Inspectors into the wage rate for all PIs.

Outstanding proposals

As well, the Union addressed its remaining outstanding proposals, including acting pay, standby pay, travelling time, hours of work at Marine Security Operations Centres, and proposed changes to Appendix R.

Employer brief

Your bargaining team was shocked to hear in the Employer’s brief that since we reached impasse in bargaining last March, Treasury Board has rushed out and done two pay studies – unilaterally, not only without input from the Union, but without even telling us. These pay studies have a very small number of participants and compare wages at the 50^th percentile rather than the 75^th percentile.

Of course the result is that they show that the wage disparity for the TC Group isn’t as significant as found by the joint pay study, where the terms of reference were agreed upon by both parties. Treasury Board also said that it wants to neither lead nor lag the market in terms of wages and is happy to have employees paid either 10 per cent greater or 10 per cent less than comparator groups at the 50th percentile.

In other words, it doesn’t want to be the Employer of choice.  This is alarming, considering that TC members are highly skilled employees who shoulder the responsibility of enforcing the regulations put into place by government in order to protect the safety and security of Canadians, and our resources, our seas, skies and environment.

Articles 20, 43 and 45

In order to reduce the size of our package and to encourage the PIC to focus on our economic demands, the Union withdrew its proposals on Article 20 – Harassment; our demand in Article 43 – Family Related Responsibility Leave to move Compassionate Care Leave to a separate article; Article 45 – Maternity-Related Responsibility Leave; and our proposal for a new article on Pre-Retirement Leave.

The Employer came to the table with fewer proposals overall and withdrew its demand in Article 28 – Overtime, in which it was trying to limit to 50 kilometres the maximum 100-kilometre round trip mileage paid to employees who are called back to work on days off.

Recommendations

The PIC has 30 days from November 15, 2012, to issue its recommendations. At that time, the bargaining teams will have to consider whether the recommendations bring them close enough to a potential tentative agreement that they can return to the bargaining table.

Information

The TC bargaining team thanks you for your support and your patience during this difficult round of bargaining. 

TC outstanding issues to come before PIC this week

November 10 , 2012

After a long wait, the TC Bargaining Team will appear before a Public Interest Commission (PIC) on November 13-15, 2012, to present our outstanding bargaining issues.

Treasury Board will do the same, and both parties will respond to each other's submissions.

This marks the first time PSAC will present to a Public Interest Commission under the Public Service Labour Relations Act, which came into effect in April, 2005.

The Public Interest Commission consists of a chairperson mutually agreed to by PSAC and Treasury Board, and two sidespersons, one representing each party. 

The Chair is arbitrator Vince Ready. Mr. Ready has mediated or arbitrated more than 7,000 labour and commercial disputes since opening his mediation and arbitration practice in 1982.

PSAC's sidesperson is Gary Cwitco, a former Director of Occupational Health and Safety with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, who has more than 30 years experience in all aspects of labour relations. Guy Lauzé is the Employer sidesperson.

Under the legislation, the PIC has 30 days to write a report making recommendations for a settlement. Although these recommendations are not binding, they are expected to carry significant weight with both parties.

Your bargaining Team has worked hard to achieve a negotiated settlement. We hope the recommendations of the PIC will lead to a return the bargaining table and result in a tentative agreement that will be brought to the members for a vote.

Meanwhile, it is important to be prepared for any eventuality. For this reason, PSAC will be coordinating strike training for TC members right across the country in the near future. Please continue to check this website for further updates.

TC Group moves closer to PIC hearing

Steady progress is being made to put the outstanding issues at the TC bargaining table before a Public Interest Commission.

PSAC and Treasury Board have agreed on a chairperson for the PIC, and have both named their sidespersons. All of these individuals have now been formally appointed by the Public Service Labour Relations Board, and have been tasked with identifying mutually agreeable dates to meet.

A Public Interest Commission under the current labour legislation is similar to the Conciliation Board under the old Public Service Staff Relations Act. The two bargaining teams will appear before the PIC and each party will present its rationale for the proposals that are still on the bargaining table.

The role of the PIC is to review the submissions and make recommendations to the Employer and to the Union within 30 days of the hearing. Although the recommendations are not binding, it is hoped that both parties will be guided by the recommendations to a fair and decent collective agreement.

http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=781863db81c974cf297a8fa95&id=9abf934d2c&e=31eb676c36