To all proud IT Group members,
Your bargaining team met with the employer for the tenth session of negotiations on May 16, 17 and 18, 2023. Again, this session began with the employer tabling a comprehensive offer to the IT Group. TBS has reduced some of their concessions, although they have not withdrawn the major concession to remove our language on contracting out. That language, of course, places conditions on the use of contractors to do the work of the IT Group. The proposed removal of Article 30 could put our work and our jobs at further risk with a marked increase in the unchecked use of consultants.
Treasury Board’s monetary offer mirrored the base general economic increases offered to other bargaining agents. The group-specific market adjustments also offered to other unions, that ranged from 0.5% to 6%, were not tabled. TBS has not met our expectations on recognizing our need for salary adjustments that reflect the current market for IT professionals in Canada - a total failure to address this need.
Contrary to the overwhelming evidence, TBS has stated that there is no IT retention and recruitment problem facing federal government departments. This contradicts the messaging received from management in every department including the Chief Information Officer of Canada (CIOC). Despite the growth of the IT group over the past five years, the CIOC has indicated a shortage of anywhere from 5,000 to 8,000 IT resources within the federal government. Your union has also gathered evidence that demonstrates that IT workers are in short supply in both the public and private sectors.
Your bargaining team proposed a counter comprehensive offer that reasonably addresses parity and IT-specific market adjustments. Similar market adjustments were offered to other in-demand professions in recent tentative agreements. Our goal is, as always, to achieve a fair contract that recognizes both the valuable work and contributions of our members.
Our next bargaining session will be held June 7-9, 2023. We feel that this session should conclude our negotiations for this round. This would lead us to either a tentative agreement or down the road of dispute resolution.
Thank you for your continued support.
In solidarity,
Robert Scott
IT Group Bargaining Officer