The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
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April 2, 2019

National Labour Management Consultation Committee Meeting

Summary of discussion

Item 1- Introduction

  • It was pointed out that Deputy Minister Ian Shugart is moving to the PCO and John Hannaford was replacing as Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs

Item 2- Psychological Health and Wellbeing

  • Intervention on Health assistance are 50% personal matter and 50% work related
  • ZID has initiated visit to missions around the world to provide counselling services to Canadian Base Staff as well as Local Engaged Staff
  • Quarterly meetings are scheduled with Union Partners and Management to stimulate discussions on the improvement of the service
  • The issue of accommodation for employees was raised and will be part of the HRLMCC meeting

Item 3- Harassment 

  • Management noted an increase from the 2017 Survey were 17% of staff reported having been subjected to harassment in the past year
  • It was reported that over 600 conflict resolution took place and that Bill C65 Federal anti-harassment and violence legislation which will amend the Canada Labour Code to strengthen the existing framework for the prevention of harassment and violence, including sexual harassment and sexual violence, in the work place
  • There were discussions on the issue of properly defining Harassment in the work place and the need for education of intermediate level management
  • The unions express the need for after the facts support and repair
  • Suggestion to introduce Peer-to-Peer conflict resolution

Item 4- Mobility

  • There are 3 groups in the mobile employment conditions, EC, CO and CM.
  • Management indicated that the sustainability of the employment condition needs to be reassessed
  • The process will not jeopardize any existing employees, no lost of jobs and the idea is to phase out the Mobile Positions
  • The introduction of the FSIA will also play a role
  • Over 100 positions have already been move to a core public service model but there are presently 1000 positions which must be reassess

Item 5- The situation in Cuba

  • A presentation on the situation in Cuba and the aftermath was presented to the committee by Heather Jeffrey
  • The situation was first raised in the spring of 2017
  • To date 15 Canadian Staff and/or members of their family were reported with medical conditions resulting from the Cuba Attack
  • There is a Memorandum of Agreement with the University of Dalhousie to investigate on the medical aspect of the individual who have reported issues.  A study was initiated where staff form GAC who were not assigned to Cuba were tested to establish a cognitive baseline which will be used to evaluate the staff affected and assigned to Cuba.  This will be on a volunteer basis.
  • The staff and their family members will have access to the medical assistance provided by Dalhousie.
  • There is a taskforce including multi-departmental staff engaged in running and evaluating the situation in Cuba on an ongoing basis.
  • As of April 2018 the mission is non-accompanied and reduced to essential staff
  • The staff are aware of the new initiative which provides them to request at anytime to be repatriated to Canada upon request without penalties.

Item 6- Duty of Care

  • A big budget has been allocated to the program which can be moved to meet requirements to address the changing risks
  • Missions were provided support to ensure that Alternate Command Post are in the ready state
  • Building internally capacity is being assess at GAC to establish our own services mandatory for staff when being assignment for foreign service, such as Health Service, Security training and others.
  • Management is soliciting the assistance of Unions to provide employees concerns and feedback

Item 7- Scientific Integrity

  • A presentation from Mrs. Sue Szabo on the issue of Scientific Integrity was brought forward for discussion.
  • There is a need to support and promote the issue.  A draft for a policy to address the problem should be introduced at GAC 
  • The Model from TBS has been trimmed down to reflect only the matters pertaining to GAC
  • MFM will open the discussion and bring informal meeting with the various groups

Item 8- Phoenix (pay system)

  • Director General, Mr. Claude Houde, promoted the opening of the New POD at GAC since March 7, 2019.  The role of the POD is to assist employees with their pay problems
  • The POD will accelerate the resolution process for NEW issues reported by employees as well as reduce the over 20 000 existing open cases
  • One of the major issue has been identify as the movement of personnel and the slow process to transfer the financial records of employees.  At the moment, GAC as 6618 Active employees and 2578 Inactive employees in the system
  • The POD will address issues for Non-Executive employees in the various category such as
    • Deductions
    • Tax Slips (T4)
    • Missing Pay
    • Overpayment
    • Other
  • The most common issues have been identified as
    • Acting pay
    • Collective Agreements
    • Termination
    • Other
    • Change in Employment
  • Employees must communicate with the Miramichi (pay office) to report any problems and get a Case Number from the pay office prior to communicating with the POD at GAC
  • To communicate with the POD employees shall send an email to
    Compensation Services / Service de la rémunération (HWDC)
    CompensationServices-Servicedelaremuneration@international.gc.ca
  • The POD has the ability to escalate any reported issues

Round Table discussion nothing else to report meeting was adjourned.

 

Published on 4 April 2019