From the 55,000 professionals across Canada’s federal and provincial public sectors who proudly serve Canadians every day and the union that represents them, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, a happy 150th birthday to the greatest country in the world!
Better Together!
Debi Daviau,
President
During this round of bargaining, the AV Group took the leadership on an insidious issue, Domestic Violence. While a broader national issue, Domestic Violence carries impacts, or the potential to impact PIPSC members. With the targeted assault on the Public Service sick leave program, PIPSC wants to ensure that sick leave modifications properly consider those needs associated with or arising from Domestic Violence.
DATE : July 26, 2017. 12:00– 13:30.
LOCATION: Joey Restaurant 820 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC
This is the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Vancouver NR Sub-Group, the primary forum for member's direct input into the business of the NR Group.
In addition to the formal AGM business we will have the Chair of the NR Group Bargaining team, Geoff Kendell from the national NR Group executive in attendance to provide details on the new collective agreement.
To all AFS members in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA),
As you are aware, the CRA has begun rolling out its GTA Service Modernization initiative across the region.
Although the employer claims that this is not a Workforce Adjustment (WFA) situation, it will have a huge impact on nearly one thousand of our members in the GTA, who are understandably upset at a management decision taken without any input or consultation from their bargaining agent.
Dear Members,
Last week I was invited to speak with the cabinet-level working group on Phoenix to discuss potential solutions to the Phoenix pay system.
I brought to them a number of problems and possible solutions to help fix the disastrous Phoenix pay system. Public servants are still facing hardship and ongoing problems and we all desperately want to see relief and a solution soon.
I urged them to make sure all of their cabinet colleagues understood the severity of the problem and that priority pay was available to all employees wherever they work in the public service. I reiterated that problems like those faced in processing our SP Group members’ retroactive pay were unacceptable. I also offered the Cabinet Ministers a concrete plan to engage our government IT community. I proposed they train 30 to 40 CS Group members on the pay system. This would begin to build a strong in-house team to do the necessary upgrades and maintenance the Phoenix pay system requires. It would also help tackle the “end to end” issues, including the integration of HR systems. It would build on what a small team of our CS members have been doing since last November to help find long-term solutions to the problems plaguing the system. Last year we issued a call to CS members, jointly with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), and these brilliant members are now working in the office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at PSPC, getting results right out of the gate.
We know that the government’s decision to outsource this project wholesale to IBM was a mistake. I got the sense that the ministers are finally coming to the same conclusion and that's why they're starting to involve government IT professionals to find the necessary solutions. To that end, I expressed deep concerns about a Request for Information (RFI) for the ongoing maintenance of the Phoenix pay system, cautioning the government against outsourcing even further.
The Ministers were open-minded, listened and asked questions. They committed to action. Follow-up meetings have already been scheduled by the PMO at the staff level.
Though progress is painfully slow, we are beginning to see some results from our work with the Treasury Board. Most recently, after much urging by unions, cases involving missing pay for maternity and parental leaves are being resolved. We are also seeing more proactive measures being taken by departments to ensure employees get timely access to priority pay. We are still urging all levels of government to improve their communications to ensure that employees know what resources are available to them. Mandatory team meetings with standard information should be required.
In the event that your pay issue is not resolved, we continue to encourage you to contact your local Employment Relations Officer (ERO) in the regional office nearest to you to help resolve the issue, and to access emergency or priority pay.
In closing, I want to urge each and every member to wear our "Fix Phoenix" buttons. It's a small gesture, but helps to keep the focus on fixing the plagued pay system. It's thanks to your hard work and solidarity that we have managed to elevate our Phoenix pay issues to the list of cabinet priorities. We must keep up the pressure until we see a resolution to this crisis!
Better Together!
Debi Daviau
President, PIPSC
On 17 June 2017, at the Hilton Lac Leamy in Gatineau, Quebec, the PIPSC DND NCR OTTAWA/GATINEAU Branch held a SGM to elect an 11 member executive.
Supervising the event was NCR Executive Member, Stacy McLaren, acting in her role as NCR Branch Co-ordinator.
The NCR executive appointed election team was led by, NCR Executive Member, Brian Hassall, and his elite team which included Susan Amog-Hassall, Terry Sing, and Wayne Lee.
The following persons were elected to the inaugural Branch executive
On June 20, 2017, your Bargaining Team signed a Tentative Agreement with the Employer. An information session will be scheduled shortly to discuss the content of this agreement.
Immediately following the information session, a ratification vote will be held.
SUN-MET Bargaining Team
Bargaining Teams for the YHC Group and the Yukon Hospital Corporation reached a Tentative Agreement on or about June 1, 2017, concerning the renewal of our Collective Agreement covering PIPSC members working at the Whitehorse General Hospital, the Watson Lake Community Hospital and the Dawson City Community Hospital. Your Bargaining Team worked hard and is unanimously recommending acceptance of this Tentative Agreement.
The SH Group was formed in 1999 and is comprised of nine (9) different professions: Dentistry (DE), Medicine (MD), Nursing (NU), Nutrition and Dietetics (ND), Occupational and Physical Therapy (OP), Pharmacy (PH), Psychology (PS), Social Work (SW), and Veterinary Medicine (VM). One of the main duties of the SH Group Executive is to deal with collective bargaining issues and monitor the implementation of our collective agreement. The SH Group also aims to further the professional interests of its members.
Your Bargaining Team reached a Tentative Agreement with the Sunnybrook Radiation Therapists to renew the Group's Collective Agreement. On June 23, 2017 members had the opportunity to vote on this and a strong majority of members have ratified the Tentative Agreement.
Your bargaining team,
Thanks.