PIPSC Celebrates National Engineering Month!

Every March, Provincial and Territorial engineering regulatory bodies throughout Canada celebrate the contributions of engineers in our day to day lives and spread awareness of the engineering profession to youth.

The Engineering Sector Council, which represents members from the Federal Public Service, Federal agencies and separate employers, invites you to celebrate National Engineering month (March 2019) with them and thousands of PIPSC members across Canada. 

Visit https://engineerscanada.ca to find out more about National Engineering Month and to find activities in your local area.

Engage in the conversation!

• Share highlights of your celebration of engineering month or interesting engineering stories on the PIPSC Facebook page.
• Follow the action on Twitter by using the hashtags: #NEM2019 and #NEGM2019.

The Engineering Sector Council promotes engineering within and outside of PIPSC and is always planning activities to support PIPSC members who are in the engineering profession. Contact Jonathan Fitzpatrick (jfitzpat@pipsc.ca), Chair, Engineering Sector Council if you have any questions.

On February 26^th, the Canadian Labour Congress brought labour leaders from coast to coast to Ottawa to meet with federal MPs and Senators. Over 350 activists, including PIPSC members, pushed officials hard for a pharmacare plan and in support of better pension protection for workers and pensioners when companies go bankrupt. It was the largest day of lobbying in CLC’s history, with a total of 354 participants in 194 meetings. 

Canada is the only industrialized country in the world with universal healthcare that does not include medications.

Today, 3.5 million Canadians can’t afford to fill their prescriptions. From birth control to insulin, one third of Canadians do not have coverage through their work and are left to pay out of pocket.

Canada’s unions are working to win a universal prescription drug plan that covers everyone in Canada, regardless of their income, age or where they work or live.

All Canadians will benefit from increased accessibility to medications as well as the cost-savings of coordinating bulk purchasing. Did you know, in New Zealand, where a public authority negotiates on behalf of the entire country, a year’s supply of the cholesterol-busting drug Lipitor costs just $15 a year, compared to $811 in Canada? Pharmacare makes good economic sense.

91% of Canadians believe our public health care system should include a universal prescription drug plan. Together we can build it. Add your voice to the call for a universal prescription drug plan for all Canadians.

SIGN THE PETITION

When it comes to pensions, governments can and must put workers and pensioners first.  Bankruptcy laws must be changed so that workers and pensioners are first in line, not last, when it comes to paying creditors.  The federal government must give workers’ pensions and benefits super-priority status, so that they are paid out of the remaining assets before other creditors (like banks, financial lenders and debt holders).

Over 60 participants traveled from across Canada to learn, share ideas and plan for increased engagement among PIPSC young professionals.

These activists have built concrete plans to roll out the Do Better campaign on the ground at the regional level. There is no doubt this work will build member engagement and demonstrate solidarity at the bargaining table.

Join them by learning more or getting involved in the campaign:

DO BETTER

Participants also gained insights from keynote speaker David Colette, CEO and co-founder of Abacus data. He shared cutting-edge analysis on the views and behaviours of Millennials and how they are impacting today’s workforce.

Other informative panels focused on capacity building, effective organizing strategies, lessons learned from successful movements, and tools for membership engagement.

If you’re a young worker looking to get involved in PIPSC member outreach activities, contact our mobilization team: bettertogether@pipsc.ca.

The news this week that it will take a further three to five years to clean up the Phoenix backlog, and 10 or more years to stabilize the system, makes it obvious that on the third anniversary of the launch of the Phoenix pay system we should be laser-focused on implementing its replacement as soon as possible.

But in order for that to happen the government needs to commit the funding now to ensure implementation of a new system will survive the uncertain outcomes of the next federal election.

That’s why this week I held a press conference, along with Vice President Stéphane Aubry, calling on the government to commit the funds needed in next month’s federal budget, the last scheduled before the election. If passed, it would help lock in plans to launch a new system sooner rather than later (or worse, not at all).

And make no mistake, when it comes to the current round of collective bargaining, ensuring our members have better pay protections is a key PIPSC priority.

If there’s one potential election issue affecting federal public servants that ought to be settled now, it’s that we deserve a pay system that works.

In order to Do Better than Phoenix, the government should be prepared to pay now, not later.

Better Together,

Debi Daviau
President

The Phoenix pay system failure has left public servants under paid, over paid or not paid at all. The procurement process for a new pay system is underway, but PIPSC members continue to deal with serious personal consequences.

Christine Kleindienst
Correctional Service Canada - Mission, BC

In April 2016, Christine was not paid. This continued for months and today she has still not received a correct paycheque. As a single mother, she relied on emergency advances which replaced only 60% of her earnings and so was forced to borrow money from family members to keep afloat.

Christine says, “this has been the most stressful time of my life.... this has caused tremendous stress emotionally, financially, and mentally to thousands of people and needs to end.”

François Marceau Innovation
Science and Economic Development Canada – Gatineau, QC

For years François has taken five weeks unpaid leave to spend with his children who live hours away from his home. The Phoenix failure has meant that he was unable to take this leave in 2018 and very likely will be unable in 2019. François has lost precious time with his children.

Laura Makokis
Health Canada - Saddle Lake, AB

Laura has worked for Health Canada for 32 years. Two years ago her pay dropped without explanation. After submitting a complaint her pay stubs were retroactively corrected but she has not received any of the $12,000 owed to her. Laura says, “any time we would phone Phoenix we were told that someone would be in touch after they submitted the complaint. Not once did I receive any communications from Phoenix regarding their mistake or if I would receive compensation for my lost wages.”

Julien Fabienne
Correctional Service Canada - Lavaltrie, QC

While on eight months of medical leave without pay, Julien continued to receive his full paycheque as a result of a Phoenix error. His record of employment was not issued and so he was unable to access Employment Insurance or his health benefits, after 30 months he has still not received these benefits. Despite having completed all of the appropriate paperwork, hours of time during his medical leave were spent on the phone in an effort to correct the issue.

For Julien, “the energy expended, the anxiety generated, the overwhelming feeling of frustration and helplessness, and the feeling of not being recognized by our employer during all the procedures that have been going on for 30 months now is nonsense and also generates strong feelings of anger, insecurity, abandonment, discouragement and disinvestment.”

On February 27, 2019, we encourage PIPSC members to take a stand against bullying by wearing pink. Bullying usually involves repeated incidents or a pattern of behaviour that is intended to intimidate, offend, degrade or humiliate a particular person or group of people. Bullying can result in serious emotional problems, including anxiety, low self-esteem, or depression, in addition to possible mental and physical traumas.

Stand up against bullying in all its forms and help protect your workplace each and every day by promoting respect, civility and diversity and inclusion.

Learn techniques to protect yourself against bullying. PIPSC has developed a practical Guide on Bullying and Violence in the Workplace.

If you experience or witness workplace bullying please report it to your steward.

Your steward is your first line of defense. Visit the website to find your steward and learn what they can do for you.

In solidarity,

Debi Daviau, President
Waheed Khan, Champion, Employment Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

OTTAWA, February 25, 2019 – The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) is marking the third anniversary of the Phoenix pay system failure with a National Week of Action. This week, members and union officials are organizing events across the country.

Phoenix has hit PIPSC members hard. The federal government must ensure that this is never repeated. Members deserve pay protections and PIPSC is bringing this issue to the bargaining table negotiation for language that provides pay protections and ensures that the Phoenix failure will not be replicated.

“We’re looking for pay protections in our new contracts and we’re expecting a strong funding commitment in the budget to ensure the timely and effective implementation of the new pay system,” says PIPSC President Debi Daviau. “After everything public servants have been through with Phoenix, I would certainly be very surprised if the federal government didn’t come through on these commitments.”

PIPSC is sending a clear message that the Phoenix failure has a personal face, and that face is their members. Members who are still forced to try to navigate a broken system to understand their pay stubs, back pay, repayment plans, to access promotions, change jobs or even to take sick leave.

PIPSC members will be available to speak to the personal hardship Phoenix has caused them.

Pushing on all fronts, PIPSC is organizing in the workplace, pushing at the bargaining table and laying our clear expectation for the federal budget. “We are pulling out all stops, our members need to see clear commitments from the federal government,” says President Daviau. “We work hard and we need our employer to do better.”

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada represents 60,000 public service professionals across Canada.

Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter (@pipsc_ipfpc).

For further information: Johanne Fillion, 613-228-6310, ext 4953 or 613-883-4900 (cell), jfillion@pipsc.ca

Attention News/Assignment Editors:

MEDIA ADVISORY 

OTTAWA, February 23, 2019 – Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) President Debi Daviau will hold a press conference Monday on Parliament Hill to mark the third anniversary of the Phoenix pay system.

President Daviau will speak on the PIPSC Week of Action and the series of demands that will go a long way to remedy the ongoing pay problems.

Members will be available to speak to the personal consequences of the Phoenix failure.

Date: Monday, February 25, 2019

Time: 10:30 AM

Place: 135-B Press Conference Room, West Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa

Speakers:

• Debi Daviau, President, PIPSC
• Stéphane Aubry, Vice-President, PIPSC

Teleconference: Media representatives wishing to participate via a teleconference may dial 1-866-797-9099 (toll-free) or 613-787-5142 (local). The Conference ID: 8705669 #.

Phoenix Week of Action event

Photo-op (cameras only):

Date: Monday, February 25, 2019

Time: 7:30 AM – 8:45 AM

Place: Place du Portage ‑ STO stop at 200 Portage, as well as various entry ways

President Debi Daviau, Vice-Presidents Stéphane Aubry and Steve Hindle will be available for photo opportunity. On site contact person: Shelley Melanson, 613-668-3334.

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For further information: Johanne Fillion, 613-228-6310, ext 4953 or 613-883-4900 (cell), jfillion@pipsc.ca