Interested in joining the PSAC BC-Yukon

Youth Caucus?

As a youth rep you participate with email discussion, quarterly youth caucus meetings either by teleconference or in person, every three months), projects, training and other development opportunities available for youth.

The level of participation is up to you, you can spend as little or as much as you want there is no pressure on how much you have to commit to, just whatever you feel comfortable with.

If you decide that you are interested please email me your contact info, such as an address for snail mail (not much), preferred email address, phone #, year of birth (we require for our under 30 database). Hope to hear from you!

BC-Yukon PSAC Regional Council Youth Representative

For More Information

Youth@Work

Jeunes@u travail



Aaron McMillan is the BC Representative on the PSAC National Youth Committee.
ph: 604-996-3438 or email: mcmillanae@csc-scc.gc.ca
 

    OTTAWA, Nov. 13 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada Post Corporation (CPC) is trying to use the government's Employment Insurance program to reduce its own costs, according to the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) - the union that represents about 2,400 CPC employees. (More)

Bargaining Update:

Provided by our bargaining Team Member Megan Adams. Megan outlined some of the current challenges of bargaining and the items that are now off the table and the items that have not been resolved to any degree.

Negotiation of the Labour Market Development (LMDA) and Employee Transfer Agreements (ETA) and the intentional exclusion of union involvement

Deputy Minister's Welcome

I would like to welcome you to the BC Public Service and the Ministry of Housing and Social Development.

The key element for the successful implementation of the Labour Market Development Agreement is the experience and expertise of Service Canada staff. We recognise the key relationships you have developed with clients and stakeholders in your communities and appreciate the importance of these contributions. (More)

What happens to our negotiations if a federal election is called?

Thank you to all those members who took time out of their busy days to vote in the last regional election. To all those members who voted for me, my sincere thanks.  Your vote of confidence is deeply appreciated.  To have been re- elected to the position as Alternate NVP BC/YT region for a second term affords me the opportunity to continue on with the work of the union on your behalf.     

With gratitude,

Dianne Mitchell 

(By Email)

Dear Mr. Netzel:

Despite commitments from the federal employer to meaningful consultation with the union on the Employee Transfer Agreement (ETA) in BC, this process has been a disappointment and frustration.  I am bringing my concerns directly to you in the expectation that you will bring to bear your influence and authority to find positive solutions for my members.

From canada.com

August 9th, 2008

In pursuit of work-life balance, Canadians are downing BlackBerries, declining overtime and daring to do less.  

"Work-life balance is a concern for our members, there's no question about that,'' says Patty Ducharme, national executive vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada. (More here)

Few Canadians think Public Service is an 'honourable' place to work

The days of being drawn to the public service as a noble calling may be over. Twice as many Canadians believe it's more "honourable" to work in the private sector than for government, says a poll by Angus Reid Strategies.  (more here)

From the CEIU national site

August 5, 2008

CEIU has proposed that the new generic work descriptions at Service Canada be reviewed by joint union-management committees. The work descriptions are extremely broad in nature and members are understandably concerned that their work be fully reflected and valued in them.  (More here)

From the CEIU national site:

August 5, 2008

The ETA was a disappointment in many ways for programs staff in BC and the union is still debating the fallout with both employers. We would have hoped that on the federal side when Mr. Leonidas was negotiating the ETA, Ms. Jackson was managing this transition and Mr. Netzel was signing off the agreement that the practical issues the union was raising would resonate.  (More here)

MARY-ELLEN SAUNDERS
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL ST. STEPHEN

Published/posted August 2nd, 2008

    The long line of vehicles snaking through the streets of St. Stephen on their way out of the province for the long weekend were greeted at the border crossing Friday by a large group of federal government workers waving their union flag and handing out brochures.  (More here)

IMPORTANT

LMDA – ETA Bulletin #6

Post-ETA in the BC Region 

Posted August 1st, 2008

The ETA was a disappointment in many ways for programs staff in BC and the union is still debating the fallout with both employers.  We would have hoped that on the federal side when Mr. Leonidas was negotiating the ETA, Ms. Jackson was managing this transition and Mr. Netzel was signing off the agreement that the practical issues the union was raising would resonate.  They had the clout to make the province reconsider and work towards the ETA that your management told you would be “equal to or better than Ontario”.

Posted July 30th, 2008

From the PSAC national site

Dear co-workers:

We are all federal government workers and we are also elected members of PSAC negotiating teams that bargain with our employer, Treasury Board. For over a year now we have been sitting through a great many bargaining sessions but so far we have made virtually no progress. This lack of progress is due to Treasury Board's refusal to address the major concerns that we've raised at the bargaining table.

PSAC wants say in how members' contributions are managed

The largest union representing federal public servants wants a voice in how its members' pension fund is run after government-appointed pension fund managers gave up on more than $900 million in investments rocked by the U.S. credit crisis.  (More here)

Posted July 18th, 2008

From the PSAC national site:

PSAC stands in solidarity with the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) and their member Luc Pomerleau, who was fired from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for performing his responsibilities as a union steward. Pomerleau's firing came after he alerted  his union about upcoming changes that will significantly affect his workplace, the work of PSAC members, and potentially damage public safety.  (More here)

The Hill Times, June 30th, 2008
NEWS STORY
By Cynthia Münster

Simon Kennedy is new deputy secretary to Cabinet for plans and consultations in the Privy Council Office, effective Aug. 1.

June 23rd, 2008

From the CEIU national site

CEIU members responded to the PSAC’s call for a day of action on June 19 aimed at pushing the employer to bargain seriously. Members of the PA group have been without a contract for a year and recently received an insulting pay offer from the Treasury Board.  (More here)

Posted June 23rd, 2008

From CEIU national site

Understaffing sees older EI claims pushed to back burner

ST. JOHN’S – The federal government union representing employment insurance staff at Service Canada is accusing St. John’s managers of showing more interest in producing good statistics for their Ottawa bosses than for people in need in Newfoundland and Labrador.  (More here)

From the PSAC national site June 23rd, 2008

The PSAC would have liked nothing better than to take on Treasury Board’s insulting wage offer at the table in June. But we need to plan for what happens in the bargaining process after the talking is done if we can’t reach a settlement.  (More here)

 OTTAWA, June 19, 2008/CNW Telbec

Posted June 18th, 2008

From CEIU (national site)

Members transferring to the BC government as a result of the Labour Market Agreement now have updated pension information available to them.  (More here)

Posted June 18th, 2008

From CEIU National Site

Members will send the Treasury Board a message on June 19 to get serious about a fair agreement. After a year without a new contract and an insulting pay offer, members are fed up with the performance of the employer at the bargaining table.

By LAURA CZEKAJ, SUN MEDIA

Public service union officials say an internal memo issued by the Treasury Board Secretariat to its staff outlining possible disciplinary actions in anticipation of an upcoming rally is "overkill."

Posted June 18, 2008

From http://psac.com

On June 19, PSAC members across the country will be joining together to let you know what they think about your wage offer of 1.5% and 1.2%

It's an understatement to say that, after a year of bargaining, our members are disappointed that this is all you could come up with.

From your recent e-mail to our members, it's seems that you've finally started to pay attention to our members. It's too bad that you're more interested in managers' reports of our members' activities and so-called disruptions than you are in listening to their demands to fix workplace problems and achieve a fair agreement.

Why not come out on June 19 and see for yourself what our members have to say.

Oh, and by the way, thanks for the free advertising.

P.S. The Harper government must be confusing PSAC members with their own Members of Parliament. The PMO may be able to muzzle the Cabinet and Conservative caucus but it can't silence our members and their union.

Posted June 5th, 2008

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 5, 2008) - The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) calls on Treasury Board and the Canada Revenue Agency to immediately stop its misinformation campaign during this current round of bargaining. PIPSC President Michele Demers is incensed that the employers are playing this game rather than seriously sitting down to negotiate collective agreements for public service professionals.

Your PA negotiating team was the first of the union's team to be presented with Treasury Board's monetary offer.  It consisted of a woefully inadequate economic increase and nothing else.

Treasury Board had the nerve to propose 1.5% for 2007, 1.5% for 2008, 1.2% for 2009 and 1.2% for 2010 in a four-year agreement.

• No adjustments to bring us in line with Canada Revenue Agency workers.
• No other market adjustments.
• No changes in increments.
• Allowances – they'll get back to us.
• Nothing but a proposal for an economic increase that's an insult.

Your team was outraged. (More)

    OTTAWA, May 29 /CNW Telbec/ - The Public Service Alliance of Canada

(PSAC) doesn't buy Treasury Board's recent statement that they are committed to the bargaining process and achieving a fair settlement. Treasury Board has called on the union to respect bargaining dates that had been tentatively scheduled for June.

The stage is set for increased tension in negotiations between Treasury Board and the 120,000 federal public servants represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

The two government employers, Canada and BC, will soon have their final Employee Transfer Agreement (ETA) in hand.  We know this process has been frustrating for many of the affected members and the union shares in your frustration.

Thank you to all those members who took the time to vote and a special thank you to all those members who votes re-elected me for a fourth term in office as National Vice President. This vote of confidence makes the work I do on your behalf much more meaningful to me.

CEIU has met with Service Canada representatives on February 26 to form the Workforce Adjustment Committee.  The union will use this forum, or indeed any other necessary pathway, to put the member’s issues forward and protect their interests as the transfer process unfolds.  Read more here