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List of former Reformers' MP pension benefits Posted February 22nd, 2010 List of former Reformers' MP pension benefits (CP) – 12 hours ago OTTAWA — Just 11 of the 52 Reform Party MPs elected in 1993 remain in the House of Commons, most of them now Conservative. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has calculated what their annual pension benefits would be if they retired at the end of 2010. The numbers are approximate, since details on each MP are not made public. (More)

Ex-Reformers face embarrassment of pension riches The Globe and Mail Steven Chase Ottawa — Published on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010 They rode into Ottawa as freshman MPs decrying the “fat-cat” pensions on offer, and now, many years later, the handful of former Reformers still serving in Parliament have racked up generous retirement packages of their own. (More)

Tories target civil service pensions Federal workers in the crosshairs as Ottawa looks for ways to shave deficit, but so far MPs are spared Les Whittington Ottawa Bureau OTTAWA–When the Conservatives deliver a lecture to Canadians next month on the need for Ottawa to mend its spendthrift ways, the villain in the piece is almost certainly going to be federal government workers. (More)

Insurance won't cover ex-civil servant's $130,000 medical bill By Jessica Murphy, THE CANADIAN PRESS Last Updated: February 18, 2010 2:57pm MONTREAL — Raymond Malo was a fit 50-year-old veteran mountain climber with a clean bill of health when, while scaling one of the world’s highest peaks, he had a stroke. The incident in the Himalayas left the former civil servant partly paralyzed, unable to work, and in a legal battle for a $130,000 medical bill his insurance refuses to cover. He’s warning hundreds of thousands of other federal workers that they could find themselves stuck in the same position. (More)

Day, federal unions to meet over pension cuts Day, federal unions to meet over pension cuts Kathryn May, Canwest News Service  Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 Treasury Board president Stockwell Day is to meet today with the two largest federal unions, which have teamed up to mobilize bureaucrats across the country to fight attempts to reduce public service pensions. (More)

Depression among public servants Canada's biggest 'public health crisis': Expert Posted February 15th, 2010 By Kathryn May, Ottawa CitizenJanuary 11, 2010 OTTAWA — Depression among Canada’s public servants is the country’s biggest “public health crisis,” says a leading mental health expert. Read more •

They're after your pension again! From the PSAC Posted February 5th, 2010 Powerful business interests, some corporate media, and corporate think-tanks such as the C.D. Howe Institute and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, are pressuring the Harper government to attack our pensions under the guise of reducing the deficit (again).  The PSAC is launching a campaign to stop the attack on our pension and to ensure that all Canadians have a safe and secure public pension when they retire. This is a link to the campaign materials: a petition that can be circulated and returned to PSAC in Ottawa, the 'Retirement security for all' flyer which summarizes the issue and what we can do to take action to protect our pensions, and 'Building on what works' - a series of myths and facts about public and defined pension plans.  These materials, as well as an on-line petition, are available at the national website - - which will continue to be updated as the campaign progresses  In B.C. we are organizing an M.P. lobby on the issue. Meetings of union officers and members will be held to ensure members are well-equipped to lobby their M.P.s;   write letters to the editor; gather petitions; talk to co-workers, friends, and neighbours etc. S taff from the PSAC Regional Offices will contact you soon regarding these activities.   The Conservative Government will table a new budget on March 4th. Please join with us and PSAC members from coast-to-coast-to-coast-to-coast to let them know that we are against using federal public sector workers as scapegoats and attacking pension plans and the important public services we deliver.  We need you to be involved in this crucial campaign.

Staffing the Games - Inspire, Inform and Empower Staffing the Games - Inspire, Inform and Empower - A message from National Vice President, Pat Wakefield January 11th, 2010 The Olympic Torch is traveling across Canada!  Excitement and enthusiasm are building across the country as Canadians continue with preparations to host the games for the world.  Service Canada and the British Columbia, Alberta and Territories region (BAT Region) are also preparing for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic games.  A large part of the preparations include building a team for the temporary Whistler Service Canada Centre (SCC). Read more •

Public servant depression a crisis Kathryn May, Canwest News Service  Published: Monday, January 11, 2010 Depression among Canada's public servants is the country's biggest "public health crisis," says a leading mental health expert.  (More here)

Canada Post abusing EI program     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)    Read more •

Impact of a federal election on Treasury Board and Agency bargaining What happens to our negotiations if a federal election is called? From the PSAC national site - posted September 2, 2008 PSAC currently has two weeks of negotiations scheduled for our PA, EB, SV and FB bargaining units; one week in September, one in October. The TC group is in the process of establishing dates for mediation this fall. (More)

Breaking free: Canadians working less 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)

A noble calling? Few Canadians think Public Service is an 'honourable' place to work Kathryn May, The Ottawa Citizen Published: Wednesday, August 06, 2008 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)

CEIU proposes joint approach to introduction of new work descriptions 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)

Post-ETA in the BC Region 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)

Federal workers slam 'insulting' offer 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)

LMDA – ETA Bulletin #6 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”. Read more •

An open letter to Federal Government workers: 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. Read more •

PS pension fund takes $920M hit PSAC wants say in how members' contributions are managed Glen McGregor, The Ottawa Citizen Published: Thursday, July 24, 2008 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)

PSAC Statement of Solidarity 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)

PM Harper makes more changes to public service 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. There was a significant flurry of both high and low-profile appointments last week, culminating with changes to the senior ranks of the federal public service on Friday. It's estimated the government made a total of 57 appointments last week.  (More here)