A message from the REVP to BC Members of Parliament regarding the Phoenix pay system
"We need you, as our Member of Parliament, to stand up in the House of Commons and in your party caucus meetings and speak on our behalf. We ask you to call on the federal government to fix Phoenix, to ensure that our members are paid correctly and on time, and to treat federal public service workers with the respect we deserve."
Jamey Mills, incoming Regional Executive Vice-President for BC, has written a letter to each of the 42 Members of Parliament in BC, calling on them to stand up for their constituents who are federal government workers. Here's the a copy of the letter sent to Jenny Kwan, his MP.
Dear Ms. Kwan,
My name is Jamey Mills and I am the recently elected Regional Executive Vice-President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, BC Region. Our union represents approximately 15000 federal government workers in British Columbia, including 334 in Vancouver East.
Our members work hard in the various departments and agencies of the federal government and are done with being terrified every second Wednesday on payday, unsure if they will be paid correctly or for that matter, at all.
The full scale implementation of the federal government's Phoenix pay system in the spring of 2016 was fraught with issues that have been well documented. Our members have been many things since then; patient, understanding, concerned and upset to mention a few. But our members are now afraid, unsure and angry.
Everyday I hear more stories of PSAC members across the country not being paid for the hours they work. Despite this, federal government workers continue, day in and day out, to go to their place of employment unsure whether they will be paid correctly or at all.
If your office has not already been approached by a PSAC member impacted by the Phoenix pay system I would be very surprised. Many MPs have done great work in assisting our members to get emergency salary advances and resolving other issues, but it is not enough.
We need you, as our Member of Parliament, to stand up in the House of Commons and in your party caucus meetings and speak on our behalf.
We ask you to call on the federal government to fix Phoenix, to ensure that our members are paid correctly and on time, and to treat federal public service workers with the respect we deserve.
Over the next few weeks and months your office will be approached by your constituents who work for the federal government to discuss the effect the Phoenix pay system has had on our working lives, our personal lives, our relationships, our mental health, and our ability to deliver the services Canadians need and deserve.
I urge you to make time to speak with these members and relay their stories to your colleagues in Ottawa and across the country.
I am also available to meet with you at your earliest convenience and look forward to this opportunity.
In Solidarity,
Jamey Mills
Public Service Alliance of Canada
Regional Executive Vice-President, PSAC BC