News and Political Action

• "We've gone as far as we can. This government promised to respect public service workers and restore the integrity of the public services Canadians rely on. They have not yet delivered on that promise." Robyn Benson on Treasury Board bargaining, at cbc.ca.
   
• Public Services Minister Judy Foote says the Phoenix pay crisis could have been avoided if the federal government had kept the 700 compensation advisers who were laid off before the new payroll system was up and running - more at The Ottawa Citizen. “PSAC warned that the mass lay-off of compensation advisors was a mistake, but our warnings about this were ignored.” - PSAC's response at the national website.
   
• Chris Aylward, PSAC National Executive VP, was interviewed yesterday about the ongoing problems with Phoenix by News 1310 Radio - audio at soundcloud.com.

• The government recently tabled Bill C-27. This bill will allow employers in the federal private sector and Crown Corporations to shift from good, defined benefit plans that provide secure and predictable pension benefits, into the much less secure form of target benefits. If passed, this bill would open the door to a disturbing trend of shifting all the risk of pension plans onto workers and retirees. PSAC has always stood for retirement security and opposed any move to eliminate defined benefit pension plans.
   
• Please take a moment to send a letter to Finance Minister Bill Morneau - tell him and the Liberal government to abandon Bill C-27!

Tools for members

• It's that time of year again! The 2017 PSAC calendars are now available - contact your Local Executive or your PSAC Regional Office if you would like some for your worksite.

• Treasury Board:The Common Issues committee and PA bargaining team will resume negotiations with Treasury Board, with the assistance of a mediator, the week of December 12. We will keep you up to date.
• CFIA: The teams are at the table this week - watch an update soon.
• Parks: Our Parks bargaining team met with the Agency November 16-17 and tabled a wage proposal that calls for annual increases of 3% in each year of a three-year agreement. More at the national website.
• Canada Post: The next bargaining session is scheduled for January - we'll keep you up to date.
• IMP Group, Comox: We are still awaiting a response from the employer regarding arbitration, your Local Executive will have more information when it becomes available.
• Commissionaires, Vancouver Island: Bargaining gets underway soon, team elections will take place at a meeting scheduled for December 10 - all members are encouraged to attend.
• Vancouver Airport: The Bargaining Team met with the employer in late November. While some progress was made during this time, negotiations have now broken off and PSAC/UCTE will  apply for the assistance of a Federal Mediation Conciliation Officer. A membership meeting is scheduled for December 7th - more info here.
• Nordion: We have met with the employer twice to date, the next meeting is scheduled for early January. Contact your Local Executive for more information.
• CMHC Granville Island: Face to face bargaining begins soon, contact your Local Executive for more information.

Union Education

Online Stewards Training: if you are a steward who wants to increase your knowledge, skills and expertise or if you aspire to become a steward, the PSAC Education Program has developed some on-line learning modules specifically for you. Registration is free, and you can work at your own pace - more info here.

Resolution Writing: In preparation for the 2017 BC Regional Convention as well as the 2017 component conventions, PSAC BC is providing members with four options of an hour long webinar specifically on how to write resolutions. More information and registration at the website.

• Employment Equity, Vancouver, Feb 4 & 5
• Talking Union Basics, Vancouver, Mar 4 & 5
• Convention Procedures, Vancouver, Apr 8 & 9
• Grievance Handling, Vancouver, May 6 & 7

• Local Officers Course, Victoria, Feb 18
• ABC's of UMCs, Victoria, Feb 19
• Convention Procedures, Victoria, Feb 25
• Canada Labour Code II, Victoria, Mar 11 & 12
• Talking Union Basics, Victoria, Apr 22 & 23
• Grievance Handling, Nanaimo, May 27 & 28

• Grievance Handling, Prince Rupert, Feb 18 & 19
• Duty to Accommodate, Prince George, March 4 & 5

• Stewards Series I, Okanagan, Feb 18 & 19
• Grievance Handling, Okanagan, Apr 22 & 23

• Duty to Accommodate, Abbotsford, March 18 & 19
• Convention Procedures, Abbotsford, Apr 22 & 23
• Talking Union Basics, Abbotsford, May 6 & 7

Meetings and Events

December 6th is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada. The PSAC West Fraser Valley Area Council and Vancouver Regional Women's Committee are sponsoring a candlelight vigil at 6PM in Holland Park, Surrey. PSAC members and the public will reflect on violence against women and collect donations for local women's organizations - all are welcome to attend. More information here.

On Thursday December 8, to celebrate International Human Rights Day on the 10th, the PSAC BC Mainland Human Rights Committee invite you to a screening of Pride. Based on a true story, this acclaimed British film depicts a group of lesbian and gay activists who raised money to help families affected by the British miners' strike in 1984, at the outset of what would become the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners campaign. More information and RSVP here.



Access to clean and safe water is a basic human right. Join us and stand in solidarity with Indigenous people in a Sacred Water Ceremony, to be held on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish Lekwungen – Songhees & Esquimalt First Nations on International Human Rights Day, December 10. More information here.

Regularly Scheduled Meetings

Have a most excellent holiday season <<First Name>>!

Patrick Bragg
PSAC Vancouver Regional Office
604 430 5631 | 1 800 663 1655

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