News and Political Action

• About two-thirds of people who call the federal government for help with their employment insurance claims get turned away by a busy message, while the rest face long periods on hold before they speak to an agent, according to a new parliamentary report. Robyn Benson said the government must invest in more front-line workers and not rely on technology improvements alone - story at ctvnews.ca
• Almost a year after its launch, the Phoenix pay system is still causing issues for federal public sector employees.  “Before there are anymore plans to modernize anything else in the public service, the government needs to listen to the workers who are performing the duties and the unions that are representing them.” Chris Aylward, National Executive VP, is quoted extensively in this story from PEI.
• The federal government failed its employees when it didn’t properly heed warning signs about its problem-plagued Phoenix pay system before rolling it out almost a year ago, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admitted earlier this month - story at the Ottawa Citizen.

• As a result of legal action from PSAC and 12 other unions representing federal government employees, the Liberal government must work with the unions to resolve the Phoenix debacle. The court order requiring the government to fix Phoenix, and help employees who have faced hardships because of the pay system’s failures, is now available online.
• The government is now obliged to provide better access to help for people on disability, maternity, and parental leave. It also requires them to maintain the staffing resources necessary to resolve the on-going pay problems. This means the government must act and work with the unions to find concrete solutions to fix Phoenix. More at the national website.

• Our governments are talking about child care and we can have our say too. For forty years, PSAC has worked with the broader child care movement to fight for a universal, high quality child care system for Canada. We now have an important opportunity to achieve that goal. Take action today - send a message to your elected representatives to demand a national framework for early learning and child care that is universal and affordable for all.

Human Rights

• PSAC celebrates Black History Month PSAC joins the rest of Canada this February in recognizing and celebrating Black history, as well as the important contributions women and men from Black communities have made to our country. Read more at the national website.
• As we have done in the past, PSAC BC has created a series of posters, facts, and bookmarks to commemorate Black History Month. This year we are featuring Black authors and writers. We invite you to download the first in our series, featuring Dionne Brand, at the regional website. We'll be adding more throughout the month on a weekly basis. 

• PSAC Videos: Over the years PSAC has produced a number of videos that will be use to Locals and activists. We're gathering them in one place here at the website, check it out!

• Treasury Board:  A tentative agreement between PSAC and Treasury Board has been reached for the PA, TC, and EB tables updated details of the tentative agreements are available at the national website. The SV and FB tables are at the table this week & we'll keep you updated.
• CFIA: At the request of the employer, the CFIA bargaining session scheduled for mid-January was postponed. The parties will be back at the table on February 28.
• Parks: Negotiations are tentatively set to resume on January 30 - watch for an update.
• Canada Post: Our bargaining team met with Canada Post on January 17 and 18, where the employer tabled a more detailed package than the one we received last October. More at the national website.
• IMP Group, Comox: The group is meeting with a conciliation officer towards the end of the month. Bargaining mobilization activities are being scheduled – contact your Local Executive for more information.
• Commissionaires, Vancouver Island: The bargaining team was elected in December & the process is underway. Contact your Local Executive for more information.
• Vancouver Airport: A tentative agreement was reached on January 19 and the ratification vote is taking place. Watch for an update after the vote.
• Nordion: A tentative agreement was reached last week & a ratification vote is scheduled for February 6. 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

Resolution Writing: In preparation for the 2017 BC Regional Convention as well as the upcoming component conventions, PSAC BC is providing members with an hour long webinar specifically on how to write resolutions. Online sessions are scheduled February 8 and March 9. More information and free registration at the website.

• 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
• ABCs of UMCs, Prince George, March 5

• Stewards Series I, Kelowna, Feb 18 & 19
• Convention Procedures, Kamloops, Apr 8 & 9
• Grievance Handling, Penticton, Apr 22 & 23

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

Meetings and Events



If you're in the Lower Mainland, join us at the Rally for a Poverty Free BC on March 4th, noon to 2PM at the VPL. This is our chance to raise our voices together and show candidates in the provincial election that we’ll be voting for politicians that commit to a strong, comprehensive poverty reduction plan. Look for the PSAC flags! For information on other events visit povertyfreebc.ca.

Regularly Scheduled Meetings

Thanks for reading, <<First Name>>! It's beginning to look a little bit like Spring out there.

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

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