News and Political Action

• Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale will lead a cabinet-level team in its bid to address the public-service pay system's woes. Robyn Benson is quoted at metronews.ca.
   
• CBC's The National also reported on the latest plan to fix Phoenix. Here's the clip, which includes a comment from Robyn.
   
• Critics say Liberal government is dragging its heels on pay equity promise - Robin is quoted in the Ottawa Sun.

• Emergency Pay. Following the court action taken by PSAC, along with 12 other unions, the court obliged the government to provide better access to help for Phoenix affected employees on disability, maternity, and parental leave.  As a result, federal public service workers who are transitioning to maternity, parental or disability leave, and are not receiving benefit payments due to Phoenix, are entitled to a priority payment if normal wait times for processing these payments have been exceeded. If you are in this situation there is a letter you can send your manager here.
   
• Robyn Benson's reaction to the recent government announcement: “PSAC welcomes any announcement from the government aimed at fixing Phoenix. We appreciate that the government is finally taking these problems seriously, but we need to see some action. We have yet to see a timeline for when that will happen.” Full update here.
   
• No pay, no NPSW. At a time when PSAC members are stressed and struggling with financial uncertainty, due to the inadequacies of the Phoenix pay system and its unsuccessful implementation, it is difficult to justify employer-sponsored activities. If the employer wants to show their recognition for our members' valuable work; they should do that by paying members in full and on time. As such, PSAC will continue to boycott NPSW and its events. We are planning for events during National Public Service Week, watch for more information to come.

• Election Day in BC is May 9th. All PSAC members are encouraged to review where the parties stand on the issues and vote for candidates that support public services and working people like us. A Better BC is possible!
   
• Bob Jackson was joined by Irene Lanzinger, President of the BC Federation of Labour, and Janet Routledge, BC NDP Candidate for Burnaby North, on a provincial election telephone town hall with PSAC members last month. Bob, Irene, and Janet spoke with and took questions from members across British Columbia about the election. If you couldn't join in, here's the recording.
   
• Check your voter information card or visit elections.bc.ca for information on how, when and where to vote. Members are also reminded that the Elections Act provides for time off from work in order to vote. 

• A recent poll demonstrates that 53 per cent of Canadians are against privatizing our largest airports. After raising it in the fall, Finance Minister Bill Morneau has yet to rule out selling public airport lands and assets. Help raise awareness! Watch and share our video on Facebook with your networks.

• The Regional Convention Agenda is now available at the Convention documents and resources page. Regional Convention is just over a month away and we'll be updating this page as reports and documents become available.
   
• Regional Convention Honour Roll - at our Regional Conventions we hold a moment of silence to recognize our Sisters and Brothers who have passed away over the past three years. If you are aware of a member in the region whose name should be included on the honour roll, let us know.

• PA, TC, SV and EB: The new collective agreements were ratified by the PA, TC, SV and EB groups. In the coming weeks, PSAC will meet with the employer to sign the new collective agreements - here are some next steps and a Q&A.
• FB (CBSA): Our PSAC/CIU bargaining team for the FB group broke off talks in February after spending three days in mediation with the employer and making no progress on our key priorities, while CBSA continued to push concessions. PSAC has filed for a Public Interest Commission - here are the next steps.
• CFIA: At the request of the employer, the CFIA bargaining session for this week was postponed. The next bargaining session is tentatively scheduled for May 30. This is the second time a bargaining session has been cancelled by the employer. We will keep you up to date.
• Parks: Negotiations are scheduled for this week and July 11-13. Watch for an update.
• Canada Post: Our bargaining team met with the employer on April 11 and 12. An update at the national website.
• SSO: Our team is at the table this week and we'll keep you up to date.
• CRA: The re-opener clause has kicked in. More information here.
• Granville Island: Notice to bargain has been served & the team is scheduled to meet in June, contact your Local Executive for more information.
• IMP Comox: The team is meeting in June, in advance of Arbitration. Contact your Local Executive for more information.
• First Nations Health Authority - Notice to bargain has been served and we look forward to beginning our second round of bargaining with this employer.
• Commissionaires - The team is at the table this week. Watch for an update or contact your Local Executive for more information.
• ARINC - Bargaining begins this month. Contact your Local Executive for updates.

Union Education

Our Spring Education schedule is wrapping up. Watch for the Fall schedule coming soon.

Vancouver Island

• Grievance Handling, Nanaimo, May 27 & 28

Meetings and Events



All PSAC members and families in the Victoria Area are invited to join the PSAC Victoria Area Council and march in the Victoria Day Parade, Monday May 22. For more information or to join us email Colleen Girard at cg33@telus.net or RSVP at the Facebook Event page.

May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada. This is an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the long and diverse history of Asian Canadians and their contributions to Canada, as well as the many struggles they face. Read more at the national website.

The Mainland Human Rights Committee is also hosting a special panel presentation on May 24th at 7PM, after their regularly scheduled meeting. All members and allies are invited, more information and RSVP here.

Regularly Scheduled Meetings

Vancouver Island Human Rights Committee meeting - May 4
Victoria Area Council meeting - May 9
Mainland and Haida Gwaii Young Workers committee - May 10
Victoria Regional Women's Committee meeting - May 11
PSAC BC Racially Visible Caucus meeting & workshop - May 13
West Fraser Valley Area Council meeting - May 15
Vancouver Regional Women's Committee meeting - May 17
Mainland Human Rights Committee meeting - May 24 - all members invited!
Okanagan Human Rights Committee meeting - June 16

Thanks for reading, Patrick! if you haven't voted yet - be like me and vote early!

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

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