Tag Archives: EB

PA, EB, SV, & TC groups bargaining survey: You can shape the future of work in the public service

PSAC banner illustrating a conversation

The pandemic has radically changed the way many PSAC members work. We have experienced the challenges of working remotely from home; the impact of technological changes;  the effect of an uncertain economy on job security; and the major inequalities that remain for women, racialized workers, and many other marginalized groups. These are some of the key issues that can be addressed in the next round of bargaining that begins this summer.

This next round of talks will be all about the future of work in the federal public service and you can help decide what your union bargaining team brings to the table.

Take 15 minutes to fill out our survey to make sure we address your workplace concerns at the table. Your input is essential. We need to hear directly from you about what has changed over the last year. And we need to know more about you so that we can make the case for a contract that equitably addresses our members’ diverse needs.

Your participation in this survey and the broader bargaining process is key to our success in the next round of talks.

The survey is for members in the Program and Administrative Services (PA), Technical Services (TC), Operational Services (SV) and Education and Library Science (EB) groups. It will be open until February 25, 2021.

We are also still accepting your specific proposals for improving your next contract until January 31. Your component union and PSAC will review your proposals and they, along with the survey’s results, will be discussed at a bargaining conference of member delegates from across the country who will decide the bargaining priorities.

The current collective agreements expire on the following dates:

PA: June 20, 2021
TC: June 21, 2021
SV: August 4, 2021
EB: June 30, 2021

Please keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to receive more updates as we prepare to negotiate your next contract.

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

PA, TC, and EB members ratify new agreements with Treasury Board

Photo of CIU flag

A majority of PSAC members in the Program and Administrative (PA), Technical Services (TC), Education and Library Science (EB), and PSAC-UTE (CRA) bargaining units have voted in favour of their respective tentative agreements. The four units represent nearly 110,000 federal public service workers who have gone above and beyond to support Canadians during this pandemic.

The new collective agreements for the PA, TC and EB groups cover the 2018-2021 period, while the new PSAC-UTE collective agreement covers the 2016-2021 period. All agreements provide for fair wages, no concessions and improved working conditions.

“I am proud of the elected members of our bargaining teams for their unwavering dedication during this round of talks,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC National President. “Thanks to their hard work and the solidarity shown by thousands of members across the country, we were able to negotiate a fair deal. We’re now in a strong position to build on these improvements in the next round of bargaining.”

Next Steps

In the coming weeks, PSAC will meet with Treasury Board and CRA representatives to sign the new collective agreements. With the exception of monetary provisions, which are retroactive, new contract terms come into effect on the date of signing.

Both employers have 180 days from the signing of the contracts to implement wage increases, wage adjustments and allowances. As explained in the ratification kits, in view of this extended implementation timeline, PSAC negotiated a $500 lump sum payment into all contracts.

PSAC will update members when contracts are signed. Please keep your contact information up to date via the PSAC member portal.

SV group, Parks, CFIA and FB group

Members in the Operational Services (SV) group have until October 5 to vote on their new contract while those in the Parks and CFIA units will vote between October 5 and November 4.

Members in the Border Services (FB) unit are still in talks.

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

EB group reaches tentative agreement

CIU flag with the word bargaining

PSAC has reached a tentative agreement that provides increases to wages, no concessions, and improved working conditions for nearly 1,000 members of the Education and Library Science (EB) group under Treasury Board.

In addition to these successful talks, EB members will also be awarded a Phoenix damages settlement to compensate members for the pain and suffering caused by the broken pay system. Please read the update which provides greater detail on the general Phoenix compensation portion of the settlement, as well as the expansion of the claims process for out-of-pocket expenses and for those who suffered major losses because of Phoenix.

EB Group settlement

The PSAC bargaining team successfully secured fair wage increases averaging at 2.11% per year. EB group members would receive the following wage increases:

2018

2019

2020

2.8%

2.2%

1.35%

In addition to these wage increases, the following group-specific wage adjustments and allowances were also secured: ​

  • Implementation of a new, national pay grid for 12-month teachers and instructors.

Other improvements to the EB collective agreement include: ​

  • Increase in maternity related reassignment or leave qualification from 52 to 78 weeks following the birth of a child
  • A new leave provision for members elected to union leadership
  • An increase in meal allowance for overtime from $9 to $12
  • Set timelines for receiving a response to vacation leave requests
  • Improvements to travel time to pay for up to five hours of compensation for any stop-overs
  • Language that emphasizes the importance of professional development activities, such as conferences and workshops, for LS members
  • Commitment from the Employer to consult with the Union in the next review of Treasury Board’s policy on indemnification
  • Commitment from the Employer to prepare informational material on employees’ injury on duty rights and benefits.
  • Ability for ED-EST ten-month teachers to use their personal leave in 7.5 or 3.75 segments (Article 60)
  • An MOU for a Joint Committee to address the issues related to teaching time and preparation time for Language Teachers (ED-LAT)
  • An MOU for a Joint Committee to address the teaching of indigenous languages for 10-month teachers at INAC
  • Increases to funding for the Joint Learning Program, including a pilot study on health and safety training

Common issues settlement

Two weeks ago, when we obtained a settlement for the PA group, PSAC also reached a settlement for Treasury Board issues common to all groups. Some of the key improvements include:

  • A one-time payment of $500 in recognition of the extended collective agreement implementation deadline and an additional $50 for every subsequent 90-day delay
  • Ten days of paid Domestic Violence Leave
  • Better language on return to work following a Maternity or Parental Leave, giving more flexibility to parents who wish to change positions within the federal public service.
  • Improvements to Parental Leave pay
  • Updated language to match the new legislation including a new extended leave option and the sharing of Parental Leave
  • Expanded supplementary allowance for every week an employee is on extended or shared Parental Leave
  • Additional weeks for parents covered under the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan, when both parents work in the public service.
  • New Memorandum of Understanding to explore the issues related to childcare in the public service
  • Updated and improved language to match the new legislation on Compassionate Care and Caregiving Leave
  • Better language to allow the use of employer facilities for union activities
  • New Memorandum of Understanding to protect certain working conditions of civilian members of the RCMP
  • New Memorandum of Understanding on mental health in the workplace to support the work of the Centre for Expertise on Mental Health
  • In the event of workforce adjustment, the education allowance has increased to $17,000.
  • Deletion of Memorandum of Understanding on Supporting Employee Wellness. As a result, Sick Leave will remain untouched.

Full text and next steps

We will share the final text and full details of the EB group tentative agreement, and common issues agreement, as soon as it becomes available. Shortly thereafter, EB members will be invited to participate in online ratification votes. Details about the votes will be shared as soon as possible.

The PSAC bargaining team unanimously recommends the ratification of the tentative agreement.

To ensure that you receive all updates and can participate in the ratification process, please ensure that you have either updated your contact information on PSAC’s member portal, or that you create an account if you have not done so already.

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Reminder: Cast your ballot in PA, EB, TC & SV ratification votes before September 29

image vote ratification

We are getting close to the end of the voting period to ratify the new tentative agreements for the PA, TC, EB, SV and PSAC-UTE groups. PSAC has organized ratification votes between August 24 and September 29 for PA, TC, EB and PSAC-UTE members, and from August 31 to October 5 for SV members in each PSAC region.

In order to be eligible to vote you must:

  • have received your personal identification number by e-mail or mail (your PIN is required to vote, but is not required to register and attend a webinar)
  • ensure you are a member in good standing (MIGS)
  • attend a 15-minute webinar session

If you still haven’t received your PIN, please check your junk e-mail folder and if it is not found there contact your PSAC Regional Office. If you need more information on how to participate in ratification votes, please visit our national website.

If you have not registered and attended a webinar, please do so by checking out the regional websites for dates. If you have attended a webinar and have not yet voted, please vote to have your voice heard.

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.