Canadians voted for change

PSACPostElection

PSAC calls on new Parliament to restore public services and repair relations with federal public service employees

OTTAWA –Canadians rejected the Harper Conservatives and voted for change on October 19 and that is good news for Canada, says the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

“The new Liberal government has a strong mandate for change,” said PSAC National President Robyn Benson. “That change needs to include restoring public services and building a positive relationship with the federal public service. We call on the Liberals to practice a new kind of politics and to work collaboratively with the NDP and other progressives in Parliament to put Canada back together again.”

Before and during the election, the PSAC carried out a public information campaign to convince Canadians to vote to stop the cuts made by the previous Conservative government. A poll carried out just before polling day found that a large percentage of Canadians believed the cuts would affect the election outcome.

“We know from our own campaign work that voters were fed up with the Harper Conservatives’ attacks on the public service. As the largest public service union, we look forward to sitting down with the new government as soon as possible to discuss how to repair the damage done including how to improve labour relations in the federal public service,” said Benson.

The Harper Conservative government passed successive omnibus bills in its last four years fundamentally changing collective bargaining laws, as well as health and safety protections for federal workers. During the campaign the Liberal Party of Canada promised to restore the bargaining rights of federal government employees and to repeal the anti-union legislation passed by the Conservatives.

“We call on the new government to act on these promises without delay,” concluded Benson.

PSAC is calling on the new Parliament to:

Restore and strengthen federal public services, including the re-opening of Veterans Affairs offices closed by the Conservatives in 2014.
Repeal the parts of budget implementation bills (C-4, C-10, C-59) that changed labour laws, imposed wage reductions, took away pay equity rights, weakened workplace health and safety protections, and gave the Government the unilateral right to remove the sick leave provisions in negotiated collective agreements.
Restore the right of unions to represent members with respect to pay equity claims.
Repeal Bill C-525, which makes it harder for workers in the federal sector to organize, and Bill C-377, which is both unconstitutional and a violation of privacy rights.

Source: www.psacunion.ca

2015/10/082015/10/28

Vote for a government that will protect health and safety

YVYF-VoteHealthSafety

Six years ago, PSAC and UNE commissioned the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) to prepare a thorough report on health and safety in the federal jurisdiction. At the UNE Health and safety conference held in the fall of that year, we invited additional health and safety officers so that that they could be interviewed by the CCPA. In 2010, the CCPA published a devastating report on the poor state of health and safety and the problems and pressures faced by the shrinking number of health and safety officers.

So, this year, one year after the recent changes to the law, PSAC and UNE again asked the CCPA to produce a report that would update its 2010 report. That report was released in late September. And what were the findings?

In 10 years, the number of health and safety inspectors on the job has dropped by over 50%.
From 151 inspectors in 2005, the numbers show no more than 67 working as of April, 2015. This far lower than the number claimed by the government.
Between 2002 and 2013, 684 employees died as a result of workplace injury.
There were nearly 21,000 disabling injuries in the federally regulated sector in 2012 alone.

John Anderson, the researcher who conducted the study, summarized things this way:

“The overall situation is a recipe for both potential dangerous occupational health and safety issues and injuries. Inspection is absent or so highly limited it cannot create the safe workplace environment that is surely everybody’s goal and wish.”

The study also included several recommendations, including:

Repealing the 2013 changes to the Canada Labour Code and increasing staffing levels for health and safety officers;
Conducting regular field inspections, particularly in high-risk workplaces;
Improving data collecting and making it more transparent;
Developing a strategy for workplace safety on First Nations reserves;
Reinstating fire inspectors, whose jobs had been eliminated from the federal Labour Program just a couple of years ago; and
Covering all Parliament Hill employees under federal health and safety regulation.

We will continue the fight for health and safety. Keeping workers safe has a direct impact on the safety of the Canadian public. The services we provide need to be health and safety regulated.

With just days to go before the federal election, we want to remind you to

Vote for a government that will protect health and safety.
Vote for a government that will protect labour and human rights.
Vote for a government that will support public services – not self-service or no-service.
Vote for a government that will respect Canadians.

2015/10/02

Liberal youth job creation‎ will lead to unfair working conditions

LibUnfair

The Liberal party’s promise to promote and protect Canada’s national parks falls short of what is needed particularly because it encompasses a proposal to create 5,000 youth jobs at the expense of secure and stable employment at Parks Canada.

The Liberals have indicated that they will address staff shortages by hiring young workers as guides, interpreters and in other positions at Parks Canada instead of creating regular employment opportunities.

“We are concerned that this approach will lead to unfair working conditions for younger workers, and it does not constitute real and meaningful reinvestment in our national parks,” said Doug Marshall, president of the Union of National Employees, a component of the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

Students who are employed by Parks Canada are paid separate and inferior wages under the Federal Student Work Experience Program. In the name of gaining work experience they are paid less than the workers they replace yet they perform the same work as regular employees.

Job creation is not about trading one type of job for another. Good jobs for young workers should not be created at the expense of workers already employed.

PSAC calls on the Liberal Party to create good jobs for young workers that are stable, paid a fair rate and provide career opportunities but not at the expense of the current workforce at Parks Canada.

2015/10/012015/10/06

October 4th Sisters in Spirit Vigils: A movement for social change

SistersInSpiritVigils

This is an invitation to celebrate, honour and support Indigenous women, girls and their families on October 4^thby attending or holding a Sisters in Spirit Vigil.

A Sisters in Spirit Vigil can take many forms – from a moment of silence to a rally to a community feast. All that is important is that you take some time on or around October 4^th to mark the day.

Look for Sisters in Spirit vigils on-line at nwac.ca. The Native Women’s Association of Canada asks us to read the Public Statement, found on their website, to supporters at each vigil.

Several labour unions and the aboriginal community have combined their efforts to hold a Sisters in Spirit Vigil at 5:00-6:30 pm, at city hall in Vancouver. See our Facebook event for more details:

https://www.facebook.com/events/922030871180085/

We demand a national inquiry into the violence faced by Indigenous women and girls. Please stand with us.

For other event locations, please visit http://www.nwac.ca/policy-areas/violence-prevention-and-safety/sisters-in-spirit/october-4th-vigils/

All our relations,

Genevieve, Sandra & Ruby

Supporters of UNE Aboriginal Equity

2015/09/302015/10/01

CCPA Study Tells Canadians What the Union Has Been Saying All Along About Health & Safety

CCPAStudy

A new study from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives entitled Waiting to Happen: Why we need major changes to the health and safety regime in federally regulated workplaces reveals that the health and safety of over a million workers in the federal government and other federally-regulated workplaces is at risk.

“This study confirms that our members – and the Canadians to whom they provide services – are at risk,” said UNE President Doug Marshall. “There are several recommendations, including repealing the 2013 changes to the Canadian Labour Code that the government snuck into their omnibus bill C-4. These are changes that need to happen and on October 19^th, we need to make sure the government we elect will follow the recommendations in order to improve the health and safety of workers and the well-being of Canadians.”

The study reveals some disturbing numbers about health and safety in workplaces:

In 10 years the number of health and safety inspectors on the job has dropped by over 50 per cent.
From 151 inspectors in 2005, figures obtained by PSAC show no more than 67 working as of April, 2015.
Between 2002 and 2013, 684 employees died as a result of workplace injury.
There were nearly 21,000 disabling injuries in the federally regulated sector in 2012 alone.

The study concludes with several recommendations to restore and improve the health and safety regulation of businesses and employers under federal jurisdiction, including:

Repealing the 2013 changes to the Canada Labour Code and increasing inspector staffing levels;
Conducting regular field inspections, particularly in high-risk workplaces;
Improving data collecting and making it more transparent;
Developing a strategy for workplace safety on First Nations reserves;
Reinstating fire inspectors; and
Covering all Parliament Hill employees under federal health and safety regulation.

Click here to download and share a copy of the full CCPA report: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/waiting-happen

With files from www.psacunion.ca

2015/09/292015/10/01

Honouring our heroes

Last Sunday, hundreds gathered on Parliament Hill to pay their respect to the men and women of law enforcement who lost their lives during the course of duty.

The memorial serves as an opportunity to say thanks to the countless police and peace officers who regularly put their lives at risk in the name of public safety.

In our national parks, that responsibility falls on park wardens.

“Our national parks are breathtaking places,” said Eddie Kennedy, national advisor on Parks Canada. “But they come with their share of hazards. Our visitors owe a great debt to the wardens who keep our parks safe.”

Kennedy was in Ottawa last Sunday to represent our union during the ceremony and was accompanied by UNE national president Doug Marshall and national vice-president Kevin King.

Each year, the Union of National Employees and the Parks Canada Enforcement Branch collaborate to send park wardens to represent their comrades during the memorial. This year, the participants were David Pemberton, Jay Leopkey, Jonathan Jansen, Lucas Burnside, Michael Misskey, Nathan Byington, Patrick Latreille and Sharon Woods.

The Union of National Employees wishes to recognize all our brave park wardens for their important public service.

2015/09/282015/09/28

PSAC launches second phase of Vote to Stop the Cuts campaign

VTSTCP2

The Public Service Alliance of Canada is today launching the second phase of its Vote to Stop the Cuts campaign.

The campaign provides key information about the Harper Conservatives’ cuts to public services and encourages Canadians to take this into account when voting on October 19^th.

Vote to Stop the Cuts phase two will include a new video encouraging Canadians to vote on October 19, transit and newspaper ads as well as web and social media content.

Since coming into power, the Harper Conservatives have cut more than $14.5 billion a year from public services.

Phase 1 of the Vote to Stop the Cuts campaign garnered widespread media attention as well as engagement on social media. The first campaign video was viewed over 4.1 million times across social media platforms, the campaign content was liked, shared or commented on 226,000 times on Facebook and the campaign website received 436,000 hits.

“We believe our message is resonating with Canadians as we provide facts about the many essential public services that have been threatened by the reckless cuts made by the Harper Conservative government, without regard for the safety and welfare of millions of Canadians,” said Robyn Benson, National President of PSAC.

“Our members are on the front lines and see how frustrated Canadians are – waiting weeks to receive Employment Insurance cheques, or finding they can’t qualify. They are trying to ensure that Canada’s food is safe, that veterans are cared for and that our borders are secure,” said Benson. “But government departments have been stripped bare and workers are struggling to maintain crucial services under very difficult circumstances,” concluded Benson.

For more information on the campaign, visit votetostopthecuts.ca.

2015/09/24

Voting 101 – It’s easy and more important than ever!

YVYF-Vote101v02

As October 19^th draws closer, the Union of National Employees wants to remind you that your vote in the upcoming election will make a difference.

The Harper Government’s Fair Elections Act makes it more difficult to vote, but we all know that election day is around the corner and the tools you will find on the Elections Canada website make it easier than ever.

Make sure you are registered to vote.

This is the first step in your vote preparation and you can do it online right now. Head over to https://ereg.elections.ca/CWelcome.aspx?lang=e and click Start. The process takes less than a couple of minutes and will ensure you are registered to vote. At the end, the system will tell you where to go to vote.

Vote on or before October 19^th.

There are many ways to vote – You can vote today or on October 19^th. Check out this link for more details: http://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=vote&document=index&lang=e

While we are bombarded with pre-election news and storylines, the most important thing to remember is to not be overwhelmed – and remember – Your Vote = Your Future.

Together, we can elect a government that respects all Canadians.

2015/09/232015/09/24

Harper Conservatives target pensions again

The Federal Government is in the process of drafting legislation representing an unprecedented attack on the retirement security of all Canadians. If the Conservatives are re-elected and push through this legislation, the defined benefit pension plans of federally-regulated workers will be at risk of being converted to target plans with lower pension benefits for both retirees and active employees.

Significant incentives would be provided to employers to get rid of the much better defined benefit plans and convert these to targeted pension plans. This will be at the expense of stable retirement income that workers have already paid for through their pension contributions.

What are target pension plans?

Reduce pension benefits for both contributing employees and pensioners
No guarantee the promised benefit will be maintained in retirement
Risk is completely shifted from governments and corporations to vulnerable employees

Background

In 2014, the government announced a rushed consultation process on target benefit pension plans for federally-regulated workers
In the 2015, the government tabled a budget saying they are “assessing” voluntary target benefit options” for Crown Corporations.
Any proposed change would require the amendment of federal pension laws.

What has the PSAC done?

The PSAC presented a submission during the consultation process opposing this type of these types of pension arrangements.

Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) initiatives

Emergency resolution

At the CLC Triennial Convention in 2014, an emergency resolution was tabled calling unions to defend workers and pensioners against any and all attacks to pensions,

“Retirement Security for Everyone” Campaign

PSAC continues to support the CLC “Retirement Security for Everyone” campaign as the most effective means of securing the future retirement incomes of working Canadians.

A solution to a problem that doesn’t exist

Current federal pension legislation and regulations already protect the pension benefits of plan members and retirees from being reduced. The funding status of defined benefit pension plans is improving significantly with improving investment returns and gradual increases in long-term interest rates.
For example, the defined benefit pension plan for Air Canada reported for 2013 a solvency deficiency of $3.7 billion. However, in January of 2014, Air Canada had announced the complete elimination of the pension solvency deficiency.

Is the Federal Public Service Pension Plan the next “target”?

The introduction of target pension plans in the federal sector opens the door to other legislative changes and puts all defined benefit pension plans at risk.

2015/09/23

2016 High School Scholarships

HSBursaries

At the Union of National Employees, we believe that no one should be stripped of the chance to reach their full potential because of the increasingly unaffordable cost of post-secondary education. That is why our members are proud to offer several scholarships to promising students.

The High School Scholarship program awards ten scholarships in the amount of $1,000 – one from each region – to students in their last year of high school who are about to pursue post-secondary education.

These scholarships are designed to highlight union principles, as well as promote our union and the labour movement in a positive way. The scholarships aim to create awareness of our union within high schools and provide financial assistance to worthy students. This initiative will encourage youth to become more involved in union and social justice activities.

The criteria for the High School Scholarship program can be found on our website, at http://en.une-sen.org/what_we_do/hea/hs_scholarship_crit_e.pdf and the application form can also be found on our website, at http://en.une-sen.org/what_we_do/hea/hs_scholarship_app.pdf . Please ensure that you follow the criteria and complete the application form carefully. The deadline for High School Scholarship applications is March 31, 2016.