Updates

The Public Service Alliance of Canada is pleased to see the government propose stronger legislation to address harassment and sexual violence at work and now offer protection to Parliament Hill staff, including more than 600 PSAC members.

The proposed legislation, Bill C-65, would amend both the Canada Labour Code and the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act.

“I am very happy that Bill C-65 extends health and safety provisions to those working on Parliament Hill who were previously denied those basic health and safety rights,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC National Executive Vice President. “We have fought for equal protection for Parliament Hill workers for more than 25 years.”

After almost two years after launching the disastrous Phoenix pay system, the government has finally rolled out basic training for all employees.

“This is the kind of training that should be provided before rolling out a new pay system, not two years after the fact,” said PSAC National President Robyn Benson. “Now that it is finally available, the employer must act to ensure all employees are given the time and resources to do the training.”

PSAC reminds our members that they are entitled to take the training during their work hours.

PSAC is taking swift action in response to Treasury Board’s admission that it will not be meeting the implementation deadline for the PA, SV, TC and EB collective agreements. On behalf of the over 100,000 workers covered by these agreements, PSAC will file a complaint with the federal Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board.

The Senate has expressed its intention to move its payroll out of the federal government pay system. PSAC will closely examine the RFP (Request for Proposal) but we are very concerned and sceptical that the Senate is looking to a private company to perform payroll.

If the federal government were to contract out the work of public service workers, it would mean job losses for those affected by Phoenix and the very people struggling to make the pay system work.

The Liberal government has introduced a new bill, C-62, that will reverse the attacks made by the former Conservative government on the collective bargaining rights of federal public service workers.

“Our union has been telling the government it needed to do more than simply introduce legislation to fix laws the Conservative government used to diminish our bargaining rights,” said PSAC National President Robyn Benson. “We expect to see this legislation passed and become law. Only then will these bargaining rights be fully restored.”