Dear members,
We’re heading into an interesting few weeks. As you will have heard, talks between the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Employer broke down on Tuesday night. As a result, more than 155,000 employees of the core public administration and the Canada Revenue Agency are now on strike. At the same time, we are facing key moments in a number of issues concerning PAFSO and the FS group.
PSAC on strike
First, I want to express PAFSO’s full solidarity with the members of the Alliance. We call upon the Employer to return to the bargaining table with our PSAC colleagues and deliver an offer that meets their demands for fair wage increases in the face of this cost-of-living crisis. I am sure many of you share this sentiment. For those who were there, you will remember the support and solidarity expressed by the Alliance when we mounted our own job action 10 years ago. We encourage you to picket with them on your own time, such as before or after work, during lunch or on your breaks. Bring them coffee, tea or snacks. Sign their petitions. Share their messages on your personal social media networks.
I plan to visit the line in front of Parliament on Tuesday next week (25 April) at 1230, and you are welcome to join me. Please send an e-mail to info@pafso.com about this or any future visits and we will keep you in the loop, as plans might need to change on short notice depending on progress of the strike.
Beyond this, I am sure many of you have questions about how to proceed in the face of this strike. It’s understandable as we have not seen a strike of this size in nearly 20 years.
The first thing to know is that PAFSO is not in a legal strike position. We opted for binding third party arbitration in order to resolve any impasse in negotiations. Because of this, members must abide by the terms of our collective agreement and, unless otherwise directed by the Employer, report to work as scheduled.
Please be aware that this applies to those in acting FS positions as well. If you are currently on assignment in an FS position you will not have the right to join the strike even if your substantive classification makes you a member of PSAC. To avoid potential confusion, we strongly suggest you obtain written confirmation from your manager that you are in an acting FS assignment. This may be useful in a number of situations, including when you may encounter a picket line.
Conversely, if you are a substantive FS acting in a position that is represented by PSAC (i.e., you are paying union dues to PSAC) we recommend that you contact your PSAC representative for more information on how to proceed.
In general, encountering a picket line on your way to work shouldn’t be an issue. Strikes in Canada’s public sector are typically peaceful and orderly. The first thing to do is to contact your supervisor and inform them that you are on the premises and have come across a picket line. From that moment, you are considered to have started your workday, regardless of any delays you may face in accessing the building. Next, you should ask to speak with a strike captain to obtain information on entrance protocols. Strike captains allow for times in which employees can access their workplace. If access to your workplace continues to be impeded, you can seek further instruction from management, and even request for an escort to be arranged.
For more on your rights and responsibilities during this strike, as well as more ideas on how to show your support, visit our website for an FAQ on the subject.
Also, while I expect our PSAC colleagues’ strike action to be peaceful and orderly, if you do find yourself feeling uncomfortable or unsafe, or if you believe the Employer is making an inappropriate request, please do not hesitate to contact our office for information, guidance, or to report an incident. We also ask you to inform us if you believe that the Employer is asking you to perform tasks outside of your usual scope of work in order to cover for a striking colleague.
I certainly hope that such a large action brings the Employer back to the table and that a deal can be reached soon.
Cyclical review of the Foreign Service Directives (FSDs)
Our survey on the FSDs has just closed on Wednesday. We were overwhelmed by the number of you who took the time to weigh in. In total, we received 581 responses to what was, by all measures, a fairly involved survey. As well, a large number of you have volunteered to take part in focus groups on specific areas of concern regarding the directives.
With so many responses, as you can imagine, it will take us a bit of time to get the full picture of your perspectives on the FSDs as we embark on the cyclical review process. However, what I can share with you is that three issues came out on top as your main concerns with the directives. The majority of you are worried about the economic erosion of the FSDs. Nearly half of you have concerns about the flexibility of the coverage they offer. And the third most pressing issue you have is with the support they offer for spouses and families.
These three concerns will form some of our top priorities as we begin the review of the directives later this summer. Should anything else of note emerge after we comb through the data, we will be sure to let you know in future messages. We will also be reaching out to those who volunteered for the focus groups to set up times in mid-May.
Thanks again to everyone who took the time to answer all 80 questions. Your participation gives us the insights we need to serve you best.
Collective bargaining update
As mentioned in my last message, bargaining resumed last week with two sessions on 12 and 13 April. Our lead negotiator, Paul Raven, reports being pleasantly surprised with how the sessions unfolded and the progress that we saw.
On the Employer side, there is a new negotiator at the table. And based on our interactions last week, this is a positive development. In the course of our two sessions, the Employer presented us with a comprehensive package deal. We then presented them with our well-reasoned counteroffer. While we can’t share any details at this point, these were some of our more productive days to date. There is not much else we can report, and dates for the next sessions have not yet been set.
As always, I will share with you what I can as developments warrant.
New Twitter account
I am pleased to announce that in furtherance of PAFSO’s advocacy goals, we have created a new Twitter account exclusively for the Presidency. While our main account (@PafsoApase) will continue to provide you with valuable PAFSO information, you can expect the President’s account to be a little more outspoken on current issues, politics and any other news that has impacts on Canada’s professional Foreign Service. Please be sure to check out @PafsoPresApase and follow me to keep up to date with what your President is doing to represent your interests, defend our profession and voicing our collective view on matters that affect us.
In the meantime, if you have concerns about your situation at work, whether strike related or otherwise, please contact us. Please include your name, department, and a detailed description of the issues you are facing. You will be connected to a member of our Labour Relations team who will be pleased to help you. For all other questions, just send an email to info@pafso.com and ee will get back to you shortly.
Talk to you in two weeks. Until then, take care of yourselves and each other.
All the best,
Pam Isfeld
President