Dear Members,
I’ll keep this message brief. There’s been a lot going on at PAFSO in the past few weeks, but as of now, there aren’t many conclusions to report. Expect a more comprehensive update in my next email in a few weeks.
We continue to meet regularly with the other members of the National Joint Council as well as with representatives of both IRCC and GAC on COVID-related issues, including the return to the workplace. We understand that this process is underway both at headquarters and missions abroad, with considerable variations between work units depending on operational requirements. In most cases, it seems that management is remaining flexible and responsive to employee needs and to local conditions. But we have heard from some of you with concerns. If you believe that your return to the workplace is being handled in a way that puts your health and safety at risk, please do not hesitate to contact our office for advice on your particular situation.
Over the past few weeks, we have taken part in a number of discussions linked to staffing and human resources issues, and it has come to our attention that many members are not aware of the employer’s duty to accommodate employees to avoid discrimination under the enumerated grounds of the Canadian Human Rights Act, up to the point of undue hardship. If, for example, a competition is launched with an essential requirement of twelve months experience in a diplomatic mission abroad, and an employee is unable to meet that criterion because they ended a posting to take parental leave, that employee can request accommodation, in the form of an exemption from that requirement, for family status. An employee who has been unable to go on posting due to health issues could seek a similar accommodation due to disability. Such requests must be made at the beginning of the application process and, if denied, can provide grounds for a complaint to the Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board (PSLREB). If you believe you have been unfairly denied accommodation, or would like to discuss your particular situation with a Labour Relations Advisor, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the PAFSO office for help.
As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, our Communications Committee has been busy working alongside consultants from Navigator to conduct the audit and evaluation of our advocacy and communications programs. The goal is to have them assess where and how PAFSO should use its limited resources in order to maximize the effectiveness and impact of our efforts, and ultimately, to deliver better results for you, our members. So far, we are keeping on schedule and expect to have Navigator’s final report in the next few weeks. Once we’ve had a chance to review it, we will be sharing their findings and recommendations with you.
Another committee that has been hard at work is the PAFSO Awards Committee. It is my understanding that the judges met Thursday last week and have made their selections. Once again, the Committee will be revealing this year’s recipients through another amazing video announcement, which they expect to release next month. I’ll be sure to let you know once it’s ready, as well as where and when you can watch it.
As well, the Professional Committee is started the planning for this year’s edition of Tradecraft Week, scheduled for October. To ensure that the event has the widest appeal for our diverse membership, the committee is looking to hear from you. If you have any ideas for topics or themes, don’t hesitate to share them with the Professional Committee. Also, if you want to get involved and help contribute to the production of the event, or if you would like to be a presenter, just send an email to Marty.Johnston@pafso-apase.com and let him know.
A few weeks back, we had the pleasure of welcoming to our regular PAFSO Virtual Breakfast former member and retired ambassador Gary J. Smith. His new book, Ice War Diplomat, covers the diplomatic side of the historic 1972 Summit Hockey Series between Canada and the USSR. In case you missed it, and if you are into hockey, history, and diplomacy, you can watch a recording of the session here on our YouTube Channel.
Our next breakfast, on Tuesday, 21 June at 0900 Ottawa time, will feature GAC Champion for Official Languages, and PAFSO member, Jeremy Wallace. Please join us for what should be a very interesting discussion of language issues at GAC and his plans for his new portfolio. You can register here.
If there are any issues or concerns about your circumstance at work, do not hesitate to contact Executive Director Kim Coles. Send her an email with your name, department and a short message describing your situation and she will put you in touch with our labour relations team. For everything else, send an email to info@pafso.com and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.
Well, that will do it for this week’s message. Like I said, there’s a lot going on and I will have more to share with you in upcoming messages. If you are able to take advantage of the May long weekend, I hope you get the chance to relax and spend time with friends and family. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. We’ll chat again in two weeks.
Until then, take good care of yourselves, and of each other.
All the best,
Pam Isfeld
President