Dear Members,
This week’s message will be a relatively short one since there have been no dramatic developments on most of the issues we are following. However, I believe it is important to update you on our ongoing work on your behalf. Let’s get into it:
COVID-19 and PAFSO webinar with professor Raywat Deonandan
Last week, as part of our ongoing professional event series, I had the honour of hosting a webinar featuring renowned University of Ottawa epidemiologist, Dr. Raywat Deonandan. Professor Deonandan shared with us his insights into the next phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. In case you were unable to join in, a recording of our session is available here on our YouTube channel.
Dr. Deonandan confirmed our understanding that the pandemic is far from over, and that there could well be an eighth wave this fall. Although Canada and many parts of the world are returning to pre-COVID levels of activity, we should still be thinking of ways to mitigate the risks both at home and in the workplace. Accordingly, PAFSO is pressing the Employer through the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) committees, and at Labour-Management consultative tables, to implement the full range of the Public Health Agency of Canada’s recommendations, including those on ventilation, HEPA filters, and CO2 monitoring . These recommendations apply to all workplaces, in Canada and abroad.
If you believe that your workplace is unsafe, due to COVID-19 or any other reason, we urge you to file a report with your OHS Committee or representative. And, if you believe that your complaint is not being taken seriously or acted upon in a timely fashion, please reach out to the PAFSO office for advice on next steps.
We also urge you to consider becoming actively involved in the OHS mechanisms in your building or at your mission. This is a joint area of labour-management responsibility and a real opportunity to make a difference to your working conditions.
Return to the workplace
As we continue to deal with the ongoing effects of the pandemic, and despite the fact that many missions abroad have been working in-person since mid-2020, we are still waiting for the Departments to officially release their policies on the return to the workplace. In anticipation of the official policy, PAFSO has established its own position on the matter. Though it is the Employer’s right, under its statutory authority, to require employees to return to the in-person place of work, PAFSO maintains that this must be done in a way that puts the safety of our members and their families first; that offers flexibility to employees; that is applied fairly across our membership; and that is articulated with clarity. You can read our full position statement here.
I understand that one of the arguments put forward by GAC, in particular, is that employees in the FS category need to spend more time in the office due to the cross-cutting nature of rotational work and their heightened need for organizational awareness and networking. As your bargaining agent, we have been seeking acknowledgment of this unique role, and for the additional responsibilities and pressures it brings, for some time. We will be expecting to see it reflected in our discussions of terms and conditions, including compensation, in the current contract negotiations.
Nonetheless, if you believe that the full range of your duties can be performed remotely and wish to continue to work from outside the office, your first step is to talk to your manager. Tell them about your personal situation and why you prefer to work remotely, or in some other hybrid arrangement. Listen to their concerns about operational effectiveness and suggest solutions to mitigate them. We hope that through discussions with your manager, you will be able to come to an agreement on a suitable, flexible, and mutually acceptable arrangement.
This is an unprecedented situation, and as such, you may have a lot of questions. This is why we have prepared an FAQ to try to address the most common of these. Click here to learn more about your rights, the Employer’s responsibilities and the role of PAFSO in this matter.
Pay and promotions to the EX level
It has come to our attention that a number of our members who have been appointed to the EX-01 level have, upon appointment, had their salaries reduced to step one of the new level without recognition of their current acting or substantive FS salary, or the step at which they may have been acting in EX-01 positions. If left unchecked, this could not only result in a pay cut, but couls also have long-term salary implications at future promotions or even at retirement.
PAFSO has raised this issue with the Employer at the systemic level, and we hope to clarify the situation soon. In the meantime, however, we urge everyone in this situation to carefully review their letters of offer and, if they see a discrepancy, follow up with Human Resources and the Pay Centre to ensure that there has not been an error. If you do not get a satisfactory answer, please follow up with the PAFSO office to discuss possible next steps related to the FS collective agreement and/or to TBS’s Directive on Terms and Conditions of Employment related to promotions.
Annual General Meeting
I’d like to remind you that our AGM will be held virtually on Monday, October 24 at 4pm, Ottawa time. The AGM is a great opportunity to learn more about what is happening at PAFSO, and how we are setting the course for 2023 and beyond. If you would like to participate, just send an email to agm-aga@pafso-apase.comwith your name and department, and we will add you to our list of attendees. All related documents as well as a formal meeting invitation will be sent out to participants closer to the date of the event. I hope to see you there.
Tradecraft Week
Starting on the Monday of the AGM, and continuing throughout that week, we will be holding several roundtable discussions by, for and about the professional Foreign Service. These sessions are intended for us to share personal experiences, lessons learned and advice on how to do our work in the best way possible. We are currently putting together the programme for the week, so keep an eye on your inbox for more details. If you would like to participate as a panelist, or if you have a suggestion for a topic, please send an email to Marty Johnston, who is taking care of the logistics for the event.
PAFSO photo contest
The results of PAFSO’s 2022 photo contest are in! From among this year’s many entries, first prize was awarded to Myriem Belgharbi for her photo titled, “In Person Meeting, Kazbegi, Georgia”. Second prize went to Erin Koenig for her photograph entitled “Siempre Adelante, Lima, Peru”. And Adrianna Kopczynska’s “Ready for the Unknown, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago” earned third prize. Honourable mentions this year went to Nicolas St-Pierre, Michael Creighton, Marie-Claire Lemay, Robin Wettlaufer, Remo Li Fraine, Gurvir Khosa, Gabrielle Dew and Laura Sparks.
Congratulations to all of our winners and honourable mention recipients, and a big thank you to everyone who participated. The winning photos will be included in the 2023 PAFSO desk calendar due out later this year. For now, you can view them here on our website.
“Icebreaker” premiere on Saturday, 17 September at the ByTowne Cinema
“Icebreaker,” a feature-length documentary film, based in part on the book “Ice War Diplomat: Hockey Meets Cold War Politics at the 1972 Summit Series”, by former Canadian diplomat and PAFSO member Gary J. Smith, will be premiering tomorrow across Canada. The Ottawa debut will be Saturday, September 17 at 4:00 pm at the ByTowne Cinema on Rideau Street. Tickets are available through the cinema.
National Day of Mourning
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Monday, September 19, 2022, would be a National Day of Mourning in Canada, to mark the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Coinciding with Her Late Majesty’s State Funeral in London, UK, and the end of the official period of mourning in Canada, the National Day of Mourning is an opportunity for all Canadians to commemorate the life and legacy of Her Majesty. It has been designated a holiday for the public service of Canada and the PAFSO office will also be closed. If you are in the NCR, a commemorative ceremony will be held at the Christ Church Cathedral, 414 Sparks Street, Ottawa, on Monday at 11am.
That’s it for now. If anything comes up between now and my next message on October 7, we’ll be sure to let you know. In the meantime, if you have any concerns about your situation at work, please do contact our new General Manager, Bertrand Myre. Let him know the details of your concerns, and he will put you in touch with someone from our Labour Relations team. For all other inquiries, just send an email to info@pafso.com, and someone will be sure to get back to you very soon.
We’ll chat again in early October. Until then, take good care of yourselves, and of each other.
All the best,
Pam Isfeld
President