OTTAWA, ONTARIO, August 6, 2004 -- Parks Canada confirmed today that it has received the conciliation board's report concerning its collective bargaining efforts with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and invited the union to resume negotiations as soon as possible. The two parties have agreed to meet August 11 and 12, 2004. The Agency and PSAC began a conciliation board process on July 12, 2004, aimed at reaching a negotiated agreement for Parks Canada's 4,800 unionized workers. Now that the board has submitted its report, the employees will be in a legal strike position on August 13 if an agreement is not reached. "Parks Canada would like to thank the conciliation board for their work and consideration," said Gaby Fortin, Director General for Western and Northern Canada. "We are currently reviewing the details of the board's recommendations and have identified several potential areas where continued progress can be made. Of immediate note, however, is the board's observation that 'the two parties were miles apart with respect to pay proposals' and that 'they are not even on the same planet.'" "The board has clearly seized upon the central challenge of this bargaining effort," Mr. Fortin added. "PSAC has rejected Parks Canada's offer of a cumulative salary increase of nine per cent for general labourers and continues to demand cumulative increases as high as nearly 43 per cent. It is not surprising that the board feels 'both unable and unwilling to make a recommendation with respect to pay.' The ball has clearly been thrown back to the two parties to deal with and the next step must be for Parks Canada and PSAC to sit together as soon as possible and find a path forward. We owe it to Canadians to keep trying." "Parks Canada remains committed to achieving a negotiated settlement that is fair and reasonable for our employees and we are prepared to remain at the table for as long as it takes to conclude a deal," Mr. Fortin stated. "Given the potential impact of a work stoppage on our employees, on the millions of Canadians who visit Parks Canada's sites, and on the tens of thousands of tourism workers who depend on Parks Canada's operations, Parks Canada is hopeful that the union leadership will allow its members to vote on any new offer arising from these negotiations. Reasonable people will agree that if PSAC is genuinely interested in averting a strike, they will allow their members to vote prior to ordering any work stoppages." Information: Gaby Fortin Director General Western and Northern Canada Parks Canada (403) 292-4540 Carol Sheedy Director General Eastern Canada Parks Canada (902) 426-5871
