Date: November 24, 2008
Ottawa – The Honourable Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board, today issued the following statement on reaching settlements with the Public Service Alliance of Canada on wages and on two pay equity complaints currently before the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
"Together, the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Government of Canada have reached fair and reasonable agreements on wages for about 100,000 employees and the Public Service Alliance of Canada has agreed to withdraw its two pay equity complaints. These settlements are excellent examples of a responsible outcome in public sector compensation.
With the withdrawal of the two pay equity complaints, we are putting the past behind us and eliminating the uncertainty and cost of long and divisive proceedings before the courts. This approach is fair to employees and affordable for Canadians.
I would like to thank our negotiators as well as those of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, who have worked tirelessly to reach these agreements. These fair and reasonable settlements will serve Canada well as we face uncertain economic times. I would encourage the Technical Services group of the Public Service Alliance of Canada that has not yet accepted the government's final offer to reconsider and accept the proposed package.
The senior leadership at the Public Service Alliance of Canada, led by its National President, John Gordon has demonstrated that commitment and dedication to the process, even when facing difficult economic times, can lead to fair results both for employees and Canadians."
Information on the settlements is included in the attached backgrounder.
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For more information, contact:
Christine Csversko
Director of Communications
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
(613) 957-2666
Robert Makichuk
Chief, Media Relations
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
(613) 957-2391
If there is a discrepancy between any printed version and the electronic version of this news release, the electronic version will prevail.
TTY (Telecommunications device for the hearing impaired) - (613) 957-9090
The Public Service Alliance of Canada represents over 100,000 employees of the core public administration. These employees are in five bargaining units:
- The Program and Administrative Services Group (PA)
- The Education and Library Science Group (EB)
- The Operational Services Group (SV)
- The Border Services Group (FB)
- The Technical Services Group (TC)
Tentative four-year agreements were reached with the Public Service Alliance of Canada for four of its bargaining units: the Program and Administrative Services (PA) Group; the Education and Library Science (EB) Group; the Operational Services Group (SV) and the Border Services (FB) Group. These agreements include:
- Increases in rates of pay of 2.3% in 2007-08, 1.5% in 2008-09, 1.5% in 2009-10 and 1.5% in 2010-11 for the four bargaining units named above.
- The establishment of a national rate of pay for the Operational Services (SV) Group. This group currently has a very complex multi-rate pay structure comprising of some 30 different rates across the country. This is difficult to manage and creates inequities across the various regions of the country. By moving to a streamlined three-increment structure, we will be better able meet the realities of today's labour market.
- A new pay structure for the recently created Border Services (FB) Group that reflects changes to their working conditions.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada has two pay equity complaints before the Canadian Human Rights Commission with respect to the Program and Administrative Services (PA) Group and in the Education and Library Science (EB) Group.
The Government has negotiated a lump sum payment of $4,000 for each employee in the Program and Administrative Services (PA) Group and in the Education and Library Science (EB) Group in exchange for the withdrawal of the two pay equity complaints for these groups.
The agreement also includes a commitment by the government to work with its bargaining agents on classification reform and on occupational group structures.
