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Collective Bargaining
PAFSO 2006 Foreign Service Directives Questionnaire
March 30, 2006
2006 CYCLICAL REVIEW OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE DIRECTIVES
This message is very important as it affects you while you are serving outside Canada. Please take the time to read this and respond ASAP.
The Foreign Service Directives (FSDs) are scheduled for revision with effect from January 01, 2008, with a deadline of October 1, 2006 for input to the National Joint Council Secretariat from both Bargaining Agents and the Employer. You probably know that the Foreign Service Directives (FSDs) are developed in consultation in the National Joint Council (NJC). The NJC Committee on Foreign Service Directives is composed of the Employer Side (Treasury Board Secretariat, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Citizenship and Immigration Canada and National Defence) and the Bargaining Agents Side (PAFSO, PSAC and PIPSC). An input deadline of October 01, 2006 means that we need your input by June 16, 2006, or as soon thereafter as possible, in order to develop and refine our proposals and establish priorities, and then meet with the other members of the Bargaining Agent Side to consolidate our position and develop a joint bargaining strategy.
Unfortunately, many of the proposals raised by the Bargaining Agent Side in the last review of the Foreign Service Directives were either not implemented or not completed, because the review took so long. In many cases Study Groups, formed by members of both the Bargaining Agents Side and the Employer Side, made considerable progress in developing new and revised provisions, which would benefit many employees. We see this next review of the FSDs as critical, as we expect the Employer Side, under the leadership of the Treasury Board Secretariat, to challenge any Bargaining Agents Side proposals with policy or financial implications and to propose reductions, limitations and conditions in order to achieve cost savings. We are particularly concerned with the relatively short period of time available in which to achieve our objectives. As noted above, input to the NJC is due on October 1, 2006, with an effective date of January 1, 2008, or earlier, as appropriate. This means, that, realistically, the FSD Committee will have less than 12 months in which to review proposals and establish priorities, develop and reach consensus on proposals and develop the actual text for publication prior to January 01, 2008. We can expect that our priorities and those of the Employer will not be synonymous.
What all this means is that your input is more important than ever. We are particularly interested in your response to Part II of the Questionnaire, which outlines the new and revised provisions which were not finalized during the last cyclical review, and in any suggestions under Part III which will reduce complexity or administration. When you are completing Part III, it is not enough to identify a problem or concern; we need practical, or at least possible, solutions. In considering proposals for change, think of comparability with Canada (and in particular, Ottawa/Gatineau). Needless to say, if you have a problem or concern, but haven't been able to identify a solution, we still want to hear about it. Our priority will have to be what is achievable within the time constraints of the review.
You will note that the Questionnaire is in several parts. You may wish to glance through it, before starting Part I.
Please complete the attached Questionnaire and return it by June 16, 2006 (or as soon as you can) by E-mail, as an attachment, to diane.buenger@pafso-apase.com . If you prefer, you may fax your completed Questionnaire to 613 - 241 - 5911.
2006 FSD Questionnaire (PDF) 
2006 FSD Questionnaire (wordperfect)
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