Collective Bargaining

Bargaining Updates

19 January 2012 - Ottawa - FS NEGOTIATIONS REACH AN IMPASSE

Negotiations for a new collective agreement reached an impasse on January 17, 2012 after the employer represented by the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) rejected PAFSO’s wage proposal calling for a 2.5% increase in each year of a 3 year collective agreement and additional increments to address the wage anomalies at the FS-01, FS-02 and FS 04 levels. The TBS reiterated its initial and final position on wage increases for a 3 year deal which included a 1.75% increase in the first year, 2% in the second and 1.5% in the third, all conditional upon PAFSO accepting the severance pay concessions negotiated with the PSAC. The TBS said there was no reason to address the pay anomalies described by PAFSO. It also noted that any additional monies to address wage structures would have to come from the Departments.

Our initial reaction to the employer’s response is one of shock and dismay. We are being told there will be no table settlement without an agreement on the severance pay concession and if we agree on the severance pay concession the TBS still has no intention to address the large wage gaps between the FS- 02 and CO-02 rates of pay or any of the other wage anomalies.

PAFSO will be applying to the Chair of the Public Service Labour Relations Board asking him to appoint a Public Interest Commission to assist the parties in resolving this dispute or to make recommendations that could lead to a settlement. Little or no progress was made on any of the other issues submitted by PAFSO.

PAFSO Collective Agreement (Expiry June 30, 2011)

PAFSO Update - Collective Bargaining
Our collective agreement expired on June 30, 2011. Our current collective agreement will continue in the absence of a new agreement. We expect the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) will seek a change to the severance pay article similar to what was negotiated for three PSAC groups last fall. The budget speech outlined a provision that would arbitrarily impose the severance pay changes to unrepresented groups such as the EX, which is a further indication on how serious the government is on this issue.

In January, PAFSO sent out a notice of input call asking the members for proposals for the upcoming round of bargaining and the response was significantly higher than in past rounds. Most of the input focused on addressing long-standing pay anomalies at the FS-02 (in comparison to the CO-02 level) and FS-04 (in comparison to the EX-01) levels. However, there were a number of other issues raised that have been incorporated in our bargaining proposals, including on severance pay, leave provisions and income averaging.
 
A complete list of our bargaining proposals will be posted on our web site after they have formally been presented to the TBS. PAFSO served notice to bargain on June 21, 2011, and we can expect full negotiations to begin in the fall.