President’s Follow Up Items - Executive Council

President’s Follow Up Items - Executive Council
March 2017

Robert Campbell - Item 5

Since the last report the follow-up items below remain:

  • ONTARIO PSTAR –A legal challenge has been referred to PSAC Legal Section in regards to the pension problems of some of the Ontario PSTAR members. PSAC Legal has reviewed the situation, and are pursuing appropriate actions. We had dates for a hearing in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice of October 3rd and 4th, 2016. However, as of the date of writing this report, there are ongoing discussions with the respondents to get consent to certify the class action case. The PSAC is still waiting for the federal government to finalize the consent language.
  • Job Descriptions for National Office Staff: The National Office is in the process of writing Job Descriptions for all of our staff. Most have been completed and were sent to the PSAC Classification Section for proper classification. The process is still on going.
  • Retroactive Pay Calculations from the PSAC on LWOP- the PSAC has confirmed that they will automatically calculate and pay any retroactive pay owed to UTE members on any leave without pay since 2012, once the signed agreement is received in the PSAC Finance section. However, the PSAC cautions that it cannot advise when this will happen, given the size of the bargaining unit, and a 4-year calculation period.
  • PHOENIX COMMITTEE- I committed during the September 2016 Presidents’ Conference that I would establish an ad hoc committee to identify phoenix issues affecting our members and to relay these issues to the CRA. Committee members Sister Christine McLennan, Brother Alan Craig, Brother Shane O’Brien and Sister Annette Melanson had their first meeting to identify issues on November 2 and 3, 2016. They then presented these issues to the CRA on December 13, 2016. This concludes the work of this ad hoc committee.
  • AD HOC STRUCTURE COMMITTEE- I committed during the September Presidents’ Conference to set up an ad hoc committee to revisit some of the structure issues that still plague us. Members of this committee are Brothers Jamie vanSydenborgh, Marc Brière, Bill Blair, and Sisters Gesine Campbell and Annette Melanson.  They met on November 16-17, 2016, January 16-18, 2017, and February 13-14, 2017. Their work continues.    

The following follow-up items are new:

  • Statutory freeze complaint (hours of work)- This was heard before the PSLRB in Halifax in July of 2016. We are still waiting for a decision from the Board.
  • Unfair LAbour practice complaInt- Prohibition of “NO” Stickers in the workplace- The PSAC attempted mediation with the CRA on this complaint late last fall, and the mediation failed. We now await the complaint to be heard by the Board.
  • POLICY GRIEVANCE TO COLLECT DUES FOR PIPSC MEMBERS PERFORMING UTE JOBS-  We have an agreement in principle with the CRA, and are awaiting a formalized, written agreement.  

Respectfully submitted,

Bob Campbell
National President