I think we can all agree that this past year has been quite
a ride, filled with many ups and downs.
First, the ‘downs’: we as a Local have experienced the
consequences of Workforce Adjustment (WFA); undergone major changes to how we
deliver programs out of our Regional Office; seen some of our core corporate
and financial services centralized, and; have had to manage escalating levels
of generalized stress in the workplace, associated with all of the above.
And what about the ups?
I can speak to the fact that compared with other Federal
Departments, anecdotally Canadian Heritage has been recognized as a leader in
its approach to implementing WFA in a fair and up front fashion; within our own
office we have a very healthy relationship between your elected Local union
representatives and Senior Management (as I’ll explain in greater detail when I
talk about our Labour Management Consultation Committee, or LMCC); and despite
the uncertainty and increased workplace pressures, our membership is still
getting the job done, supporting each other and serving Canadians.
I’m going to briefly touch on three main items in my report:
WFA, and how we’re doing
LMCC, and how that works
And what the PSAC is doing to support us during these
difficult times
WFA
The Workforce Adjustment process is now in its second year,
and whether a member has been impacted, affected or is simply aware of the
effect of WFA on their colleagues, it’s been a difficult time for us all.
I recently attended an All-President’s conference that was
hosted by our Component, the Union of National Employees, and during that
conference I participated in a break-out session with other presidents
representing Locals that work for Treasury Board (like us). I can tell you that our experience of WFA has
been extremely well-managed compared with what has happened in other Departments. Canadian Heritage was singled out by one of
the senior union leaders in the National Capital Region, as having done what
was widely considered a very good job being transparent and fair with regards
to the implementation of WFA.
That being said, we have to remember that the union is here
to protect our rights, and WFA is a negotiated process between the Union and
the Employer, with specific rules and regulations governing the actions of
senior management and outlining the rights of all our members.
If you have any on-going questions or concerns about WFA,
please come see one of your local executive members for information and
advice. And as always, if we don’t have
the answer right away we’ll help you find it – for example by contacting Sandy,
or our other area and national leadership.
LMCC
The Labour-Management Consultation Committee used to meet
quarterly, but in light of the rapid pace of changes that come with WFA, Grants
and Contribution Modernization Initiative (GCMI), centralized services, and
other major on-going initiatives, we now meet on a monthly basis. The committee is made up of two union reps
(President and Chief Steward), and the Senior Management team (RExD, Program
Directors, and in some cases Head of HR/Corporate Services). We discuss general workplace issues and
provide constructive feedback to management from a union perspective.
The LMCC is a tool for each and every member to be heard by
Senior Management in a safe and anonymous way.
We never discuss specific individuals or cases, but focus on the issues,
and in this way we aim to ensure that our collective agreement rights are
respected, and that within our workplace we have a positive, honest and
transparent Labour/Management relationship.
If you have any questions about the LMCC, or have issues
you’d like us to raise, please approach either the President or Chief Steward
at any time.
PSAC support during
difficult times
The current environment within the Federal Government is
extremely stressful and filled with uncertainty. As mentioned above, we’re experiencing WFA,
GCMI, on-going centralization, and are constantly being asked to do more with
less.
The PSAC recognizes what this kind of stress does to
everyone, which is why they launched the “We Are All Affected” campaign, to
educate our membership and members of the general public on what the current
campaign of Federal cuts means to us as employees, and to Canadians who rely on
our services.
In fact, the PSAC offers a host of educational opportunities
for members, to better understand what resources are available to them, how the
union supports and promotes its members’ interests, and how the labour movement
as a whole continues to fight for the rights of workers both unionized and
non-unionized. I would encourage
everyone to visit the PSAC website, and to stay current on free training being
offered by the PSAC Ontario Regional Office.
Another key focus in the past year has been Mental Health in
the workplace. Part of our rights as
workers includes the right to a safe and healthy workplace. In fact, this past year the Mental Health
Commission of Canada released a groundbreaking set of guidelines, including a
Psychological Health and Safety Action Guide for Employers, as part of a
greater Mental Health Strategy for Canada.
The PSAC has launched a complementary campaign titled “Mental Health
Matters,” with more information, that I would encourage everyone to look at, on
the web (links at end of this document).
The next major campaign underway by the PSAC is a “Fight
Back” campaign, that includes asking its membership to be counted so they can
show politicians that workers’ rights cannot be taken away and that Canadian
public sector unions remain as strong and relevant as ever.
At an upcoming membership meeting we’ll be discussing the
“Fight Back” campaign in greater detail, but if in the interim you have any
questions about the resources available from the PSAC and the major campaigns
currently underway, please come see any member of your local Executive.
You may notice a theme here: “come see your Local
executive”. We are here, elected by you
to serve you. This is your Local, your
union and we are your resources, here to ensure your collective rights are
respected and enforced.
This year has been difficult, and it may not get easier in
the year ahead, but we have the tools in place to support each other, and are
positioning ourselves to remain a strong and vital force in the service of you,
our membership.
Thank you.
Andrew Shaver
President, PSAC Local 00303
president.local00303@gmail.com
president.local00303@gmail.com
Web links:
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