PSAC Triennial!

It's now day 3 of the PSAC Triennial Convention, and I have to say I would have loved to post something earlier but the days have been extremely busy!

This morning we passed our convention budget, a zero dues increase plan to manage our spending over the next 3 years.  I'll provide a lot more details at our upcoming AGM, but as is the case with this type of business there was some great debate from the convention floor until delegates were satisfied with the plan put forward.

Also, former Clerk of the Privy Council, Alex Himelfarb (pictured above) gave an incredible talk on how austerity is just about the worst kind of government policy anybody could ever conceive of - it's bad for workers, it's bad for the public and it only feeds its own dead end agenda.  The former Clerk was candid in laying out the problems but also remained optimistic that things can get better - but the change has to come from us.  To quote him: we get the government we DEMAND!

That's been a major theme of the convention - along with the bad faith bargaining, especially on our non-negotiable sick leave provision.

There is a lot to share from the last few days, and much much more to come, and I'll look forward to doing so at the AGM - but am also happy to answer any questions I get by email before then - or if you have questions you'd like me to ask or anything you want me to share with the PSAC leaders gathered here, please send that along as well!

The best address to reach me at during convention is andrew.shaver@une-sen.org.

Convention isn't even half over, and already I can feel the energy we're building for what everybody agrees is the "fight of our lives."  To that end, yesterday we passed a unanimously-supported emergency resolution to launch a major campaign to ensure our next government is pro-labour and treats workers and the Canadian public with respect.  Many more details on this will follow in the weeks ahead! 

Up next we have more of the business of convention, and then the elections of our PSAC President and National Vice President which will take place on Thursday.  I'll update this blog as time permits with any of the big developments from the Convention floor, and again please feel free to email me with your questions and comments which I'll continue to bring forward to the leaders gathered here.

In solidarity!
Andrew