PSAC bargains new agreement with the Canada Revenue Agency in record time
OTTAWA – The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has achieved an historic milestone in its bargaining history. The union has negotiated a tentative agreement with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) before the expiry date of the current contract.
“Negotiating a new contract before the old one has expired is virtually unheard of in the federal public sector,” says PSAC National President John Gordon. “In this case, both negotiating teams were focused on reaching a new agreement and we have achieved this in record time.”
The union served notice to bargain and exchanged bargaining demands with the CRA at the beginning of July. Intense negotiations took place over a two-week period in September and resumed in mid-October.
“Our negotiating team is making a unanimous recommendation of acceptance to our members,” says Gordon. “The speed of these negotiations did not affect our ability to achieve important gains.”
During this round of bargaining, the parties were negotiating the conversion to a new Agency classification standard. While the amounts will vary by individual, the average increase as a result of the conversion is 1.67%. After the salaries are converted to the new standard effective November 1, the workers will also receive an economic increase of 2.5%. Further wage increases during the life of the contract are 2.5% effective November 1, 2008 and 2.5% effective November 1, 2009.
The union was also successful in negotiating changes to the Agency’s policy on term workers. Effective November 1, 2007 term workers who have accumulated five years of service, without a break of 30 days or more anytime during the accumulation of this service, will automatically become indeterminate. This will have an immediate impact on over 400 workers.
The tentative agreement also provides enhanced benefits for part-time workers including improved overtime provisions, as well as overall gains in personal and bereavement leaves and some improvement in vacation leave.
According to Betty Bannon, national president of the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) component of the PSAC, the union wanted to set a new standard for bargaining. “From the beginning, our goal has been to avoid having a long gap between the expiry of one agreement and the conclusion of a new one and this time we’ve done it.”
The union will be conducting a ratification vote among the 26,000 PSAC members at the Agency during the month of November. If ratified, the new agreement will expire on October 31, 2010.
October 23, 2007
Negotiations still moving forward
Negotiations with CRA are at a crucial stage and your team is working hard to achieve a collective agreement.
We will not be issuing bulletins on a daily basis this week but will report to the membership by the end of the week.
BARGAINING INFO - PSAC
October 17, 2007
Sub-committee work dominates second day back at the table
The second day back at the table with CRA was devoted completely to essential sub-committee work. It was the first day since your bargaining team started this round of negotiations with the Agency that we have not had face-to-face sessions involving the complete teams on both sides.
At this critical stage in our bargaining, all the decisions your team will be making are important ones and we are taking the time we need to make the right decisions for our members.
Your team will be meeting with the employer’s team on Wednesday afternoon. At that time, all the sub-committees will be reporting back to the main table.
Watch for more bulletins coming out this week.
BARGAINING INFO - PSAC
October 16, 2007
Your team is back
for another intense two weeks of negotiations
Your bargaining team was back at the table on Monday October 15 - the first day in the two weeks of negotiations with CRA that are scheduled until October 26. We met with the employer and received some responses on several outstanding issues.
We have three sub-committees that are currently meeting as part of the bargaining process: the ACS-SP classification conversion sub-committee, the Workforce Adjustment (WFA) sub-committee and a sub-committee that is discussing issues affecting term workers at the Agency. We expect reports from all three sub-committees early this week. Once your team has the reports, we will move to deal with other remaining issues.
Once again, we will be continuing to issue bulletins during these next two weeks of negotiations.
Another thank you to our members
Your team thanks all of the members who are in the workplace showing their support by wearing our “Deliver the Deal!” stickers that were distributed on Monday. Your message to our employer is helping us get a fair settlement at the table.
BARGAINING INFO - PSAC
September 28, 2007
Another day…another step closer to a settlement
On Thursday your team continued to have productive face-to-face negotiations with the Agency.
We are still on track to reach a tentative agreement before the October 31 expiry date of our current contract.
BARGAINING INFO - PSAC
September 27, 2007
Another day with postive progress
Another day at the table and we are continuing to make progress. Your bargaining team has countered the employer’s offer on almost all of the outstanding issues. We are waiting to hear back from the Agency team on a number of issues.
We continue to be optimistic that we can negotiate a tentative agreement before October 31, the expiry date of our current contract.
BARGAINING INFO - PSAC
September 26, 2007
Progress continues during week two
The employer has now responded to all of the union proposals on the table and continues to show a willingness to discuss improvements on issues our members have indicated are important to them.
The ACS-SP sub-committee met again on Tuesday and is having ongoing discussions on the classification conversion. While these discussions take place, negotiations are occurring simultaneously on all the other issues.
Your team remains positive with the progress of negotiations.
We will continue to issue bulletins this week as bargaining continues.
BARGAINING INFO - PSAC
September, 25 2007
Our second week of negotiations starts on a positive note
Your negotiating team is back at the table with CRA after a first productive week. On our first day back, there was movement by the employer’s team on a number of our demands. The ACS-SP joint sub-committee met again on Monday and their work is proceeding well. Your team continues to be encouraged by the pace of bargaining.
On Saturday, your team provided an update on bargaining to the UTE Local President’s conference being held in Ottawa. We offer a heartfelt thank you to our Local Presidents and other participants at the conference for their demonstrations of support.
Keep reading our bargaining bulletins.
BARGAINING INFO - PSAC
September, 24 2007
A Productive First full week negotiating with CRA
After a week at the table with the CRA, your bargaining team is pleased to report that we’re continuing to make progress and that negotiations are moving at an unprecedented pace.
Why are these negotiations different? This time, both parties have come with a real willingness to negotiate. The process is less formal, less structured and as a result, more productive. A significant change from past rounds is that the employer’s team is at the table with the authority to negotiate. Instead of continually checking with their “principals”, the Agency team is ready and able to make some decisions.
The use of joint sub-committees to tackle some of the more detailed and complex issues is also helping move the process forward. The ACS-SP sub-committee has been putting in considerable work on the details of applying a salary schedule to the new SP classification plan. Workforce Adjustment (WFA) issues are also being discussed in a joint sub-committee and many of the union’s concerns already have been addressed.
We have agreement in principle on a number of proposals that may eventually be part of a settlement package. The employer’s team has indicated they are prepared to table a full economic package once the ASC-SP sub-committee has finished its work, which is expected to happen early next week.
More bulletins will be issued as negotiations continue.
We can’t do it without you
We’ve said before and we’ll say it again – the support of our members is what gives us our strength at the bargaining table. We offer another big thank you to our Local Presidents and activists for organizing activities in support of bargaining. We need to keep up the good work. Just because negotiations are progressing well so far, doesn’t mean that we can take a good settlement for granted. CRA needs to know that you support your team and the bargaining demands that are at the table and that you won’t agree to a second-rate offer. We’re counting on you.
BARGAINING INFO - PSAC
September, 21 2007
Negotiations are still moving forward
On Thursday, your bargaining team spent more negotiating with the Agency. The employer’s team continues to respond in a positive way.
After an initial face-to-face session scheduled for Friday morning, two sub-committees with representatives from both the union and employer will continue their work. These are the ASC-SP sub-committee on classification conversion and the Workforce Adjustment (WFA) sub-committee. Both of these sub-committees are working hard to complete the work that needs to be done on these two critical issues.
Stay tuned for our next bulletin.
BARGAINING INFO - PSAC
September 20, 2007
Bargaining continues to progress well
Your bargaining team spent an intensive day at the table on Wednesday. We’re spending most of our time actually negotiating with the Agency team and a lot of work is getting done.
We have finished dealing with all the demands that fall into the housekeeping and procedural categories and are now starting to negotiate the major demands.
The strong support from our members is keeping everyone focused at the bargaining table and is contributing to the positive attitude and productive work to date.
Look for our next update.
Bargaining Info - PSAC
September 19, 2007
We’re negotiating!
After another day of bargaining, your team is pleased to report that the process is going
well.
Today, your team tabled a new demand with the employer asking the Agency to provide
ergonomic counselling and assessments through an in-house national program. The
demand is in response to a CRA decision to shut down an existing ergonomic in-house
service being provided by five of our members to offices in some regions.
We’ll be continuing to issue bulletins as the process continues. Remember, you can
sign up now on the PSAC web site – www.psac-afpc.com to automatically receive
Bargaining INFO bulletins as they are issued or by using the “Subscribe” feature on the
UTE website at www.ute-sei.org .
More about those solidarity activities
Everyone was getting in on the act when Locals organized activities across the country
in support of our negotiating team earlier this week. Saint John, New Brunswick
boasted the youngest activist as 10 1⁄2-month old Boyd Bembridge, wearing a big “I
support my bargaining team” sticker, joined his mother and the Local executive who
were plantgating on Monday.
Across the country, literally thousands of leaflets and stickers were handed out on
September 17 as members showed their support for their negotiating team. Many wore
their stickers in the workplace thoughout the day. The Sudbury Local also handed out
PSAC’s colourful “Public Services are Cool” fans which members appreciated as
something “bright and cheerful” for a Monday morning!
In Rouyn, 85% of the members wore jeans and a red shirt to work to show their
solidarity, as did many others in Laval, Montérégie, Sherbrooke and Montreal.
Members in a number of locations expressed a wish that we could make history by
negotiating a new collective agreement before the old one expires. Your team is
working on it!
BARGAINING INFO - PSAC
September 18, 2007
Bargaining with CRA gets down to business
Bargaining demands have been exchanged, preliminary meetings held and now bargaining is beginning in earnest with CRA.
Your negotiating team spent its first day meeting several times with the Agency negotiating team. The Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) Workforce Adjustment (WFA) committee also met with your team to provide us with a report and information that will be useful in our deliberations.
Your team is at the table expecting to spend the upcoming days in serious negotiations and the employer is giving indications that they are prepared to do the same.
Look for the union updates as negotiations continue.
Many thanks to our members
We started negotiations on a high note knowing our members were supporting us. We send a very big thank you to all the members who participated in Monday’s activities and to our Locals for organizing them. With your support, we’ll achieve a good agreement.
BARGAINING INFO - PSAC
September 17, 2007
September: It’s more than back to school
... it’s back to the bargaining table with CRA!
Your negotiating team members have their pencils sharpened, their arguments ready
and their computers humming as they return to the bargaining table today, ready for
serious negotiations.
What do we want?
• A fair wage increase
• Salary bands for the new ACS classification plan
• Faster conversion of terms to indeterminate status
• Better job security
• Improved vacation leave
• and more.
When do we want it? Before the old contract expires!
Bargaining is scheduled to continue until September 28. Your negotiating team means
business and we expect the Agency to come to the table ready to bargain.
You can help get a new contract faster by showing your support for your negotiating
team.
Send this message to your management today:
I support my negotiating team and my bargaining demands. I want a new and
better collective agreement sooner, not later!
Regular bulletins will be issued as bargaining continues. Check with your Local or on
the web at www.psac-afpc.com or www.ute-sei.org.
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