Letter to Minister Brison about Canadian Nuclear Laboratories

August 30, 2018

The Honourable Scott Brison, P.C.
President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government
House of Commons
Ottawa ON K1A 0A6
Scott.Brison@parl.gc.ca

Minister Brison,

I am writing on behalf of Canada’s federal nuclear workers, hundreds of whom are represented by our union, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada.

In July 2014, the Conservative federal government announced that Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) would be managed under a government-owned, contractor-operated (GoCo) model. I am deeply preoccupied about the status of CNL as a GoCo, and what it means for its employees’ pension plans.

In September 2015, CNL employees were given notice that following a three-year period of transitional coverage, they would no longer be able to contribute to the Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP); subsequent hires were not even offered this transitional coverage. The current government has received numerous appeals to allow the continued participation of all CNL employees in the PSPP. To date, however, no action has been taken in that respect.

The September 2018 deadline to overturn the former government’s decision is fast approaching. Once it has been reached, however, Canada’s federal nuclear workers will no longer fully enjoy the financial security afforded by the Public Service Pension Plan. This will impact not only the employees themselves, but also their families and the communities they live in. To their dismay, the Treasury Board will not disclose the actual cost of their continued participation in the Plan, and the current government has yet to explain the rationale for its inaction on this issue.

There are likely to be significant, negative long-term consequences to the Canadian nuclear industry if the situation is not remedied, particularly with regards to the recruitment and retention of industry professionals. If the Canadian government is truly committed to helping Canadian workers and growing the middle class, it will make the necessary legislative changes to allow all CNL employees to remain in the Public Service Pension Plan. Time is running out, and action must be taken now.

Sincerely,

Debi Daviau
President, PIPSC

Published on 30 August 2018

3 November 2017

Phoenix and the status of retroactive pay

We have received several inquiries about the impact of the Phoenix pay system on retroactive pay for members who signed new collective agreements this year.

27 October 2017

Treasury Board agrees to negotiate better birth control coverage for public service employees

After years of advocacy, the Treasury Board has agreed to negotiate the addition of non-oral contraceptives to the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP).

6 October 2017

Words to Live By

Radio-Canada and the CBC have reported this week that Phoenix was “doomed from the start.” The reason? The business case prepared in 2009 under the previous government “lacked proper risk analysis and was politically motivated.” In the words of former parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page, “You look at this business case, you can drive trucks through some of the holes under the risk analysis.”

3 October 2017

PSPC releases latest Pay Bulletin

In light of the Phoenix fiasco and as part of a commitment made to bargaining agents to make it easier for their members to obtain information about their pay, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSCPC) has just released its Pay Bulletin for September.

2 October 2017

Institute files two new policy grievances over Phoenix

The Institute has just filed two new policy grievances on Phoenix-related issues, accusing the Treasury Board of failing to implement the terms of the AV and SP Group collective agreements within the specified timeframe (120 and 90 days respectively).

29 September 2017

The Phoenix Pay System’s Not-So-Golden Handshake

While much has been reported about the impact of the Phoenix pay system on current federal employees, comparatively little has been said about the harm done to retirees.