From the President’s Desk
Dear Members,
I hope all of you are doing well and were able to enjoy some well-deserved time off this past Summer. As we’re still in the midst of the 3-Day Return to Office chaos, I’m sure many of you are struggling with the long commutes on congested roads or unreliable transit system. All of that to get to offices that are often overcrowded and ill equipped to do video calls seated next to other employees that you may not even have any working relationship with…
Moreover, a recent access to information request revealed that the government ignored its own evidence and chose a path that went against recommendation from the public service professionals on defining the future of work. This further shows that this mandate was politically motivated and has nothing to do with productivity, healthy workplaces or promoting employee wellness and wellbeing. PIPSC continues to call on the Government to scrap this mandate immediately and to work collaboratively with all Bargaining Agents to establish a flexible, fair and evidence-based return to office model that rests on the principle of Presence with a Purpose. While the RTO chaos ensues, PIPSC Stewards remain available to support members with Duty to Accommodate requests or other challenges being experienced in the workplace.
On September 16, your Sub-Group hosted a Virtual Lunch & Learn with Hugo Buttau, NR Bargaining Coordinator and John Anderson, Researcher. Hugo presented the highlights of the new NR Agreement that was signed on March 8, 2024 while John presented some of the data salary comparators that was collected and used in the collective bargaining process. This session was a good opportunity for members to ask questions directly to the bargaining team and share some of their priorities for the upcoming round of bargaining. Thanks to all the members that joined us. If you have an idea of a topic for a future Lunch & Learn, please send it our way.
I’m sure many of you have found the recent events related to the PIPSC National Leadership troubling and disappointing. Please rest assured that your NR PSPC Sub-Group Executive remains dedicated to serve its membership to the best of its capacity in an open and transparent manner. With the PIPSC National Elections currently taking place, I invite you to get informed and to vote. It is extremely important that you make your voice heard as PIPSC goes through turbulent times. You will find more information on the candidates and how to vote in this Newsletter. The NR Group will also hold an election in the coming months, make sure to get informed and elect NCR Representatives that will represent your interests.
I would like to invite all Sub-Group members to our Annual General Meeting (AGM) coming on Tuesday December 3rd from 5:30 to 800 PM. It will take place in person at the Bridge Public House in Overbrook, a buffet style dinner will be provided. The NR Group President, Gary Corbett will be our guest speaker. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the business of the Institute and to network with colleagues and fellow union members.
I’m pleased to announce that once again this year, the NR PSPC Sub-Group Executive has voted to make a 300$ Donation to the PIPSC Legacy Foundation to support children and grandchildren of our members in affording post-secondary education. You can find out more about the Legacy Foundation in this Newsletter.
I hope to see all of you at an upcoming event and don’t hesitate to come and greet me if you see me in the workplace. Feel free to write to me, I would love to hear from you.
In Solidarity,
Charles Nellis (he/him), PMP, LEED Green Associate
cnellis@pipsc.ca
(613) 793-4099
NR Group News
NR Summer Newsletter
The latest edition of the NR Summer 2024 newsletter is available.
Highlights include:
- President’s note
- Recent NR Committee Meetings
- Remembering Danny Higashitani
Download the pdf version of the Newsletter here.
PIPSC News
Take Action on the Return to Office
We strongly disagree with a one-size-fits-all approach that has no evidence to support it, puts our members’ health and safety at risk, and undermines employee productivity, which negatively impacts the services Canadians rely on.
We support the principle of “presence with purpose”: being at the office when justified by operational needs. We continue to advocate for what was promised: a hybrid-by-design approach that considers employees’ unique circumstances and job requirements.
We want this government to stop barrelling toward an unnecessary confrontation and negotiate telework with us, at the bargaining table, where this issue belongs.
We are fighting to make your voices heard.
Here are some of the actions PIPSC has taken:
1. Member Engagement: Our RTO member survey collected crucial information from members on their day-to-day experiences. The survey highlighted the significant challenges our members face under the new mandate, with less than half of our members feeling that their current working conditions meet their needs. We also launched a letter-writing campaign to Members of Parliament and Treasury Board President Anita Anand. We encourage members to continue to support this action.
2. Continued Advocacy: We have continued to maintain pressure on the federal government through a range of strategic approaches. PIPSC has filed policy grievances challenging the employer’s decision and their lack of consultation prior to taking such an important decision, filed unfair labour practice complaints, and sent multiple letters and meeting requests to Minister Anand. Despite our ongoing efforts, we have yet to receive a meaningful response.
3. Solidarity with Sister Unions: To amplify our message, we’ve joined forces with sister unions PSAC, CAPE, and ACFO. We participated in a joint press conference when the mandate was announced, showed our solidarity in joint rallies across the NCR at Ottawa City Hall and Terrasses de la Chaudière, supported our AFS members in front of CRA headquarters, boycotted National Public Service Week, and will be actively involved in future rallies and Labour Day events.
4. Major Media Push: We’ve pressured the government and rallied public support through extensive media coverage. We have been pleased to see our messaging amplified by CBC, CTV, Radio-Canada, the Globe & Mail, the Hill Times, and the Ottawa Citizen.
5. RTO FAQs: We have updated our FAQs with the latest information and guidance.
We know this hasty order has created a logistical nightmare of the government’s own making. We’ve heard hundreds of stories of offices that feel more like construction sites, employees forced to work from cafeterias, or teams taking video calls from different floors of the same building.
Regardless of how you feel about your return, the employer has an obligation to ensure you have everything you need to do your job and to do it safely.
We won't stop fighting against the federal government's "one-size-fits-all" rule. They promised a hybrid-by-design plan – and we are going to push them to deliver on this promise.
If you have questions on the Return to Office or require support with a telework agreement or Duty to Accommodate request, please fill this form.
2024 PIPSC National Elections
Voting for the 2024 National Election will open on October 15, 2024, and close on November 8, 2024, at 12:00 PM (Ottawa time). Voting will be conducted using PIPSC’s new virtual voting platform. Instructions on how to register to vote using the new platform will be provided to members by email no later than October 15, 2024. The email will come from donotreply-nepasrepondre@pipsc.ca.
Candidates’ biographical sketches are now available for your review. Participate in the democratic life of your union and make your voice heard. Vote!
PIPSC Legacy Foundation
The Legacy Foundation is committed to supporting the next generation of professionals. The foundation’s sole purpose is to support the education of deserving young people across Canada.
The mission of the Legacy Foundation is to promote the intertwined values of professionalism and service, both to community and to country. This mission is accomplished by awarding scholarships for post-secondary education.
The pursuit of knowledge is a cornerstone value for PIPSC. We have always understood the importance of education to our members and to Canadian society.
Through the generous donations of our PIPSC community and corporate sponsors, the foundation has generated more than a million dollars in scholarships for young Canadians.
Consider making a donation to the Legacy Foundation or find out more on how your children or grand-children can apply for this scholarship.
ServicePlus
ServicePlus is your member benefits program where you can take advantage of preferential rates, discounts and savings on a variety of products and services available exclusively to members such insurance, retail, travel services, medical services, entertainment and many more. Make sure to check the website often as new partners and promotions appear regularly.
ServicePlus has partenered with an innovative Canadian company to bring you something that helps both today you and future you.
MedNow is a fully-licensed online pharmacy with truly exceptional pricing, (we checked), service and a network of pharmacies that can usually get your medications to you the same day. They offer a secure, simple to use app and website for ordering, optional automatic refills and renewals and a proprietary PillSmart system at no extra cost to make daily medications easy to take and hard to forget.
“But why?” you might ask, your medications are covered by your health insurance through your employer.
Well, first of all, costs will go down with Mednow, which is good.
Rising healthcare costs affect us all, so beyond being the right thing to do, reducing overall plan costs on medication means that there can be more money available for other services.
Update your Contact Information
Have you recently moved or changed your phone number? Or just unsure if we have the most recent contact information? If so, please ensure to Update your Contact Information. If you receive communication from PIPSC on a professional email address, please consider changing it to your personal email. Our emails are often blocked by the employer’s email system.
If you have colleagues that are currently not a member of PIPSC or new employees within your team, please make sure to share this link to sign up with them. New employees are not automatically members of PIPSC, they must sign up.
More PISPC News
Stay current on the latest News & Issues that is of concern to PIPSC visiting this web page.
Upcoming Sub-Group Events
You Sub-Group Executive is very excited to present of series of events this coming year, both virtual and in person. Separate invitations will be sent by email for each of them, please ensure to check your inbox and register.
- Tuesday December 3, 2024 – 5:30 to 7:30 PM - Annual General Meeting (AGM) & Dinner – The Bridge Public House (1 Donald St, Ottawa, ON K1K 4E6)
We need your help!
We always need help to organize events and conduct other initiatives for the Sub-Group. Members can also attend our monthly Executive Meetings as observers to learn more about Union Business and contribute to their Sub-Group. If this is of interest to you, please reach out to cnellis@pipsc.ca
We are also always looking for Stewards to join our team to support members in the workplace. We are especially looking for Stewards that come from equity seeking groups including women, visual minorities, persons with disabilities, Indigenous individuals, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community. If this is of interest to you, please consult this link and don’t hesitate to reach to a fellow Steward to get a better understanding of the role and determine if it suits you.
We are also in need of volunteers to become members of local Occupational Health & Safety Committees as PIPSC Representatives. This is a great way to become more familiar with an important aspect of the workplace and contribute improve the safety of the workplace in collaboration with management. Please note that you can only become a member of the Committee of your official place of work. Training is available and offered by the Employer. Please reach out to cnellis@pipsc.ca if interested.
Your Feedback
If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact anyone on the sub-group executive. We also look forward to your suggestions for lunch-and-learns, or any other type of event that would benefit the members of our sub-group.
If you require representation services or would like some advice on a situation arising in the workplace, please contact one of our stewards as soon as possible.