Bargaining Update
January 16, 2019
To All Proud CS Members,
On Thursday, January 10, 2019 representatives from your Bargaining Team - Robert Tellier, Stan Buday, Dean Corda, and Eva Henshaw with Denise Doherty (PIPSC negotiator) - met with Treasury Board to exchange proposals for the renewal of the collective agreement, which expired December 21, 2018. The CS Group and Treasury Board have reviewed the various demands, underscoring the most significant issues in this round. Your CS Bargaining Team submitted a number of demands, building on the improvements that we achieved in the previous round. We stressed to the Treasury Board that pay parity with CSs from the Canadian Revenue Agency is a high priority and requested that we start bargaining pay at the very beginning of the round. The employer’s objectives for the round are to reduce pay administration rules, a fair economic increase for employees as well as in the interest of Canadian Tax Payers and finally to preserve the employer’s right to manage.
We also made a strong statement to the employer regarding the continued use of contractors. Our Contracting Out Officer reported on the Contracting Out Action Plan (COAP), which the Group developed soon after the signing of the collective agreement. The Contracting Out Action Team reviews and challenges tenders then subsequently decides whether a tender complies with our new language on contracting out so that a grievance can be filed, if necessary. Responses to our challenges on the use of contractors have clearly indicated a retention and recruitment crisis across the federal public service, a lack of training and the mindset to use outsourcing as a simple solution to the lack of resources and staffing delays.
The CS Proposals will be posted immediately following translation. The Bargaining Team and the National Organizing Committee (NOC) will be providing bargaining updates in the workplace and on the CS YouTube channel in the coming weeks.
In closing, I cannot say it often enough how support for your negotiations team, from each and every one of you, is so important to the success at the bargaining table. During this round, your National CS Executive, the NOC and your regional and local stewards will be calling on you to demonstrate your support. Please understand that no act of support is too small. Everything you do, showing your CS colours, posting articles or pictures on social media, or participating in a lunch & learn, are an essential part of the Group’s effort to succeed in our negotiations.
Together we can Do Better!
In solidarity,
Proudly CS,
Robert Tellier
CS Group Bargaining Officer
CS Bargaining Status Summary
Survey Members for Bargaining Demands – spring 2018
Finalization of Bargaining Demands – December 2018
Expiry of the Collective Agreement – December 21, 2018
Exchange of Bargaining Demands with Employer – January 10, 2019
- National Organizing Committee Training – February 9, 2019
- National Organizing Committee NOC Events
- Negotiations to Achieve Tentative Agreement
- February 26-28
- April 16-18
- May 28-30
- June/July/August TBD
- Falls/Winter 2019/2020 TBD
- Review Essential Services
- Distribution of Job Action Manuals to Stewards
- Establishment of CS Job Action Committee
- Development of Job Action Plans
- Essential Services Agreement
- Public Interest Commission (PIC)
- PIC Report
- Membership Strike Vote
- Job Actions
- Negotiations to Achieve Tentative Agreement
- Tentative Agreement
- Bargaining Unit Ratification Vote