On May 13, 2021, PIPSC President Debi Daviau appeared before the Senate Committee on Social Affairs (SOCI) to provide our feedback on how changes to certain provisions of Bill C-30, the Budget Implementation Act, 2021, may help eliminate the barriers that affect equity-seeking groups in the federal public service.

Our overall position is that the proposed changes represent an improvement on the existing Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) by recognizing the impact of biases and barriers on the selection and promotion of candidates from equity-seeking groups.

In late January, we participated in a National Joint Council Employment Equity Committee consultation on this issue, where we outlined a number of our concerns:

• we don’t have a lot of confidence in federal staffing processes
• the delegation of staffing authority to local managers has played a key role in creating the barriers to equity, diversity and inclusion our members encounter today
• the system pits employees against employees
• our members are frustrated about how positions are staffed and how promotions are handed out
• the “right fit” is often used to exclude better qualified candidates
• acting appointments are made and extended without any rationale through non-advertised processes

Decisive and immediate action must be taken to finally create a federal workplace that reflects the people of Canada and their values. The representation of equity-seeking groups in the federal workplace can’t improve in the current context. It’s time to stop putting in band-aid solutions to this critical problem.

We invite you to apply to participate in the WiS Learning Lab if you are woman (cis and trans), Two-Spirit, or non-binary person in a science-based group or classification. We welcome your interest and participation in the Lab! All answers are kept strictly confidential. Please submit your application by June 14, 2021.

Due to the nature of the Learning Lab format and objectives, space is limited. The WiS Virtual Learning Lab Working Group and Planning Committee will select participants based on:

• Interest and passion for supporting and advancing equity in public sector science
• Quality of application (for example, you have a specific micro-project or issue you would like to workshop, develop or address during the Lab)
• Representational goals (for example, region, department, classification, diversity of experiences and identities) 

RCMP civilian members in the Computer Personnel (CP) classifications are rightly concerned about planned delays to receive retro pay. The RCMP is insisting it will take up to 180 days to issue retro pay because that is the timeframe for core public administration members in the CS Group. This position is unjustifiable, as PIPSC never agreed to an extended timeframe for RCMP members.

President Debi Daviau wrote to RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki, urging her to intervene so retroactive payments can be processed as soon as possible, no later than 90 days from the date the collective agreement was signed. Unfortunately the RCMP Commissioner's response falls short on all accounts.

READ COMMISSIONER LUCKI’S REPLY

While RCMP civilian members are not subject to the terms and conditions of the CS collective agreement, the Commissioner is relying on a CS agreement to double the implementation period for retro pay increases, up to 180 days. While we feel this is unreasonable, especially considering that CS public service professionals were paid an additional $500 for this extended implementation period, we have confirmed that we have no legal recourse under the RCMP Act to submit this issue to an independent adjudicator.

While our members will have to wait to receive their well-deserved retro payments, rest assured that once civilian members have been deemed into the public service, they will have the full protection of collective agreements and modern labour laws. We look forward to having access to independent grievance resolution processes to challenge these kinds of abuses and protect the rights of our civilian members.

On May 10, 2021, PIPSC President Debi Daviau appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) to discuss the government’s handling of the pandemic’s impact on its employees.

Tens of thousands of our dedicated PIPSC members have continued to faithfully serve Canadians since the start of the pandemic. Right now a small percentage of them still remain in their regular workplaces to provide critical services, but approximately 90% of our members are currently working from their home offices.

In general terms, we are reasonably satisfied with how the government has handled the crisis’ impact on its employees. There have been issues with individual departments or even local managers misinterpreting or simply ignoring Treasury Board directives, as well as inconsistencies in implementing safety protocols and around working from home. But overall we give the government a passing grade so far.

That said, existing collective agreements need to be modified or tweaked to ensure that public service managers have the ability to be flexible with employees while still respecting our contracts. Leave with pay (Code 699), duty to accommodate and hours of work are examples of issues that need to be reviewed in light of the pandemic.

At this stage our main concerns revolve around adapting to the new work reality and about giving employees the choice to work at home or in an office, whether a satellite location or their regular workplace.

This means ensuring proper employer support for home offices and telework. It also means a big change in the public service work culture. Because of the very serious impact the pandemic has had on mental health and work-life balance, it also means that the employer must develop new tools for ensuring the wellness of public service employees.

It is critical for the Treasury Board and individual departments and agencies to continue to consult and work closely with unions to ensure that all these points are being addressed. The government’s response to the pandemic and its treatment of federal workers has been commendable so far – let’s not change it now.

On May 6, 2021, PIPSC President Debi Daviau and Economist Ryan Campbell testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance (FINA) about the Canada Revenue’s Agency’s (CRA) efforts to fight tax evasion.

The rules must apply to everyone, but unfortunately many wealthy individuals and corporations use their superior resources to look for a shelter or haven where the tax rules don’t apply. While these privileged few get a reduced tax bill, governments lose revenue for public services, resulting in either service cuts or tax hikes for everybody else.

In 2012, sweeping budget cuts were introduced to the CRA. Even with more recent government reinvestments, CRA still doesn’t have all the tools, training and staff it needs to get the job done. 

We need to fix this now. More than ever, Canada needs the tens of billions of dollars in tax revenue, if not more, that are sitting in off-shore tax havens. We need to:

• better enforce existing tax laws
• prevent political interference at the CRA
• better protect whistleblowers
• hire more technical advisors and invest in technology and training
• enhance the capacity of the CRA’s regional offices

A number of policy reforms also need to be undertaken.

Budget 2021 announced initiatives that, when implemented, will take tangible steps in the direction of tax fairness. These include a digital service tax for companies like Netflix and Amazon and the creation of a publicly accessible beneficial ownership registry.

These are both important initiatives long championed by PIPSC members and our allies in civil society. 

But while these changes are welcomed, we still have work to do. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has estimated as much as $25 billion of corporate tax revenue is lost to tax havens every year. We must do more to end the transfer pricing and profit shifting that facilitates this destructive practice. As of now, some incremental steps are being taken, but there are a variety of additional actions that can be put in place. The end result would be a new, simplified view of the global commercial landscape – one in which corporations can be prevented from pitting countries against each other and are taxed fairly everywhere.

Overall, our CRA professionals must receive the training, tools and resources they need to do their jobs. The CRA must receive appropriate funding to ensure tax laws are enforced equitably and that wealthy individuals and powerful corporations are just as accountable as any other Canadian. And there needs to be international cooperation and updates to legislation, so those who try the hardest to avoid taxes end up paying their fair share.

A new PIPSC initiative will help our members navigate the changing workforce and meet their career goals.

This initiative was made possible by generous contributions from Future Skills Centre (FSC), an independent, government-funded organization dedicated to helping Canadians gain the skills they need to thrive in a changing labour market.

PIPSC members are ambitious, responsible professionals who want to stay ahead of changes caused by social, economic and technological forces. According to a recent survey of members, 7 out of 10 want tangible, proactive steps to advance their careers.

With this new PIPSC initiative, members will be able to access evidence-based research and insight on how their careers are changing. It will recommend relevant and accessible training opportunities to keep members ahead of changes in their jobs.

PIPSC will also support members in seeking employer funding and opportunities to advance their career aspirations. 

FSC is always looking for innovative projects that test, prototype and evaluate new approaches to anticipating labour market change and equipping workers with necessary skills through a sector-based lens. The financial contribution from FSC shows confidence in PIPSC’s proposal. 

The PIPSC Board of Directors has approved the initiative and the partnership with FSC.

After delegates voted to continue PIPSC’s 101st Annual General Meeting at a later date, the Board of Directors announced that a second session that will take place on June 5, 2021.

The agenda, resolutions, and list of delegates from the initial session will all remain valid for this second session.

We’ll provide an instructional video on meeting procedures prior to the AGM date. We’ll also invite delegates to an information session on June 2, 2021 to learn about Lumi, the voting software, which will also be an opportunity to test your username and password, and to ask any other questions. New usernames and passwords will be issued to access Lumi.

If there isn’t enough time to complete everything on June 5, the meeting will continue on June 6. Please save the date.

Don’t forget that you can view the agenda, resolutions, director reports, and more on the AGM website, or on the PIPSC AGM app for iOS or Android.

After 3 years of stalling, the Treasury Board has finally come to the table to begin discussing changes to the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP). The plan has not been meaningfully updated since 2006.

In collaboration with other unions and retiree representatives, we have presented our proposal to the employer. Our recommendations, as summarized below, are based on the suggestions you provided over the years as well as from a 2018 member survey. 

• Promotes health & wellness through evidence-based medical care and plan design
  • Increase travel and health practitioner coverage to correspond to typical treatment requirements
  • Introduce Occupational Therapists and Nutritionists
  • Expand the psychologist benefit to cover registered counsellors, social workers, sexologists and psychotherapists
• Provides comprehensive coverage to care for members in difficult life situations
  • Increase hospital and private nursing coverage and introduction of rehabilitation and convalescent care
  • Expand durable product coverage (hearing aids, insulin injectors, CPAP, wheelchairs, etc) and a dedicated repair allowance 
  • Introduce medical cannabis where supported by clinical evidence
  • Add more coverage for various medical products and treatments
• Innovates with digital tools, industry partnerships, new technologies, and preventative care
  • Lower the out-of-pocket maximum for medication
  • Leverage the plan’s size to obtain preferred pricing for certain medical services and products (such as contact lenses and maintenance drugs)
  • Remove the prescription requirement for certain practitioners and physician requirement for acupuncture to encourage proactive, preventative care
• Adopts a long term vision of sustainable, efficient, and affordable health care that delivers top value to current members, retired members, and the Canadian public
  • Expand direct billing to reduce plan member and administrative costs
  • Adopt prescription optimization measures to lower payment to pharmacies without affecting member cost
  • Integrate administrative best practices to greatly reduce administrative and drug costs without compromising member experience

The PSHCP is an employer-sponsored health care plan for current and retired federal public service employees and their families. Every 5 years, this plan is reviewed by the Treasury Board. Benefits for public service workers are not negotiable under the law, so PIPSC and its partners play an active advisory role during this review, bringing forward your suggestions and concerns.

Eric Hortop is a steward and bargaining team member who works to make a positive change in our public service.

After graduating with a Master’s degree in mathematics, Eric took a job with Statistics Canada where he strives to improve public data and research for people in Canada. As a member of the PIPSC RE Group bargaining team, he has been fighting for scientific integrity, gender-inclusive language and other human rights issues that affect him and his colleagues every day. He continues to push this work forward in consultations with the employer.

“There are a lot of great things about being a PIPSC member and working nationally on these projects,” he says. “As a curious person, you get to find out how everything works and fits together in the government, human resources and group executives.”

Eric says he believes PIPSC can change the agenda, and that members can push to successfully put scientific integrity top of mind for Canadians.

“Seeing the Office of the Chief Science Advisor get set up after PIPSC pushed for it was a very proud moment,” he says. “It shows just how much PIPSC can accomplish.”

There is a craft to statistics that many Canadians don’t get to see behind the scenes, but for Eric, this is the most important work to him – providing quality research for our most crucial conversations. Accurate data allows our government to make important decisions about top-of-mind public issues.

“We’re here to make sure the privacy and security of Canadians are protected,” he says. “If you imagine a giant data table with health information about Canadians, no one wants to be that one person who is singled out because of a sensitive health condition. We make sure that Canadians have trusted information while keeping their privacy protected.”

As the saying goes – if it’s important, measure it! Statistics Canada’s mandate is to protect and improve the data so that everyone from researchers to business owners can use it to plan for success. Whether you’re a CEO or an undergrad student, you’re getting the same data.

Specifically, Eric works on statistical infrastructure projects that demonstrate how different programs and spending can impact general health, the environment and education over time. Our public service needs people like Eric who work hard to provide unbiased, quality data that informs our most important decision-making.

“More than ever, Canadians need a neutral source of data, gathered well and consistently and done by a trusted agency to give people the tools they need to understand issues and take part in public conversations,” he says.

Although Eric loves being a part of these complex projects guarding Canadian data quality, he is most proud of his work with new members in the union. Within PIPSC, stewards like Eric ensure a safe and positive work environment so that members across the country have the tools they need to build a stronger, more equitable Canada.

“I enjoy teaching and mentoring to share hard-won knowledge to new recruits, partners and other researchers,” he says. “It gives us a look at how Canadians can thrive and live better.”