This is National Public Service Week – a time our employer, the federal government, has set aside to celebrate the importance of the work performed by all federal public service employees. Accordingly, numerous special activities have been organized in the departments and agencies.
In recent years, nobody felt much like celebrating. Between budget cuts and direct attacks on our terms and conditions of employment by the previous government, Public Service Week had degenerated into nothing more than a public relations exercise: a few days of puffing up employee egos by noting their important work, followed by 51 weeks of undermining their contributions to the country.
This year, there is a new government in place – one that has pledged to stop the day-to-day attacks on our work, our terms and conditions of employment and our professionalism.
But not everything is as rosy as it may appear. We are still in the process of collective bargaining on behalf of the EC and TR groups. We did get an excellent piece of news when the Liberal government announced last week that it would be repealing the legislative provisions enacted by the Conservatives that had stacked the deck in Treasury Board’s favour when it came to collective bargaining.
However, the Treasury Board negotiators’ mandate at the bargaining table has not changed yet. Treasury Board is still proposing anemic wage increases. Although it has revised its position on sick leave and short-term disability benefits, the new proposed model does not ensure that employees will not lose wages when they need to take time off from work due to illness. At the TR table, the employer is flatly refusing to discuss several issues: interpreters’ terms and conditions of employment, standby, contracting out and professional integrity.
This is why we are encouraging people to be supporting their bargaining team during public service week. There might be employer-organized events you may want to take part in and CAPE does not discourage you to do so. However, we suggest that you also make your voice heard by participating in union-organized events in your workplace or by sending a message of support to your bargaining teams. Please see the CAPE website for details.
So we need to remain cautious and clear headed. We know that we make an important contribution. We know that our advice to decision-makers supports public policy that affects all Canadians, enabling them to fulfill their full potential. And we know that our translators, interpreters and terminologists work hard every day to promote and safeguard Canada’s linguistic duality within the halls of government.
Take that knowledge with you always, and have a good National Public Service Week. Remember to take pride in the work you do.
Emmanuelle Tremblay
CAPE national president
P.S.: Members who would like to participate in the activities organized by the employer for NPSW are encouraged to do so. Of course, we also urge you to participate in union activities that might be organized in your workplaces.
