As you will recall, after declaring an impasse at the TR table in June, CAPE felt that before submitting the application for arbitration, it would be appropriate to give the parties one last chance in a mediation process. The Employer and the Association, therefore, made a joint application to the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board, which was approved by the Board.
The first three-day session was held on October 24, 25 and 26, and a second on November 14, 15 and 16. Thereafter, the work continued and continues to this day, always under the guidance of the mediator.
The mediation process is conducted without any prejudicial effect on the parties, which means that if the process fails, only the agreements signed during the process are official. The points still in dispute must then be decided by an arbitrator.
Two major points remain in dispute:
1. The economic agreement is plagued by an inflation rate that considerably erodes your purchasing power.
2. The working conditions of remote simultaneous interpreters, who suffer serious prejudice because of this type of assignment.
We will keep our TR members updated as this process unfolds.
