A ratified contract and rank changes: Public service bi-weekly news roundup

Also: Most members of the Union of Taxation Employees have received their retroactive pay from the strike. Some even got an overpayment.

Published Sep 15, 2023 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 7 minute read

Marc Brière, national president of the Union of Taxation Employees. Photo by John Lappa /Postmedia

From shake-ups in the senior ranks of the public service to contract negotiation updates, here are seven federal public service updates you should know.

• Prime Minister Trudeau announces changes in the senior ranks of the public service

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• Most UTE members have received their retroactive pay

• CFIA members ratify new agreement

• Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat moves from Canadian Heritage to ESDC

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• Federal government and union remain at odds about caps on human rights damages

• Announcement of a new diplomatic appointment

• Bank of Canada workers say inflation isn’t being considered in negotiations

1. Trudeau announces changes in the senior ranks of the public service

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced a slew of changes in the higher ranks of the federal public service this month.

On Sept. 5, the government announced that Chris Forbes, former deputy minister of Environment and Climate Change, would become deputy minister of finance effective Sept. 11. The position became vacant when Michael Sabia left on June 2. Nick Leswick, associate deputy minister of finance, assumed the duties of deputy minister on an interim basis.

Other changes announced included that Sony Perron, president of Shared Services Canada, would become president of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec; Scott Jones, executive vice-president of Shared Services Canada and associate deputy minister of Public Services and Procurement, would become president of Shared Services Canada; and Suzy McDonald, associate deputy minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food would become associate deputy minister of finance. Each of the roles became effective Sept. 11.

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The Prime Minister’s office announced two additional changes on Sept. 12.

Effective Sept. 18, Jean-François Tremblay, who has been deputy minister of Employment and Social Development, will become deputy minister of Environment and Climate Change. Paul Thompson, who has been deputy minister of Public Services and Procurement, will become deputy minister of Employment and Social Development.

2. Most UTE members have received their retroactive pay

Most Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) workers who were involved in a nationwide strike of more than 150,000 public servants earlier this year have received their entitled retroactive pay, according the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE).

In a statement last week, union president Marc Brière said that nearly 96 per cent of UTE members had received payment within 10 cents and that 99.5 per cent of members received “at least as much money as they should have.”

“We are aware that many members are wondering whether they received the correct amounts, and many of you are having difficulty understanding the pay stubs issued by the employer,” Brière said, adding that the agency’s Compensation Client Service Centre (CCSC) has been “inundated with calls” from members about their pay. He said the CRA was asking members to refrain from contacting the centre at this time, unless they had major pay problems.

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Brière said the CCSC was working to identify and rectify discrepancies, with priority given to the most significant discrepancies.

“It is also important to know that it is not only incomplete or insufficient payments that have been made by the CCSC, but also overpayments,” he said. “Until further notice, priority is given to processing incomplete or insufficient payments. After that, overpayments will be processed.”

Brière said it remained unclear when members would receive the $2,500 lump-sum payment outlined in the new collective agreement. He added that Treasury Board employees would not receive their retroactive payments until October.

3. CFIA members ratify new agreement

PSAC members working at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) have voted to ratify a new tentative agreement.

Votes for the new four-year agreement for more than 4,000 members took place from Aug. 23 to Sep. 8. The new agreement will expire on Dec. 31, 2025.

PSAC says the new deal mirrors the Treasury Board agreements reached earlier this year, including compounded wage increases of 12.6 per cent over four years, a $2,500 lump sum payment, new language around remote work outlined in a separate letter of agreement, a review of wash-up and prep-time to address members’ concerns and the replacement of “marriage leave” with a one-time five-day paid vacation leave for all members.

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“PSAC will meet with CFIA representatives soon to sign the new collective agreement,” the union said in a news release.

PSAC said wage increases, adjustments and allowances must be implemented by the government within 180 days of signing, with non-monetary terms to come into effect immediately upon signing.

4. Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat moves from Canadian Heritage to ESDC

The Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat, launched in 2019 with the goal of tackling systemic racism in Canada, is being transferred within the public service from the Department of Canadian Heritage to the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).

An Order in Council transferring the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat to ESDC was approved on the prime minister’s recommendation. The process was initiated on July 26 with the order and, as of Aug. 30, was still underway.

According to the ESDC, no changes to the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat are envisioned.

“The Federal Secretariat will continue to advance its mandate and to work with government organizations and civil society to combat all forms of systemic racism, racial discrimination, and hate in Canada, as well as support Canada in taking a leadership role in this area internationally,” ESDC spokesperson Nathalie Huneault said in an email statement. “As the Government prepares to launch its new Anti-Racism Strategy, the move sets up the Federal Secretariat with a large institutional platform to deliver and drive an ambitious and robust whole-of-government federal approach to combatting systemic racism and racial discrimination.”

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5. Federal government and union remain at odds about caps on human rights damages

The federal government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) are in disagreement about the limits on damages for federal workers who have experienced discrimination in the workplace, as outlined under the Canadian Human Rights Act. While both the union and the government have filed statements about the issue, according to the PSAC release, a hearing date has yet to be confirmed.

Late last year, the union announced it had filed a challenge with the Federal Court of Canada calling for the removal of caps, arguing the current limit of $40,000 was “discriminatory and arbitrary” and violated equality rights guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

“Since 1998, this limit has been capped at $20,000 for pain and suffering; and an additional $20,000 may be awarded where it is found that the employer discriminated in a wilful or reckless manner,” PSAC said in a news release, adding that caps had not been adjusted for inflation since their introduction 25 years ago. “Limiting damages under the CHRA is an added act of discrimination against individuals who have already experienced harm from discriminatory treatment on the part of their employer.”

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In January, the federal government filed a statement of defence, arguing the damage limits were reasonable, did not infringe on the Charter and were part of a range of remedies available to victims of discrimination. The statement asked that the action be dismissed, with costs.

6. Announcement of a new diplomatic appointment

Earlier this week, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly announced a new diplomatic appointment.

In a news release Monday, Global Affairs Canada said Carmen Sorger became Ambassador to Uruguay, replacing Isabelle Valois.

Sorger joined the federal government’s Global Issues Branch in 1996, the Government of Canada website indicates. She initially worked on peace-building and human security, later working as a senior policy officer in the Stabilization and Reconstruction Task Force, a deputy director of the Middle East Relations Division and as a director of the International Assistance Relations Division. Sorger has served as Canada’s representative to the G20 Development Working Group and, most recently, was director of the Caribbean Engagement Division.

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7. Bank of Canada workers say inflation isn’t being considered in negotiations

As contract negotiations continue, Bank of Canada security officers represented by PSAC say inflation isn’t being taken into consideration in discussions about wages.

In a news release issued Sept. 11, PSAC said around 60 security officers had been in bargaining for almost two years, with little movement.

On top of wages, other issues Bank of Canada workers are seeking at the table include better protections against harassment, job security, improvements to staffing and obtaining leave for victims of domestic violence.

“The way our members have been treated by Bank of Canada leadership has been difficult to bear, and it keeps getting worse every day,” PSAC regional executive vice-president Alex Silas said in the news release. “This is especially frustrating for these workers since they are the ones who protect Bank of Canada employees, including the Governor, as well as Canada’s economy day in and day out.”

Silas said the bank had withheld salary increases for the past two years.

“Seeing how workers at Treasury Board, CRA and many other bargaining units across the country have received wages consistent with inflation — why should they be excluded from that?” Silas said.