Union Profile of Public Service Alliance of Canada

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Conclusion
References

Introduction

This is an evaluation essay focusing on the profile of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, which is graded as the largest union in the Canadian Federal Public Sector. According to the definition by PSAC local 555, PSAC is defined as the larger entity of the Public Service Alliance of Canada and is locally interpreted as a Directly Chartered Local (DCL) (Griffith, 2012).

Her membership spans to every province and territory in Canada. Members work in a wide range of embassies and consulates. It was established in 1966 through successful amalgamation of various associations and its members include both the public servants and the private industry workers.

Some of them work as officers in fisheries, immigration, customs, and food inspectors among other professions. They work for the federal government and a large number of them are in the private sector. PSAC’s representation also includes the members of the workers unions in Northern Canada and other municipalities.

In May 2012, Robyn Benson who was the Regional Executive Vice President for PSAC representing Prairie region was elected the National President of the Public Servants Alliance of Canada following the retirement of John Gordon. Their main office location is the city of Ottawa, Ontario in Canada with the modern architecture (PSAC, 2012).

PSAC committee is composed of various sub committees including the committee on equal opportunities, which is the standing committee of the National Board of Directors. In the national committee, there are representatives from the NBoD component and others from the equity group. Members of each equity group elect the PSAC equity representative and gender representation from each group to represent them at the National Conference (Camire & Lumineu, 2008).

The structure of the executive committee and that of the elected executive committee vary. The executive committee consists of one president, two vice-presidents, one recording secretary, one treasurer and two stewards, while the elected executive committee members include one president, two vice presidents, one treasurer, one secretary and two chief stewards (Griffith, 2012).

History

The Public Service Alliance of Canada was formed in 1966 and has had a long history of victories, many of which went to the Supreme Court. They have managed to gain many benefits for public workers, which have also positively spilled over, to private industry workers throughout Canada. These are the highlights of their 46-year history:

1966: The Public Service Alliance of Canada is formed “through the amalgamation of the Civil Service Federation, the Civil Service Association of Canada and 14 national affiliates with a membership of 110,000” (Public Service Alliance of Canada, 2008, p.77).

1968: “First collective agreements are signed under the Public Service Staff Relations Act” (Public Service Alliance of Canada, 2008, p.77).

1971: “The first PSAC strike takes place against Defense Construction Limited” (Public Service Alliance of Canada, 2008, p.77).

1978: “The union successfully fights Bill C-28, an attempt to destroy collective bargaining in the federal public service” (Public Service Alliance of Canada, 2008, p.78).

1984: “The union begins its “Black Paper” campaign that succeeds in bringing federal public sector workers under the health and safety provisions of the Canada Labor Code.” (Public Service Alliance of Canada, 2008, p.78).

1987: “PSAC is the first union in Canada to provide a direct political voice for women as the second national women’s conference sends resolutions directly to the triennial convention. The Supreme Court rules that it is the employer’s responsibility to provide a harassment-free workplace.” (Public Service Alliance of Canada, 2008, p.79).

1991: “PSAC carries out the largest national strike ever conducted by a single union in Canada. The union negotiates major post-strike improvements in federal public service job security affecting contracting-out, privatization and devolution. After a seven-year court battle, the Supreme Court upholds PSAC’s challenge and removes restrictions on political activity by most federal public sector workers except for deputy heads.” (Public Service Alliance of Canada, 2008, p.79).

2005: “PSAC’s 22-year-old pay equity complaint against Canada Post results in a Human Rights Tribunal award of a minimum of $150-million in adjustments and interest. For the first time, the seven PSAC Regional Executive Vice-Presidents are elected by delegates at their respective regional triennial conventions” (Public Service Alliance of Canada, 2008, p.82).

Structure

The Public Service Alliance of Canada is one of the largest unions in Canada and as such has a tall and complex structure. It is organized in two ways with the first being by region with seven regions (Atlantic, Quebec, National Capital Region, Ontario, Prairies, British Columbia, and the North) and the second being the component structure (PSAC, 2010). In addition, they are affiliated on the national level with the Canadian Labor Congress and with Public Services International on the international level (PSAC, 2010).

Locals

At the base of the component, there are locals, which are at the level where members and the union representatives interact. Members go to their locals for advice, education, and voting for proposed contracts and representatives (PSAC, 2010). There is another type of local called a directly chartered local (DCL) which is structured for a specific industry or employer. It bypasses the next level in PSAC’s structure components.

Components

Components gather all locals from the same governmental agency, department or territorial government while having their own elections, conventions and structures (PSAC, 2010). Some component responsibilities include:

“Processing staffing complaints and grievances (up to but not including adjudication)
Assuming responsibility at the workplace level for collective agreements signed by the PSAC covering members within the jurisdiction of the component
Representing its member on matters, such as classification problems and working conditions not already covered in collective agreements”(Public Service Alliance of Canada, 2008, p.10)

Councils

Locals are also linked to regional and area councils. Area councils meanwhile serve as a hub for the sharing of information amongst locals in a community while also promoting and coordinating: “PSAC campaigns, political action, broader union or social justice campaigns and collective bargaining proposals” (Public Service Alliance of Canada, 2008, p.13).

Regional councils bring activists together for leadership and political direction and can send resolutions to the Triennial Convention (Public Service Alliance of Canada, 2008, p.10). Linked to these regional councils are human rights committees and regional women’s committees.

Committees

Human rights committees can be formed by visible minorities, aboriginals, peoples with disabilities and member of the LGBT community as a forum for removing discrimination in the workplaces and society (Public Service Alliance of Canada, 2008). Regional women’s committees, on the other hand are in place to “further address women’s equality issues – systemic discrimination and barriers working women face within and outside their workplaces” (Public Service Alliance of Canada, 2008, p.14).

There are also the Equal opportunities committee and the National Aboriginal, Inuit and Metis Network that provide advice on equity/human rights issues and provide a unified voice for the diverse aboriginal community within the union, respectively.

Conventions

Components and regions have their own conventions where issues are discussed and elections take place but the broader union governance takes place at the Triennial Convention, which is the supreme governing body where elections are held for positions in the National Board of Governors and where policies are, adopted (PSAC, 2010).

National Board of Directors and the Alliance Executive Committee

The national board of directors is composed of the Alliance Executive Committee, which is elected at the Triennial Convention along with the 17 component presidents (PSAC, 2010). They meet three times a year and are responsible for major policy and program changes while the Alliance Executive Committee on its own is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the union such as finances, campaigns, advocacy and mobilization of members (PSAC, 2010).

Representation and Growth

Public Service Alliance of Canada represents more than 172,000 people in every province and territory in Canada and those who work abroad in embassies and consulates. In Northern Canada, the PSAC represents most unionized workers employed by the governments of the Yukon, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. The PSAC’s membership is diverse and growing with majority of its members working for federal government and agencies (crown corporations).

There is also an increase in PSAC members that work for private sector enterprises. PSAC was the sixth largest union in Canada in 2004 and the third largest public sector union (PSAC, 2004). PSAC representations focus on PSAC collective bargaining, grievances, legal services, classification and equal pay, and representation beyond the collective agreement. (PSAC, 2012)

PSAC Collective Bargaining: collective action, collective power (PSAC, 2012)

PSAC has more than 230 bargaining units each with its own collective agreement that deals with its specific working conditions. Bargaining units can be as small as 10 members or as big as 70,000. When a new group of workers unionizes with PSAC, they either form a new bargaining unit, or join an existing one.
PSAC collective agreement outlines member’s rights, responsibilities, and employer’s responsibilities.
PSAC believes collective action creates collective power and representation can be maximized through member’s active participation in union activity such as negotiations, grievances, pay equity or any other union activity. PSAC for you and all members.

Grievances: representing members’ negotiate rights – A grievance is the union’s tool for making sure the employer follows the rules in the collective agreement. The grievance process allows members to raise the issue directly with the employer and the union to gather additional information relating to the grievance. PSAC supports you through the grievance process to protect the rights of all its members.

Legal Services: fighting for justice – PSAC staff lawyers advise and represent members in areas of the law of labor relations, employment, human rights and constitutional rights, freedoms and take on legal challenges to advance Canadian law and to protect the interests of its member’s and of vulnerable groups in society at large.

Classification and Equal Pay: Fairness in the pay cheque – PSAC provides assistance for members in matters of classification and pay equity. PSAC represents members interests when employers are developing classification plans to make sure they are fair and do not discriminate against any members and workers performing work of equal value should be paid an equal wage. In 1999, PSAC fought for and won the largest pay equity award in Canada because of its lawsuit against the federal government.

Representing beyond the collective agreement – PSAC provides representation and technical assistance regarding the interpretation and application of public and private sector pension plans and disability insurance arrangements including the corresponding legislation and regulations.

Bargaining Priorities

The top priorities for collective bargaining settlements have changed over time with changes in socio-economic climate, business practices and increased competition.

The bargaining settlements are more inclined to healthy, hazard-free workplaces, job security, equity and fairness, provisions dealing with contracting out, workplace reorganization, employee participation in decision-making, and the rights of same sex spouses.

However, clauses such as cost-of-living adjustments have become much less popular in the low-inflation climate of recent years. (The daily, 2005).These all represents PSAC bargaining priorities.

PSAC each unit/component has its own bargaining priorities. As most of its members work for the federal government, current priorities of bargaining focus on (PSAC, 2012):

Job security- as there is high cut in federal government jobs and services.
Third choice campaign- to encourage Canadians to ask for something better than being forced to choose between a strong economy (no deficit) and strong public service.
Mental health matter- to address the growing mental health crisis in Canada
Justice for aboriginal peoples- raising awareness about Aboriginal rights, putting pressure on the federal government to do the right thing.
PSAC federal budget fight back- demanding the government to give Canadians a department by department accounting of exactly what services are going to be cut – where, when and how.
Stamp out privatization at Canada Post – PSAC and its component, the Union of Postal Communications Employees (UPCE), are engaged in avoiding the privatization of Canada postal service.
Hands off our pensions- to fight against government decision to recoup the federal deficit on the backs of public service employees.
Save the gun registry- fight Bill C-19- PSAC is concerned that Members of Parliament have agreed to eliminate the federal long-gun registry and to destroy the more than seven million records in the registry by voting for Bill C-19, and calls on the Senators of Canada to refuse to pass Bill C-19
Food safety first- improvement on food safety inspection and enforcement.
Defending quality public services, the government’s disengagement and its move to become more reliant on the private sector threaten the future of our public services. Promoting a fair, equitable, safe and prosperous society respectful of the environment where no one is left out.
Save our farms campaign- to stop the closure of Canada’s prison farms with collaboration with Union of Solicitor General Employees’.
Our fish- to promote the role of the government and public service workers in the sustainable management of fish stocks and aquatic ecosystem in Canada.
As compensation advisors- to address the long-standing classification, training, recruitment, retention, and workplace needs of compensation and benefit advisors that work in the federal government.

Some examples of Current negotiations include Canada Post Corporation, Parks Canada, Canada Revenue Agency, Treasury Board: border service, Treasury Board: technical service, Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation, Canadian Food Inspections Agency, Statistical Survey Operations, Fredericton Airport.

Key Achievements

Since being formed in 1966, PSAC has achieved a lot for its members, the Canadian labor movement, and for workers across Canada.

In 1974, PSAC designed and implemented its Union Development Program, which is an advanced education program that prepares union activists to undertake leadership roles in the union and prepare them to carry out broader labor and social justice actions. This program served as a model for other unions to emulate.

In 1991, PSAC organized the largest national strike conducted by a single union in Canada. The union was able to organize a protest on Parliament Hill, which was attended by tens of thousands of its members while picket lines were established throughout Canada. Eventually, PSAC was able to negotiate improvements in job security affecting privatization, devolution and contracting-out.

Also in 1991, the Supreme Court upheld a challenge by PSAC and removed restrictions preventing most federal public service workers, with exception to deputy heads, from engaging in political activity.

Some of PSAC’s key achievements involve the attention they pay specifically to minorities and their rights. For example, PSAC held the first national conference, Access ’93, for union members with disabilities. In 1995, PSAC held its first Unity conference, which involved racially visible and Aboriginal members.

This conference was very significant as it was the first of its kind in the labor movement. In keeping with this tradition of working to ensure minorities rights are attended to, PSAC established a union presence in the northern territories in 2005 at the annual meeting of the Assembly of First Nations. As a result, one of four workers in the northern territories is a PSAC member. One specific example of what they accomplished was the signing of an agreement with the Dene Nation to explore labor relations affecting Dene workers.

Future

A goal that PSAC is always striving to pursue is social change, wherein they want to help in building a society that is “Just, inclusive, safe, secure, prosperous and sustainable.” In order to achieve this goal, PSAC believes in protecting quality public services while demanding for more and better public services.

This involves working together with other unions and organizations to stop privatization, deregulation and cutbacks. Furthermore, in regards to social change, PSAC is involved in raising awareness for workplace issues. They have campaigns planned to address bullying and harassment as well as a national strategy aimed at addressing mental health issues.

Currently and for the near future, PSAC is and will continue to protest many of the cutbacks undertaken by the Conservative government. The Conservative government has informed thousands of PSAC members who may be affected and could possibly lose their jobs. This is obviously a major concern for PSAC right now and moving forward.

PSAC is worried for its members as well as all Canadians who rely on public services. PSAC, therefore, will be working to inform Canadians how they could be affected by cutback. PSAC has outlined the many areas which could be affected and those include, food inspection, Old Age Security, promotion of First Nations and Inuit health, environmental protection, preservation of historic sites, search and rescue, veteran assistance, support for the troops, border security and transportation safety.

These areas outlined by PSAC affect a wide range of Canadians. PSAC wants to remind Canadians that public service workers include their family members, friends, neighbors and customers and emphasize that proposed job cuts are bad for the economy and wellbeing of the nation.

Other goals that PSAC will continue to pursue will be to continually engage PSAC members in different campaigning initiatives. In addition, they will continue to lobby government and support the election of politicians who will support their goals such as protecting public service pensions and implementing universal childcare.

Conclusion

The good structure and visionary leadership of the Public Service Alliance of Canada is the one that has made the union succeed in its undertakings. Its 46-years’ history and the adequate documentation of the major successes encourage the growth of the union in terms of the membership. PSAC has its projected plans based on its past key achievements. The union is growing faster with its membership spilling out to include the private sector workers.

Their victory in various undertakings gives them an edge over other unions in Canada. PSAC recognizes the minority rejected groups in the society for example the women, disabled people and the aboriginals. They agitate for their rights and have a special representation in the national committee.

From the profile above, the writer concludes that for any organization to achieve its aims effectively there has to be clear set goals for the future, functional structures and leadership, policies and conventions, documentation of the key achievements and the setting out of the priorities.

References

Camire, L., & Lumineu. I. (2008). Public service alliance of Canada officers’ handbook. Ottawa: Ontario.

Griffith, D. (2012). PSAC local 555 by-laws. The University of Ontario Institute of Technology: Ontario.

Public Service Alliance of Canada, (2012). PSAC. Ottawa: Ontario.

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