February 13, 2009
News release
PSAC members ratify new agreement with Parks Canada
Ottawa – Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada working for Parks Canada have voted in favour of a new collective agreement that contain no concessions.
The union achieved some significant breakthroughs with the new agreement, including:
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The establishment of a national rate of pay for members who are in the General Labour and Trades (GL) and General Services (GS) classifications. This was a high priority bargaining demand for the union and the victory concludes a 41-year battle to remove regional rates of pay for trades people in the federal public service.
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The agreement also contain language that requires the government to review the use of contractors and consultants in order to avoid layoffs through strengthened workforce adjustment appendix provisions.
The four-year collective agreement, which expires on August 4, 2011, provides for across-the-board annual wage increases of 2.3 per cent for the first year from 2007 to 2008 and 1.5 per cent for each of the remaining three years.
“It was a long and difficult round of negotiations for our negotiating team and our members – in a less than ideal economic environment,” says PSAC regional executive vice-president for Atlantic Jeannie Baldwin. “But our union members' 18 months of hard work, perseverance and strong solidarity paid off with better working conditions, not just for today's members, but for future generations of Parks workers.”
“A clear majority of our members have voted to accept the tentative agreement,” says PSAC national president John Gordon. “We see this as a vote of confidence for the bargaining team and the union.”
To arrange for media interviews:
Joselito Calugay, PSAC Communications,
613-560-4235 or 613-293-9324 (cell)
09-130209
Date Modified : 2010/07/29
