PSAC Pay Equity

April 29, 2004

New timetable set for PSAC pay equity claim against separate employers

A revised timetable has been established for the PSAC's Statement of Claim on behalf of our current and former members working for a number of separate employers under Part II of the Public Service Staff Relations Act.   The Claim, which dates back to November 2000, has been delayed due to a number of unsuccessful legal challenges by the federal government, seeking to have the case dismissed.   

The revised timetable should now see examinations for Discovery completed by June 30, 2004, a year later than originally planned.   Motions arising as a result of discoveries will need to be filed by September 30 th .   Any requests for a pre-trial conference must be filed no later than November 30th.   All of this must take place before the actual hearing of the case can be scheduled.   Scheduling the hearing is also expected to take considerable time, given the number of employers involved.

The union is also still waiting for a decision by the Canadian Human Rights Comission on our request to hold in abeyance our pay equity complaint in this matter until the Statement of Claim case is heard in court.   This complaint, which was filed in 2002, alleges discrimination by Treasury Board for not extending the pay equity adjustments to the employees of the seven separate employers listed in the Statement of Claim, as well as a number of separate employers under the Canada Labour Code.    The union filed the complaint to ensure that every possible avenue was being explored to achieve pay equity.

We will continue to provide updates on the progress of the case on our web site when there is news to report.

Task Force report on pay equity legislation expected soon

PSAC is as unhappy as our members are with the length of time it has been taking to achieve pay equity.   As we have seen in the past, employers are all too willing to use their resources to fight court battles to delay and deny the process, rather than pay equal pay for work of equal value.

The federal government established a Pay Equity Task Force back in June 2001 to review how the current legislation has worked so far.   With our wealth of experience, the PSAC was an eager participant, filing a submission and participating in round table discussion groups.   The Task Force report was originally expected in March 2003.   That date was extended to June and then to the fall of 2003.

The latest word is that the report has been completed and will be issued sometime in May.   When the report is issued, PSAC will be reviewing it carefully and issuing a public response which will be available on this website.

Pay equity, and how it can be more speedily implemeneted, is also on PSAC's agenda for the next federal election.   The union will be issuing a series of questions that members can and should be asking their candidates.   Look for more information on this website once the election is called.