Welcome to the President’s Desk. Here you will find information that may be of interest to members. Pictures, information, and news articles can be found here.
Sending public servants back to the office could create logistical nightmare, warns union boss — Saturday, December 17, 2022
Proposals for public service employees working from home ‘a slap in the face’ says PIPSC — Monday, November 28, 2022
Public service will swell to 409,000 in five years, PBO says — Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Hybrid work model for Canada’s public servants is the way of the future — Friday, November 11, 2022
Ottawa needs thousands of tech workers to serve Canadians properly — Monday, October 31, 2022
Border vaccine rules, mandatory use of ArriveCAN, mask mandates on planes and trains to end on Oct. 1 — Monday, September 26, 2022
Public service unions say federal government’s guidance on hybrid work flawed — Friday, July 29, 2022
Many federal government employees balking at returning to offices — Sunday, August 7, 2022
Salaries of suspended unvaccinated bureaucrats will ‘absolutely not’ be reimbursed, federal minister says — Wednesday, June 15, 2022
The new pay equity act means many women are entitled to pay raises. Here’s how to hold employers accountable — Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Public Service Alliance of Canada scores ‘major victory’ on pandemic-related paid leave — Monday, April 18, 2022
The Liberal-NDP pact could have a big impact on the public service — Wednesday, April 13, 2022
Review is a matter of making government ‘smarter, not smaller,’ Treasury Board president says — Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Public service unions look to federal budget for post-pandemic fixes — Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Should it stay or go? Ottawa weighs the vaccine mandate for the public service — Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Ottawa and unions agree to simplify pay rules for public servants — Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Federal department heads get green light to bring more public servants back to the office — Monday, February 28, 2022
May: Sweeping deputy minister shuffle raises the question: What took so long? — Monday, February 28, 2022
Federal paymasters struggle to rise from Phoenix — Monday, February 28, 2022
Ottawa races to collect Phoenix overpayments ahead of deadline — Monday, February 28, 2022
Federal public service leaves work-from-home decision to departments — Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Budget 2021: Building an Innovation Economy of the Future — Tuesday, April 27, 2021
PM designates March 11 national day of observance for Canadians who died of COVID-19 — Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Fyfe: Don’t forget about transforming the federal public service, Mr. Trudeau — Monday, February 22, 2021
Senior bureaucrats managing problem-plagued Phoenix pay system received nearly $2M in bonuses — Friday, February 5, 2021
PSAC contesting CRA determination that payments of Phoenix damages are taxable — Thursday, January 14, 2021
When will public servants return to the office? That depends — Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Federal public service lays out back-to-work plan — Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety — Friday, June 5, 2020
Non-medical masks and face coverings: Sew and no-sew instructions — Friday, June 5, 2020
Non-medical masks and face coverings: How to put on, remove and clean — Friday, June 5, 2020
Non-medical masks and face coverings: About — Friday, June 5, 2020
Risk mitigation tool for workplaces/businesses operating during the COVID-19 pandemic — Friday, June 5, 2020
Community-based measures to mitigate the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Canada — Friday, June 5, 2020
Information for Government of Canada employees: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) — Friday, June 5, 2020
The National Research Council of Canada and CanSino Biologics Inc. announce collaboration to advance vaccine against COVID-19 — Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Telework wherever and whenever possible, federal public servants told — Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Cole: What Canada’s public service employee survey is really telling us — Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Public service employee survey finds 72 per cent affected by Phoenix pay problems — Wednesday, 15 January 2020
Former federal employees can now request Phoenix compensation — Monday, 2 December 2019
Public service unions relieved to see Liberal minority — Thursday, 7 November 2019
3 companies competing to replace Phoenix named — Thursday, 13 June 2019
PSAC rejects government’s offer on Phoenix — Monday, 3 June 2019
Committee takes on task of measuring mental health in the public service — Monday, 3 June 2019
Contract deal reached with 30K federal public servants — Monday, 3 June 2019
Next Generation Human Resources and Pay — Friday, 17 May 2019
Phoenix pay system cost could total $2.6B before cheaper replacement ready — Thursday, 16 May 2019
Federal public servants, stressed over pay problems, set to rally in Ottawa on third Phoenix anniversary — Wednesday, 27 February 2019
New public service leader on the horizon as Scott Brison departs from cabinet — Wednesday, 20 February 2019
Federal public service gets active with evolving workspaces — Wednesday, 20 February 2019
Government spending up 7.7 per cent in 2018-19; staffing costs hit 18-year high: PBO — Thursday, 14 February 2019
Philpott moves from Indigenous Services to Treasury Board in cabinet shuffle — Monday, 14 January 2019
Phoenix sequel is closer than you think — Friday, 11 January 2019
Scott Brison Resigning From Liberal Cabinet, Won’t Run In 2019 Federal Election — Thursday, 10 January 2019
Government to take ‘entirely different approach’ to replace Phoenix pay system — Thursday, 23 August 2018
Number of government employees fired for misconduct, incompetence sees sharp increase — Tuesday, 17 July 2018
Brison: How we are restoring respect for the public service — Friday, 13 July 2018
Project to build Phoenix Pay was ‘an incomprehensible failure,’ says searing auditor general report — Friday, 1 June 2018
Auditor general Michael Ferguson calls decision to launch Phoenix pay system wrong — Friday, 1 June 2018
PHOENIX UPDATE: NEW FEDERAL PAY CENTRE WHICH PROCESSES PAYCHEQUES FOR 300,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES NOW OPEN — Friday, 11 May 2018
Phoenix pay system glitch shuts down access to pay stubs — Tuesday, 6 March 2018
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, 24 August 2017
Nearly half of public servants paid by Phoenix have reported problems
Ottawa announces new plan to tackle troubled Phoenix payroll system — Thursday, 27 April 2017
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Saturday, 14 April 2017
Senate blocks Liberals’ plan to repeal ‘anti-union’ law – The Globe and Mail
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Monday, 6 February 2017
Système de paye Phénix: 185 000 plaintes en six mois
Union asks for emergency advance over $1.7M in missing union dues — Friday, 3 February 2017
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Friday, 6 January 2017
Region’s jobless rate drops thanks to government hiring
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Tuesday, 27 December 2016
Unions suspend Phoenix court challenge in exchange for inside information on payroll fiasco
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, 22 December 2016
CAPE breaks off contract talks with federal government
PSAC – Tentative agreement reached for PA table; includes important breakthroughs on common issues — Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, 19 December 2016
PSAC keeps sick leave, wins pay hike in tentative deal with federal government
PIPSC reaches tentative deal, staves off sick-leave battle — Monday, 12 December 2016
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, 5 December 2016
Shared Services government email project pushed out to 2018. It was supposed to be finished in 2015.
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Saturday, 19 November 2016
Sweating the details at Shared Services: What it will take to reset it
Phoenix pay queue grows by 200,000 transactions, unknown number of public servants affected — Wednesday, 16 November 2016
Update: PSAC pulls out of bargaining with federal government, calls for mediator — Thursday, 10 November 2016
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Wednesday, 9 November 2016
Sick-leave issue looms large as PSAC, federal government talks enter Day 9
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Tuesday, 8 November 2016
Après une semaine, l’AFPC négocie toujours
Analysis: Ad campaign signals end to Trudeau-public servants love affair — Sunday, 16 October 2016
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Back to the Future: The NRC’s view of how it could save the world
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Tuesday, 13 September 2016
NRC president announced big plans just before sudden departure: documents
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — 2 September 2016
Un syndicat réclame l’embauche de 1500 scientifiques
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Friday, 24 June 2016
Five of the NRC’s coolest inventions
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, 16 June 2016
PS pay system woes: Foote setting up a satellite centre in Gatineau until Phoenix is fixed
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Wednesday, 8 June 2016
‘That’s it, we have had it’: PS union demands new glitchy pay system be shut down
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Tuesday, 7 June 2016
Les syndicats saluent la décision d’abroger C-4
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Tuesday, 7 June 2016
Prime Minister Trudeau shuffles deputy minister positions
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, 26 May 2016
Public service news: Liberals to repeal hated Tory legislation on PS bargaining
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Tuesday, 26 April 2016
Le Canada ne versera jamais de rançon à des terroristes, soutient Trudeau
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Sunday, 24 April 2016
Analysis: Don’t expect Liberals to woo public service with spending
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, 18 April 2016
Despite complaints, government intent on second rollout of new pay system
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Friday, 15 April 2016
PSAC seeks nine-per-cent wage hike over three-year contract
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Thursday, 14 April 2016
Système de paye Phénix: le fédéral «joue à l’autruche», dit l’AFPC
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Saturday, 9 April 2016
Science minister responds after NRC shakeup, but with few details
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Saturday, 9 April 2016
Editorial: Do we still need the National Research Council?
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, 7 April 2016
Conservatives take U-turn, step back from ‘business-first’ NRC
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Thursday, 7 April 2016
L’arrivée du système de paye Phénix inquiète l’AFPC
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Wednesday, 6 April 2016
NRC ‘solutions’ rebranding quietly dropped without explanation
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, 4 April 2016
National Research Council president takes indefinite leave of absence
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, 4 April 2016
National Research Council president on leave, no reason given
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Sunday, 3 April 2016
Wernick ties DMs’ performance pay to workplace well-being
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, 24 March 2016
Brison’s big jobs: Modernize the PS; find $3B in savings
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Wednesday, 16 March 2016
Liberals offer of Tory sick leave plan a ‘missed opportunity: PSAC head
Please note that the following article is only available in French. — Thursday, 11 March 2016
Système de paye: des problèmes mineurs déjà réglés, dit le ministère
Please note that the following article is only available in French. — Thursday, 11 March 2016
Négos à l’AFPC: «beaucoup de vent, peu de changement»
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Friday, 19 February 2016
Shared Services’ other big problem: Data centres
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Friday, 5 February 2016
PS bargaining with Liberal government off to bumpy start
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, 4 February 2016
Sick leave savings are ‘voodoo math’: LeBlanc
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, 1 February 2016
Letter from Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Navdeep Bains.
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Sunday, 31 January 2016
Brison warns public service bargaining must be ‘realistic’
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Saturday, 30 January 2016
Circuit overload: Why Shared Services Canada is struggling
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Letter to the Honourable Scott Brison
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, 25 January 2016
Brison promises unions he’ll quickly repeal sick-leave measures
Treasury Board President Scott Brison has promised federal unions that steps to repeal Tory legislation that gave the government power to unilaterally impose a new sick-leave regime will begin when Parliament resumes this week.
Email Message from Treasury Board of Canada to Federal Unions — Thursday, 21 January 2016
The Honourable Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board has asked me to let you know of the government’s intentions regarding Bills C-4 and C-59 (Division 20), as negotiations recommence in 2016.
The President confirmed that the Government of Canada would not exercise the powers contained in Bill C-59 (Division 20) to unilaterally implement a disability and sick leave management system, and plans to repeal this legislation. The Government of Canada intends to engage in consultations with public sector partners to revisit legislative provisions introduced through Bill C-4.
These actions support the Government’s commitment to bargain in good faith with Canada’s federal public sector unions and our negotiators shall be conveying this message to you or your representatives at our next negotiation session.
Sincerely,
Carl Trottier
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat / Government of Canada
In an unusual move, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed a new Clerk of the Privy Council with a mandate to rebuild Canada’s non-partisan public service and come up with a better process to pick his own permanent replacement as the country’s top bureaucrat. The Prime Minister’s Office issued a terse press release Wednesday announcing [Read More] – The Citizen — Wednesday, 20 January 2016
Single federal email system delayed amidst continued glitches — Friday, 15 January 2016
The government’s effort to rollout a common email system to more than 320,000 federal government workers has encountered another major technical glitch, which could further delay the $400-million project.
The Liberal government’s first round of collective bargaining with 18 unions representing Canada’s public servants begins this week amid hopes by some for a “quick deal.” The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers will be the first at the table this week, but the major unions, representing most public servants, won’t be back in negotiations until late January or early [Read More] – The Citizen — Monday, 4 January 2016
Letter from Minister of Science, Kirsty Duncan — Thursday, 10 December 2016
PSAC welcomes release of Mental Health Joint Task Force report — Wednesday, 2 December 2015
PSAC welcomes release of Mental Health Joint Task Force report
Technical Committee Report to the Steering Committee on Mental Health in the Workplace
Cathie and the new Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat President Scott Brison — Wednesday, 2 December 2015
Letter to Minister Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board – Wednesday, 18 November 2015
Public service about to feel the heat of public scrutiny. — Sunday, 15 November 2015
Scott Brison says government’s brand is Canada, not Trudeau. — Thursday, 12 November 2015
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Saturday, 7 November 2015
La défaite de Harper applaudie par la présidente de l’IPFP.
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Thursday, 5 November 2015
Les syndicats du secteur public veulent «tourner la page».
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Wednesday, 4 November 2015
Scott Brison at Treasury Board must grapple with public service problems
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Sunday, 1 November 2015
Liberals’ stance on sick-leave savings unclear
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Wednesday, 21 October 2015
L’AFPC prête à discuter avec le gouvernement Trudeau
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Tuesday, 20 October 2015
Les syndicats réclament du changement «sans tarder»
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Tuesday, 20 October 2015
PS unions want to return to table with a new Liberal mandate
Union leaders vote early to promote change — Wednesday, 7 October 2015
Left to right: Richard Cashin (FGDCA), Greg McConnell (CFPA), Jason Godin (UCCO), Debi Daviau (PIPSC), Chad Stroud (Unifor 2182), Cathie Fraser (RCEA), Mark Boucher (CMSG), Emmanuelle Tremblay (CAPE), Timothy Hodges (PAFSO), Des Rogers (FGDTLC), Larry Rousseau (VP-PSAC)
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Sunday, 4 October 2015
Heartfield: For the public service, the election issue is respect
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Sunday, 4 October 2015
PS fighting for respect in election, not sick leave
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, 1 October 2015
Court won’t block rollout of new screening process for public service
NDP pledges code of conduct for ministers and staff. — Tuesday, 29 September 2015
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Tuesday, 29 September 2015
Decline of federal inspection system has potential for disaster
Complaint filed at the International Labour Organization — Monday, 14 September 2015
The complaint – which was endorsed by all of the federal bargaining agents in the National Joint Council – was jointly filed by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and Public Services International (PSI) in response to the budget implementation legislation known as Bill C-59.
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Tuesday, 9 September 2015
PS set to fight with Tories
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, 13 August 2015
Sick leave would cause ‘irreparable harm’
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Sunday, 9 August, 2015
Unions seeking injunction to stop sick leave deal during election
On October 19, Your Vote Matters More Than Ever — Wednesday, August 5, 2015
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) has shared their link with the RCEA. — This fall, Canadians – including some 317,000 federal public employees – will vote in Canada’s 42nd federal election. This election is important in many ways, not least because it is different from previous elections.
Conservatives Use Machiavellian Ploy to Pass Anti-labour Bill — Thursday, July 2, 2015
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Unions file Charter challenge on government’s right to determine sick leave deal
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, June 29, 2015
Conservative senators overrule speaker to force vote on controversial union bill
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Friday, June 26, 2015
Don’t blame workers for problems at pay centre, Donald Savoie says
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, June 25, 2015
Pay centre workers lose bid to slow ‘tsunami’ of files
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, June 15, 2015
Public Service Week gets political ahead of election
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, June 8, 2015
Nothing Fair or Reasonable About Conservative’s Actions On Sick Leave
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, June 4, 2015
Federal unions ready to fight 2015 Budget Implementation Act Bill C-59
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, June 3, 2015
Public service unions unite to condemn Bill C-59
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, June 1, 2015
Insidious ‘presenteeism’ costs employers billions
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Friday, May 22, 2015
Gov’t rejected alternative short-term disability plan, union says
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, May 18, 2015
Scientists want contracts to guarantee they won’t be muzzled
Please note that the following video is available in English only. — Friday, May 15, 2015
Member of Parliament Paul Dewar (NDP) shared his link with the public service unions for us to share. Mr. Dewar’s question in the House of Commons Question Period (May 14, 2015) regarding respecting collective bargaining and good-faith negotiations with the public service. The video of the exchange with Minister Clement is online.
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Clement wants sick-leave deal before election
Monday, May 11, 2015
PSAC pulls out of contract talks over contentious budget bill
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, April 30, 2015
Trudeau Vows To Fight Bill C-377, Tories’ ‘Masterpiece Of Anti-Worker Sentiment’
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, April 27, 2015
Union calls on its members to defeat Conservatives in upcoming election
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Friday, April 24, 2015
Budget Office report finds federal civil service sick leave costs almost nothing
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Federal budget: Government poised to impose new PS disability plan
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, April 20, 2015
PS union asks court to block new ‘invasive’ security checks
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, April 20, 2015
Services at breaking point, PS says — Programs strained by impact of five years of cuts and operating freezes
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, April 20, 2015
Clement pledges to not use mental health as “bargaining chip”
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Réunions syndicales: le prêt de locaux approuvé «au cas par cas»
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Le droit de grève des fonctionnaires confirmé par la Cour suprême
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, April 13, 2015
Treasury Board Retreats on Health Union Strike Policy
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, April 9, 2015
What the Finance Minister Forgot to Tell Canadians
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, March 16, 2015
Public Servants face credit checks, fingerprinting in new security screening regime
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Friday, March 13, 2015
Raises for MPs, senators five times the offer to PS
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Thursday, February 19, 2015
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/new-federal-email-system-wont-be-done-until-2016
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Friday, January 30, 2015
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/supreme-court-ruling-could-pave-way-for-federal-union-challenge-on-right-to-strike
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Friday, January 23, 2015
http://ottawacitizen.com/business/local-business/ps-unions-fear-uncertain-economy-will-play-havoc-with-negotiations
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Wednesday, November 20, 2014
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/public-servants-get-new-offer-for-sick-leave-reform
PSAC petition for proposed Treasury Board changes to Public Service sick leave
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Tuesday, November 4, 2014
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/union-claims-sick-leave-reforms-bad-for-health
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Friday, September 12, 2014
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/clement-wants-to-cut-public-servants-sick-days-to-five
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Friday, September 12, 2014
http://www.lapresse.ca/le-droit/politique/fonction-publique/201409/10/01-4799072-cinq-jours-de-maladie-par-annee-pour-les-fonctionnaires-.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_BO2_quebec_canada_178_accueil_POS3
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Tuesday, August 5, 2014
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/public-service-pension-fund-seeing-healthy-growth
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Wednesday, July 16, 2014
http://www.lapresse.ca/le-droit/politique/fonction-publique/201407/16/01-4784273-pas-de-cout-supplementaire-significatif.php
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Wednesday, July 16, 2014
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/civil-servant-sick-leave-costs-minimal-for-taxpayers-report-says-1.2708344
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Friday, July 11, 2014
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/ps-union-files-labour-complaint-over-conservatives-sick-leave-changes
Please note that the following article is available in French only. — Wednesday, July 9, 2014
http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/national/201407/08/01-4782116-negos-en-cours-pour-les-conventions-collectives-des-fonctionnaires-federaux.php
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Wednesday, July 9, 2014
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/snail-mail-new-federal-government-email-system-six-months-behind-schedule
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Wednesday, July 9, 2014
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/unions-rejected-olive-branch-clement
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Tuesday, July 8, 2014
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/treasury-board-president-tony-clement-wants-to-tackle-sick-leave-in-the-public-service
Please note that the following article is available in English only. — Monday, July 7, 2014
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/unions-sit-out-ps-sick-leave-discussions
CAPE (Canadian Association of Professional Employees) has published an article about federal employees and paid sick leave: 9 Myths About Paid Sick Leave. CAPE has shared this information with me and other Bargaining Agents in hopes that we would also share it with our members CAPE has also sent this article to Federal Ministers and Senators. The RCEA and Bargaining Agents hope this will contribute to an open and honest discussion among all Canadians. Over the next few weeks we will post this article.
Myth 1: Sick leave costs the government and Canadian taxpayers close to one billion per year.
In most instances, in the absence of the employee, the employee’s work is not done. The work waits for the employee to return to the work place.
Reality: The sick leave provisions in public service collective agreements serve the purpose of guaranteeing revenue continuity in instances where an employee is unable to report to work for reasons of illness or injury. The typical case of the use of sick leave is when an employee misses one, or two or three consecutive days for reasons of illness. In most instances, in the absence of the employee, the employee’s work is not done. The work waits for the employee to return to the work place. More often than not, the employee does the work by intensifying his or her pace of work or by doing work for no remuneration, for free, at the end of the day or on a week-end. Some instances of sick leave do translate into a cost. But the numbers used by the Conservative government grossly exaggerate the real cost of absences due to illness and injury.
Myth 2: Taxpayers pay for every single day a public service employee is away from work for reasons of illness or injury.
Reality: As explained with Myth no. 1, when a public service employee takes one, or two or three consecutive days away from work due to illness or injury the employee’s work waits for the employee to get back in order to get done. This kind of situation is less true for correctional officers, border officers and other public service employees who work directly with the public or a clientele. However, it is true for the vast majority of public service employees. This type of sick leave absence of short duration is usually sick leave for which no medical certificate is requested by the manager. However, when an absence is for a week or several weeks, or when an employee is forced on long term disability for reasons of illness or injury, then a medical certificate is normally required. These longer absences from the work place are absences that will incur a cost because the sick employee will not be able to make up he lost time when he or she returns to work.
Less than one third of the total average were sick leave days where management required a certificate. The other two third were taken mostly in circumstances where no additional costs were incurred.
What are the Conservative government’s numbers regarding certified and uncertified sick leave absences which would give an indication of what the actual cost of sick leave may be? According to the government’s numbers, the average number of paid sick leave days taken in the federal public service in fiscal year 2011-2012 was 11.5 days. Only 3.8 days on average or less than one third of the total average were sick leave days where management required a certificate. The other 7.7 days where taken mostly in circumstances where no additional cost were incurred as a result of the absence of ill or injured employees. Again, we underscore that the correlation of sick days where no medical certificate was required by management and sick days where there was no actual cost incurred is not perfect. But, it is further indication that the real cost to taxpayers of the current system of sick leave in the public service is only a small fraction of what is being suggested by the Conservative government. It is significantly less than the average of 11.5 days per year.
Myth 3: It is easy to determine the fiscal liability created by sick leave.
Reality: First, it is interesting to note that the notion of fiscal liability for such matters as sick leave was created by the Conservative government. Prior to the 2012-2013 Conservative budget, there was never an attempt to try to measure what kind of “liability” would accrue from public service collective agreements, including their sick leave provisions. Why? Probably because in most matters of the collective agreement, it would be impossible to provide a reliable figure. There is the matter of the reality behind myth number 1. But in addition, public service employees leave the public service with large banks of sick leave credits that they have never taken and will never take. All these sick leave credits cost the employer and taxpayers a total of 0$. They are on paper and are erased with no money going to the employee when he or she leaves the public service.
In other words, only part of earned sick leave is used. And only part of used sick leave has an actual cost.
Myth 4:The government and its public service managers have no control over sick leave and its costs.
Reality: A public service employee accrues sick leave credits if the employee meets the conditions of accrual defined in collective agreements. But the employee can only take sick leave when the employee meets the conditions of taking sick leave, which include “satisfying the employer” that he or she is “unable to perform duties as a result of illness or injury”; and, the employee must satisfy the employer “in such a manner and at such a time as may be determined by the employer…”. Employees do not decide whether they can take sick leave. Managers decide. Or by extension, the government decides.
Employees do not decide whether they can take sick leave. Managers decide.
Now, the government, as part of its plan to strike out sick leave provisions from collective agreements, is proposing to contract out to an insurance company the management of sick leave. Ask yourself: what is the interest of the insurance company? To pay benefits or not to pay benefits? And you only get benefits if the insurance company says you can because it agrees that you are sick. So the employer is looking to get out of its responsibility to manage some types of absences from the work place, while maintaining control over the management of others. And an insurance company will decide whether the person serving you at the counter is sick or not.
Myth 5: Public service employees take more sick leave than employees in the private sector.
Reality: The fallacy of this statement has been demonstrated several times by reliable independent analysis. The PBO has demonstrated that this is untrue:
| The average sick leave of 18.26 days reported by Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) includes time missed due to workplace injuries and unpaid sick leave. The average number of paid sick days taken by public servants in the core public administration (CPA) was reported at 11.52 days per year in 2011-2012. |
A report from Statistics Canada did the same. When comparing apples to apples, when comparing the same kind of workers in the public and private sectors, we find that there is an insignificant difference in the number of days (0.8 days, which mean 6 hours per year) employees are absent from the work place for reasons of illness or injury.
Myth 6: Public service employees are vulnerable under the current system because they don’t have enough accumulated sick leave credits to bridge the period of 13 weeks that they must wait until they can receive benefits under the government’s long term disability plan.
Reality: The 2014 budget gives the impression that the current system is bad for tens if not hundreds of thousands of public service employees. It states that 65% of public service employees, or approximately 150,000 public service employees, do not have enough credits to bridge the waiting period. Whether this figure is accurate or just another myth is irrelevant. The fact is that only 3,193 claims for long term disability where approved in 2012. In 2012, 1,000 claims were rejected and the total of active claims accumulated over the years was less than 12,000 cases.
The question that taxpayers should ask themselves is whether it is good money management to impose something as expensive as a short term disability plan to address the situation of less than 2% of public service employees? Yes we are prepared to believe that more than 65% of public service employees do not have enough sick leave credits to carry them over the waiting period to long term disability benefits. But they don’t need those credits. Less than 2% do.
Myth 7: Service unions protect interests that are not reasonable and fair to taxpayers.
Why a government equates fairness for employees with unfairness for taxpayers?
Reality: It is true that the role of a public service union is to defend its members. Who else will defend them? But only shortsightedness can explain why a government equates fairness for employees with unfairness for taxpayers. The truth is that public service unions have provided the employer with many inexpensive ways of dealing with the problems created by the disjointed system of sick leave/long term disability plan. In fact, and contrary to what was said by Treasury Board President, union representatives worked for months with management representatives and made a series of recommendations that would be less expensive to taxpayers than what the government appears to be planning. However, talks broke down when the government said the only options it will consider will be a short term disability plan managed by a private insurance firm.
Myth 8: The Conservative government knows how to manage.
Reality: Simply on the matter of sick leave, the numbers provided by the Conservative government show that significantly more public service employees have been off work sick under its management. Comparing the period of four years that predates the period the Conservative government has been in power to the period of six years when it has been in power, the average proportion of public service employees who have taken paid sick leave has gone up by 3,7%.
Since the conservative government has been managing the public service starting in fiscal 2006-2007, the increase has been almost 5% when comparing fiscal 2011-2012 to the fiscal year immediately prior the Conservative government in 2005-2006. Expressing this increased number of sick days in number of full time employees, the additional days of sick leave is equal to 0.7% employees off sick, all year round. The public service work place has become a very unhealthy work place for many reasons over the past six years, with its probable negative effects on productivity. And it’s only getting worst.
Myth 9: The Conservative government would never try to mislead you.
| “Look, I think that the great majority of public servants are, when they take time off, they are sick. But there’s no question that the rate of sick leave, when you’re looking at 18.2 days as an average in a year, is well beyond not only private sector norms but other public-sector norms,” Mr. Clement said Monday at a news conference on Parliament Hill. |
Reality: The average sick leave of 18.26 days reported by Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) includes time missed due to workplace injuries and unpaid sick leave. The average number of paid sick days taken by public servants in the core public administration (CPA) was reported at 11.52 days per year in 2011-2012.
Please note that the following article is available in English only. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Tony+Clement+says+target+public+service+pensions/9808739/story.html
Please note that the following article is available in English only. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Public+service+unions+launch+campaign+against+government+myths+sick+leave/9715360/story.html
Memories of Serge Croteau’s Retirement Celebration
Please note that at this time the following is available in English only.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/unions+sign+pledge+oppose+government+sick+leave+changes/9430702/story.ht