OTTAWA - Several days of intensive negotiations have averted a summer strike at national parks across the country as a result of the tentative agreement the Public Service Alliance of Canada has reached with the Parks Canada Agency.
"The negotiation of this first collective agreement with Parks Canada is an important victory for the members of this bargaining unit," says PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President (Atlantic) Tony White. "The Agency had been demanding rollbacks which would have cost our members an average of $1,200. Our members rallied behind the negotiating team and gave us a very strong strike mandate. That mandate allowed us not only to turn back all of the Agency's rollbacks but to achieve some significant breakthroughs for our members."
According to PSAC National Component President Ed Cashman, "we have obtained some significant improvements for term employees including a unique vacation leave provision. Any service a term employee has in consecutive years will be credited as a full year of service for the purpose of calculating vacation leave entitlement. Term employees will also now have be able to earn salary increments."
"In another breakthrough, for the first time in 30 years canal workers will be able to earn overtime on the same basis as other employees when working during the off-season and will receive call-back pay on the same basis as other employees," says Union of Canadian Transportation Employees President Mike Wing.

Highlights of the tentative agreement include the following.
- All classifications will achieve economic increases totaling 8.7% over the life of the agreement, including pay harmonization for a number of groups matching rates negotiated at Treasury Board.
- Regional rates of pay zones for General Labour and Trades (GL) and General Services (GS) employees reduced from seven to two effective August 5, 2000. One zone will include Alberta, B.C. and the North and the second zone will cover all provinces east of Alberta. GL and GS members are also eligible to receive a lump-sum of up to $1,000, minus any benefits as a result of the reduction in zones.
- Improvements in vacation leave, family-related responsibility leave and leave without pay to care for immediate family to match Treasury Board conditions including one new day of personal leave and one day of volunteer leave. Employees who work less than five months will receive the one day of personal leave.
- A commitment from the Agency to market their surplus employees elsewhere in the federal public service if it cannot provide a guarantee of a reasonable job offer.
"We acknowledge and thank the many community representatives, tourism associations and local businesses who expressed their support over the last few months," says White. We're committed to the future of our national parks and historic sites and this new agreement will allow us to continue to do provide the necessary support and service."
The tentative agreement has an expiry date of August 4, 2003 and covers approximately 5,000 Parks Canada employees including park wardens, gate attendants, historical researchers, administrative support staff, trades people, maintenance workers and canal operators.

A tentative agreement was reached this weekend between UCTE/PSAC and the Parks Canada Agency. Details on the agreement will be posted as soon as they become available.
UCTE would like to thanks and congratulate all members of the negotiating team for their hard work and dedication.

On May 15, 2002, negotiations were recommenced for the first collective agreement to cover the new consolidated Parks Canada bargaining unit. After caucusing as a team, the negotiating team met with the employer in face-to-face negotiations, with the assistance of a conciliator from the Public Service Staff Relations Board.
These were the first face-to-face negotiations since talks broke off in January. In the ensuing period, a strike vote was held, the issue of designations was settled and there was an application made for the establishment of a Conciliation Board.
The bargaining team would like to thank the members from across the country who gave them a very strong strike mandate, and who have offered encouragement and support throughout the process. There is no doubt that the strong support provided an incentive for the Agency to come back to the table in order to get a deal.
The negotiating team agreed to come back to the table only after a Conciliation Board was set up for the week of May 21, 2002. If a deal is reached this week, there will be no need to proceed with the Conciliation Board. However, in the event that a deal is not reached, all the arrangements are in place.
Both parties opened the day by explaining they would like to reach a deal this week. The Agency bargaining team explained that they have heard what the Union team had to say about protecting existing entitlements and working conditions. They indicated that they are here to get a deal comparable to the broader public service, which nevertheless recognizes unique aspects of Parks.
The main thrust of work on May 15 involved reaching agreement on approximately 14 articles which had previously been held up by the Agency. These were articles which involved renewal, minor modifications to reflect the status of the Agency as a separate employer, or minor updates to bring the provisions into line with changes at Treasury Board. All in all, the team was encouraged that positive progress was made, but none of the agreements that day could be seen as a breakthrough.
The team expects to work very hard over the next few days, doing everything possible to achieve a deal which reflects the interests of the diverse Parks Canada bargaining unit.

The Ontario Court of Appeals rendered its decision regarding the contract for the GS and GL rates of pay on April 19, 2002. The decision can be found by clicking on the pdf link listed below. Our legal counsel is currently reviewing the decision in order to determine whether or not there are sufficient grounds to appeal. We will keep you apprised of the situation and post any additional information as soon as we receive it.
PSAC vs. NAV Canada

After 14 weeks on the picket line, workers at Saint John Airport have ratified a five-year collective agreement with their Employer.
Negotiations went well into the night, and members received retroactivity and job security language.
"This is a clear victory for our members," said Mike Wing. "They were unwilling to back down from this fight, and they have been rewarded for their efforts."
"We would like to thank all UCTE Locals and other PSAC locals who showed their support during this trying time. Your words of encouragement helped carry the day."

PSAC/UCTE and the Parks Canada Agency have named their representatives to the Conciliation Board.

The union nominee is James Wolfgang, who has previously served on a number of conciliation boards for the PSAC; the employer nominee is Sandra Budd. Phil Chodos has been named as the chairperson. Four days of hearings have been scheduled to take place from May 21st to 24 th . When the hearings have been completed, the Conciliation Board will file its report. Within seven days of the union receiving the report, the members will be in a legal position to take strike action.

The parties have also agreed to return to the bargaining table the week before the Conciliation Board meets in an effort to reach a negotiated settlement. Meetings will take place starting on May 15th.

During the week of April 8 - 12, your negotiating team met with the employer and conciliator. After several days of reformulating and exchanging numerous proposals, we have signed off several articles. Unfortunately, there has been no progress on the issues most important to us: pay equity, job security and rates of pay.
While results have been achieved through a third party conciliator, the negotiating team is disappointed with the lack of progress on these issues. After careful consideration, we have agreed to refer any unresolved issues to binding arbitration.
Binding arbitration means that, after hearing arguments from both parties, an independent third party makes a decision on the issues presented that is final and binding on both the Union and the employer.
Our collective agreement expired nearly two years ago, in June 2000. We believe that arbitration will help us to obtain a fair and comprehensive settlement in a reasonable amount of time.
our position on the issues is strong and we are confident that an arbitrator will see things our way, especially our wages being 9 - 18% behind our Treasury Board counterparts and the employer's regressive approach to our current job security provisions.
The best way to complete a round of bargaining is through a negotiated settlement, one agreeable to both parties. In an effort to limit the number of issues to be referred to arbitration and negotiate as many articles as possible, the team will meet with the employer and the conciliator once more from May 22 - 24.
The negotiating team would like to thank all their members who joined us at the April 11 rally in Ottawa.
In solidarity,
Your negotiating team

At noon, on April 11, 2002, NAV Canada staff congregated in front of the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa in order to protest the lack of movement and bad faith demonstrated by this employer. The rally was a resounding success with members taking time out of their own day to clearly show to the Employer that movement forward is necessary. Members are fed up, as was evident by the various slogans "NAV Canada doesn't pay", "Collective agreements, not Eagle prizes".
The protest took place in front of the Chateau Laurier since this is where NAV's AGM will be taking place this evening.
The following are some pics of attendees.
Stephen Dunsmore, RVP Pacific, Peter Hughes, Finance Office,
UCTE National Office, Sandra deBelle, Membership Services and Kathleen
Charlebois, NCTI-Local 70750, before the rally. Members have been without
a contract for 600 days.

Protesters file in front the Chateau Laurier. Representatives
included members of PIPSC, IBEW, CATCA, UCTE/PSAC.

In the usual order, Gary Pilon (NCTI, Local 70750), Mike
Wing (UCTE), Larry Gagnon (PSAC negotiator)

The NAV Canada bargaining team is in Ottawa this week, meeting with a conciliator with hopes of resolving many outstanding issues. This is the same week that the NAV Canada Board of directors is assembling in Ottawa for their Annual General Meeting to be held on Thursday, April 11, 2002, at the Chateau Laurier.

Christine Collins, Regional Vice-President (Ontario) presents a cheque for $1500 to Lisa Jackson, recipient of the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees scholarship based on scholastic achievement.
Lisa’s father, Ross Jackson is a TI member who works for Transport Canada’s Civil Aviation Branch in Toronto.