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To: Executive Council
Alternate RVPs
Local Presidents
August 13, 2007
Re: Elimination of the Visitor Rebate Program and Job Cuts Affecting Members Working at the Summerside Tax Centre
On Monday, September 25, 2006, the government announced the decision to eliminate the Visitor Rebates Program (VRP) without consultation with the affected stakeholders or the union. This decision affects 132 permanent employees and 45 term employees working in both Visitor Rebates and Domestic Rebates at the Summerside Tax Centre and all affected employees have since received their Workforce Adjustment letters. A retention process is currently underway to determine which of the 132 employees will be retained to work in Domestic Rebates and other areas of the Summerside Tax Centre. We anticipate that 100 of the 132 affected employees will receive a job offer as part of the retention exercise. However, 23 term employees will not be recalled in 2007 to work in Visitor Rebates and approximately 20 terms will no longer be required as of June 2007.
Since September 2006, here are some of the actions that have occurred:
- Launch of a letter writing campaign to Basil Stewart, Mayor of Summerside and Joe McGuire, Member of Parliament in the Summerside riding. This letter was posted on the PSAC webpage for members to sign and send to Mr. Stewart and Hon. Joe McGuire.
- Commitment from Mr. Stewart and Hon. McGuire to fight job losses in Summerside.
- Mr. Stewart traveled to Ottawa to meet with the Minister of National Revenue, Carol Skelton, to get a commitment that jobs will not be lost in Summerside and to invite the Minister to meet with employees of the Summerside Tax Centre.
- Minister Skelton starts sending “Letters to the Editors” to all papers on PEI saying that all employees were guaranteed work until 2008 and the union was fear-mongering. Minister never acknowledged that there was an impact to term employees.
- Local President Dawn Hardy was invited to make a presentation in the House of Commons on the elimination of the VRP and the impacts.
- The local political action committee launched a letter writing campaign to ask the Minister when she would be coming to Summerside. She replied “soon”.
- On February 16, 2007, the Minister decided to pay a surprise visit to Summerside and refused to meet with the union. Employees were told that there would be job opportunities for them at the Department of Veterans Affairs and Service Canada and other government departments.
- Minister Skelton spoke to a Summerside politician responsible for Tourism during her visit and offered shocking news that the program will be resurrected, but not under CRA.
- The local union discovers that there are discussions amongst the government that a private company may continue with the Visitor Rebate Program.
- The last budget announces a resurrection of a miniscule version of the Visitor Rebate Program but without details.
The Union of Taxation Employees and especially the Summerside local is appalled and dismayed over the actions of the Minister of Revenue and her lack of respect for the Union representing these affected employees.
We need the Minister of National Revenue to realize that several term employees will be unemployed as a result of this decision. The Minister needs to understand that term employees are our members and deserve consideration as they have no job security protection under the collective agreement. Some of these term employees have worked and provided dedicated service to the Agency for more than 10 years.
As a result, I ask that all members throughout UTE come to the assistance of these affected members by contacting each of their respective Members of Parliament in an effort to speak out against the elimination of the Visitor Rebate Program and the job losses to our members in Summerside. To assist in this task, I have attached a sample letter that you could use or adjust for your own Member of Parliament . You may also obtain a copy from our website at www.ute-sei.org under “For Locals”.
I thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter and ask that you circulate this request as widely as possible. We also ask that you strongly encourage your members to participate in this campaign. However, should you have any questions or require any clarification, please feel free to contact Dawn Hardy, Local President, Summerside or the Chair of the Political Action Committee, Nick Stein.
In Solidarity,
Betty Bannon
National President
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