RE: PROPOSED BARGAINING PROCESS – 2003

During the Presidents’ Conference, you had a copy of the above mentioned document in your kits. Sister Bannon asked that you destroy this document, as we were to make certain changes. This document includes tentative dates that can be changed without notice.

However, we feel that this document may be useful to you in preparing for the bargaining process that is already started. It may enable you to plan your local organization and advise your members in order to attain the bargaining objectives that we will set for ourselves as this bargaining process evolves.

In Solidarity,

Denis Lalancette
2nd National Vice-President

UTE PROPOSED BARGAINING PROCESS

The proposed bargaining process applicable to the Union of Taxation Employees consists of three stages. The first entails preparation and organization by the Union parties concerned, in order to prepare for the meetings with the employer. The second stage involves the entire aspect of meetings with the employer, that is, the bargaining proper. This stage also includes any legal remedies that may be necessary in connection with the progress of negotiations between the parties. The third stage is that of informing members of the agreements reached between the parties and having them vote on them. Dates including in this document is only tentatives dates.

It is also intended that this document shall serve as an agenda for the progress of the 2003 bargaining process. This proposed Bargaining Process has been submitted to the PSAC.

1) PREPARATION

a) Book of demands:

The UTE standing bargaining committee is preparing the book of demands. This book includes the demands, which were not chosen or won during the last round of negotiations. It may also include various specific demands from PSAC (e.g. technical demands on pay administration) or from other tables. The UTE standing committee sent the UTE book of demands to the PSAC national bargaining committee on February 24, 2003 . CEUDA has to conduct the same exercise and, following this, PSAC has to prepare a final book of demands. This PSAC book of demands has to be ready as soon as possible in march .

b) Call for bargaining demands:

PSAC is sending the book of demands to the UTE. The UTE standing bargaining committee will send this book with the instructions for the collection of demands to the union locals to canvass demands based on this book and the demands of the members. We are encouraging union locals to canvass their members to this end. This collection should proceed between April 04 to May 09, 2003 .

c) Preparation of UTE bargaining demands :

The UTE national bargaining committee will meet to choose and prioritize the bargaining demands received from the locals. The commttee should meet from May 20th to 21rd, 2003 .

d) Selection of the UTE bargaining demands:

The UTE national bargaining committee will meet to select the bargaining demands from among all the bargaining demands received from the union locals. These demands will then become the official position of the UTE. The UTE national bargaining committee will also establish the priorities among these demands. The committee will submit the prioritized demands to PSAC within the established deadlines. During this meeting, the members of the UTE national bargaining committee will choose from among themselves the members of the national bargaining team. This meeting should be held from May 22 to May 25, 2003 .

e) Final selection of bargaining demands :

A meeting between the members of the UTE and CEUDA bargaining teams with PSAC officials will be held to determine the final selection of bargaining demands. These demands should become the official demands, which will be submitted to the employer. This meeting with the members of CEUDA and PSAC should be held from July 11 to July 15, 2003 . The committee to coordinate the PSAC/CCRA strike strategy should also be established at this meeting.

2. BARGAINING

a) Notice to bargain :

PSAC will send the official notice to bargain on August 1, which is three months before the expiry of the current collective agreement. On August 5, the PSAC/CCRA bargaining team (members of the UTE and CEUDA national bargaining team, together with the PSAC resource persons (negotiator and researcher)) will meet with the employer’s bargaining team to exchange bargaining demands. They will also determine and confirm the manner agreed upon by the parties for conducting the negotiations, and also confirm the dates.

b) Bargaining periods :

The bargaining teams will embark on intensive bargaining periods beginning with the month of August. Our objective is to have a signed contract before the expiry of the present collective agreement. However, this objective must not condition members’ expectations. All members will from time to time receive information bulletins during these intensive bargaining periods.

c) Strike vote :

A strike vote, together with intensive pressure from the members, is the only leverage available in a bargaining process. Thus, following the anticipated intensive bargaining periods (the first scheduled bargaining sessions), and if the members of the PSAC/CCRA national bargaining team judge it necessary, a strike vote should be called by the National President of the PSAC to support the bargaining process. The union locals will be canvassed to ensure this process is a success.

d) Request for conciliation :

The request for conciliation, too, should be made if the members of the bargaining team judge it appropriate. Although this appears early in the process, the members of the standing bargaining committee believe that such an application must be made since, according to their view, the Staff Relations Board must change its vision of protracted negotiations and adapt to a new philosophy of negotiation.

e) Tentative Agreement:

The best scenario brings us to an tentative agreement. If the members of the PSAC/CCRA bargaining team are of the opinion that the employer’s offers are what the membership wants, and that they would not be able to obtain more even with a strike, the bargaining team will ask that a ratification vote be held to approve the tentative agreement reached by the parties.

3. CONCLUSION

a) Ratification vote :

Voting sessions must be held among all members who wish to express their acceptance or refusal of the tentative agreement. Please refer to the policy developed by UTE on this subject. 

b) Right to strike :

The right to strike is acquired seven days after receipt of a report from the conciliation board or the conciliator. Should we have to resort to such action, the program for 2004 (March or April would be the periods targeted).

Respectfully submitted by,

Denis Lalancette