National Public Service Week

TO:               Executive Council
                     Alternate Vice-Presidents
                     Local Presidents
                     LROs

CC:               Component Presidents
                     Robyn Benson
                     Chris Aylward

Dear Sisters, Dear Brothers:

The National Board of Directors of the PSAC adopted a resolution last week whereby they will be asking all members not to participate in any activities in support or recognition of National Public Service Week (NPSW), which is scheduled for the week of June 10 to June 16, 2012.

The resolution is as follows:

WHEREAS the government of Canada has launched an unprecedented assault on federal public services and public service delivery; and                                                                                            

WHEREAS 12,404 PSAC members have received affected/surplus notices since the 2012 Budget was tabled in Parliament on March 29, 2012; and                                                   

WHEREAS further cuts to both services and public sector employment will occur as other departments issue affected/surplus notices and the Harper government moves its right wing ideological agenda forward;                                                                                                       

BE IT RESOLVED THAT PSAC boycott all involvement in National Public Service Week 2012 and encourage all members to do the same;                                                                           

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT no PSAC membership dues be spent to support National Public Service Week.

During National Public Service Week, federal employers put on a show of appreciation for the work that members perform by offering them a piece of cake or a hamburger, while at the same time the federal government is announcing budget cuts and lay offs at an alarming rate, and telling the Canadian public that federal public service workers are overpaid and enjoy benefits that are too rich. This is an additional slap in the face to federal public workers, and members are being directed by the PSAC not to participate in any NPSW activities, in order to make a statement.

The resolution also states that no membership funds are to be used to fund any joint NPSW activities with the employer.

We are asking UTE members to not participate to send a clear message to the federal government that it is not acceptable to cut jobs and threaten our security; and then continue to offer us a piece of cake as a token of appreciation.

Please stand up for yourselves and your job security.

The PSAC should be communicating this message to the members very soon.

In Solidarity,

Bob Campbell,
National President.