TO: Executive Council
       Alternate Regional Vice Presidents
       Local Presidents
       LRO

RE: Collective Bargaining

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

The last two rounds of negotiations with the CRA brought several important improvements to our collective agreement and marked a historic new approach to bargaining. The 2007 round was the first time a tentative agreement was reached prior to the expiry of the previous contract. The same process was used in 2010 to again bring us a timely agreement.  This round of bargaining will definitely take a different route and will be much longer in duration.

“Our Bargaining” means bargaining in the shadow of Treasury Board. As you know, Treasury Board is determined to eliminate severance within the federal public service.  This includes us and management will be tabling a demand on this issue. 

We are facing the same uphill battle as other groups who have fought to negotiate with the Harper Government. We have seen legislation take away our rights, the freezing of the Agency’s budget, cuts to services, the closing of the cash and counters at CRA, and this is just the start with this government. 

We need to become involved and we must mobilize to fight the upcoming cuts and to work on strengthening our collective agreement. We need improved wording in the contract to protect our current jobs, to stop contracting out, to help our term employees and to make our work life secure.

We need you all; the activists that have come forward to speak for the membership and the members to stand up, state they will not take this anymore, and show support for the bargaining team when it is needed.

We have a focussed and determined team that will be working to get the best contract possible for all the membership. We support them totally and wish them only success. The PSAC and UTE will be sending to each Local badge holders and we are asking all members to start wearing them on November 1st to support the bargaining team.

Together we can make things better. It is now time for all of us to stand up and be counted.

In Solidarity

Robert Campbell
National President UTE