CRA bargaining: Public Interest Commission (PIC) releases its recommendations

CRA bargaining: Public Interest Commission (PIC) releases its recommendations

On November 26, 2014 the PSAC received the Public Interest Commission (PIC) recommendations concerning our contract dispute with CRA.  The PIC recommendations are non-binding.  It is intended to guide the parties in negotiations and help provide an avenue for the parties to make progress towards an agreement. 

We are disappointed with some of the PIC’s recommendations, particularly on compensation, severance pay and issues that we have raised such as hours or work, acting assignments, vacation leave, etc.

Comparisons with the PA group

The recommendations state that a majority of the members of the PIC decided on a comparison with the Treasury Board PA group as the means for determining what to recommend. We disagree with this analysis as it ignores the past fifteen years of bargaining history with our employer. We are not part of the Treasury Board PA group. We work for the CRA.

Duration of contract

Having said that, the recommendation does address the issue of duration. The PIC is recommending a three-year agreement, consistent with what our team has been proposing in negotiations. Even though the PIC recommended a three-year agreement, there are no recommendations on an economic increase for the third year.

The PIC did not make recommendations one way or the other with on critical issues that we’ve raised with respect to job security, term employment and protection of our work.  The reason being that the PIC did not have jurisdiction to do so under the Public Service Labour Relations Act. We remain in dispute with the Agency over these matters.

We have always maintained that we are ready to negotiate. Our bargaining team will be meeting with the Agency to discuss the PIC’s recommendations and all other matters outstanding in talks next week in Ottawa, beginning on Tuesday December 2.

We’ll be sure to update as things progress.  For a copy of our submissions to the PIC, and for previous updates, go to:
http://www.ute-sei.org/English/bargaining.cfm

The PIC report is available at:
http://www.ute-sei.org/English/docs/bargaining/PSAC-CRA-PIC-final-report.pdf

In solidarity,

Robert Campbell's signature

National President UTE