In May of 2017 our PSAC/UTE Bargaining Team met with the CRA to discuss wage increases for 2014 and 2015, consistent with our collective agreement signed at the end of 2016. Because we were unable to reach an agreement over the two days we therefore proceeded to next step under our contract and the law – to discuss and agree upon an arbitration process.
Our team returns to collective bargaining on March 21, 22 and 23, 2016. We are planning activities to show support for the PSAC/UTE bargaining team.
To strengthen our position at the table and negotiate a fair and reasonable collective agreement, it is imperative that we show the CRA that our team has the support of the membership.
In regards to the message from CRA.
By now, you would have likely seen the message from the Commissioner of the CRA concerning the Memorandum of Settlement with respect to your collective agreement. Once again, the Commissioner has used the CRA email system to disseminate selective information on our bargaining to all employees. This is the second time in the last year that the employer has done this in an attempt to manipulate the bargaining process.
Sisters and Brothers,
You may have received by now or been made aware of a message that was sent by the employer to its Call Centre managers concerning the implementation of the newly negotiated clause 60.01 of the collective agreement that reads as follows:
60.01 Employees working in call centres shall be provided five (5) consecutive minutes not on a call for each hour not interrupted by a regular break or meal period.
Friends,
As you know, our collective agreement expired on October 31 of this year. Our National Bargaining Committee reviewed over 300 demands submitted by locals and pared them down to a comprehensive package that will be presented to the employer the week of January 10. Through the process of preparing the package one thing was crystal clear – this round is about work/life balance.
Further to the Letter of Agreement concluded during the last round of bargaining, the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) have now established the Joint Consultation Committee on the Directive on Virtual Work Arrangements and have agreed to convene its first meeting on Thursday, September 7, 2023. Both parties have decided that the Committee will be comprised of four representatives from UTE and four from CRA.
UTE’s representatives will be as follows:
Addendum:
I have spoken with to the PSAC National President, Brother Chris Aylward, and I am very pleased to report that PSAC and Treasury Board have agreed to continue bargaining talks through the weekend.
Marc Brière
UTE National President
Sisters, Brothers and Friends,
As you are all aware by now, the last round of mediation was not successful. During this entire round of bargaining, there has been no real bargaining effort on the part of the CRA. They have repeatedly come to the table unwilling to move away from their Treasury Board mandate. There has been no true negotiation in regards to the monetary issues that affect us.
Commissioner Treusch,
This is not a letter I ever thought I would have to write but now am forced to, based on the actions of the CRA over the last year and the events of mediation last week. Your recent email to all employees of the CRA, which includes other bargaining units and excluded employees, in which you state what your final offer is, was an insult to the bargaining process.
