The National Board of Directors of the PSAC has unanimously endorsed a plan to protect our members against new threats to our Collective Agreement rights.
The government is preparing another budget that Finance Minister Flaherty has said will require further “sacrifice” on the part of federal government workers. Legislation recently passed with the support of the Harper Government and now before the Senate would impose extremely intrusive rules on all unions – including PSAC Components and Locals. At least one representative of the Harper Government has spoken openly in recent months about unilaterally opening our collective agreements to remove union security provisions that have existed for over 40 years.
These threats are serious. Our collective agreements, public services, our jobs, our union are all at risk. We must join together and fight back.
The National Board of Directors of the PSAC is putting in motion a new, unprecedented plan to push back these attacks and build our union member by member. PSAC Local leaders are requested to attend a day-long meeting to discuss the plan and to receive special training on how to organize our members to respond to the latest Conservative threats facing PSAC members.
PSAC National will fund every local President (or their designate). Locals with resources are encouraged to fund additional local participants. PSAC Regional Executive Vice-Presidents have committed to fund Regional Council members to attend the meeting held closest to where they live and work. Components are encouraged to fund Component Executive members.
Meetings will generally be held from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. to limit overnight costs and lunch provided on site to allow more flexibility with the agenda.
Meetings will be held in the following locations:
- April 29 – Edmonton
- April 30 – Calgary
- May 8 – Saskatoon
- May 9 – Regina
- May 14 – Winnipeg
The agenda of each meeting will include:
- Opening remarks from the REVP.
- Introductions of Component Presidents and Executive Members.
- A presentation on what is facing PSAC members, including an explanation of the assault on union security.
- A presentation on PSAC’s planned response to both the continuing federal government cuts, and the assault on the Rand Formula.
- A workshop designed to help locals carry out the one-on-one initiative. The workshop will be delivered to the participants in smaller groups. The workshop material will include a local organizing kit that gives locals the tools they need to organize the one-on-one membership contact.
- Membership materials will also be given out at the workshop for locals to bring back to the workplace.