Updates

Meetings between the bargaining team and the employer were held on November 7 and 8 in Ottawa. Significant progress was made on a number of issues and the team was able to sign off on a number of items.

The Correctional Service of Canada has announced that it will be moving forward with its plan to cluster food services within its penitentiaries. The rationale for this move is based on apparent cost-savings. The USGE is not convinced that these perceived savings can make up for the negative impact this move will have on the offender population.

As was indicated in a previous web article, included in the current cuts announced as a result of the Conservative Government’s Deficit Reduction Action Plan was an increase in the number of offenders CSC Parole Officers must supervise.

USGE members at the Parole Board of Canada in Edmonton and Kingston recently received affected notices. Due to lack of work or discontinuance of function at their work units, PBC has announced that USGE members working as AS-03 with the Conditional Release Program will be affected: 12 members in Ontario and 8 members in Alberta.

USGE members working for the RCMP have not been spared from the budgetary cuts exercise happening throughout the federal civil service. 149 members have been deemed affected and generic letters to that effect have been sent out.

In an attempt to rein in spiraling HR costs and perceived abuses of sick leave by employees, CSC introduced a National Attendance Management Program (NAMP). USGE has and continues to object to this national program and has cautioned the employer on its implementation.

Unions representing workers in Canadian prisons, at the borders, in the federal justice system, and serving veterans say the federal government has some explaining — and listening — to do when it comes to how cuts are putting public safety at risk.

This flagrant disregard of promises made to maintain transparency and openness with USGE is disturbing, to say the least. CSC senior managers are doing their best to exclude USGE when, in reality, they should be working with us to ensure their staff and our members are treated fairly.

The PSAC has filed a policy grievance against the RCMP, pursuant to Section 220 of the Public Service Labour Relations Act.

Included in the current cuts announced as a result of the Conservative Government’s Deficit Reduction Action Plan was an increase in the number of offenders CSC Parole Officers must supervise. For those members working within the Community, the ratio has been changed to 1-13.