In a significant development this week, five USJE delegates to the PSAC’s National Bargaining Conference were chosen as members of bargaining teams for the PA, SV and EB groups. This represents the first time in the past fifteen years that USJE has had so many members on PSAC bargaining teams.
Entering the National Bargaining Conference, USJE’s primary goal was to achieve appropriate and meaningful representation for members on each of the four Treasury Board bargaining units (PA, SV, EB, and TC). Over the course of the three-day conference, USJE delegates, along with Regional Vice Presidents worked closely with National Vice-President, David Neufeld, and National President Stan Stapleton to meet USJE’s goal.
In the end, USJE members Dawn Staruiala (RCMP, Regina) and Roger Duffy (CSC, Newfoundland Community Parole) were selected for the PA table, while Nestor Galarnyk (CSC, Stony Mountain, Winnipeg) and Laurie Ann Wesselby (CSC, Westmorland PEN, New Brunswick) became part of the SV negotiating team. Arliss Chute-Ibsen (CSC, Bowden PEN, Alberta) completed USJE’s group of negotiating team members when she was selected for the EB Group. Despite these successes, USJE delegates did not manage to secure a spot on the TC bargaining team, however in future years when our representation in the TC group will increase (due to welcoming our CM members in the future) we might more reasonably expect to be represented in this bargaining team as well.
Another remarkable achievement this week is that Dawn Staruiala became the first public service employee of the RCMP to be part of a PSAC bargaining team. This signifies a new level of representation for USJE’s 5,000 RCMP members and for the approximately 1,000 Civilian Members of the RCMP who will become USJE members in the near future.
USJE National President thanked all delegates for participating saying “USJE is proud of all of our delegates and observers this week. We thank you for your efforts and participation. We have done great work collectively for all USJE members by selecting a strong group of members to participate in these bargaining teams.”
More updates will be available when bargaining begins in earnest later this year.