February 2009

Many of you have been wondering where things stand with respect to your various collective agreements and bargaining with NRC. We had been waiting for the federal budget in order to determine our next moves. I am afraid that we will have to wait a bit longer. Although the budget was tabled on January 27, it did not provide much information. The wage increases that were part of the Employer’s Final Offers in November and that were also in the November Economic Statement, are again found in the new budget.  That is all we know at this time. The government will be introducing legislation; we are told it will be next week. It remains to be seen what else, besides the wage control increases of 2.3%, 1.5%, 1.5% and 1.5% are in this legislation. The nature and scope of the legislation will determine the bargaining course for the next several years. Once the legislation is tabled, we will analyze it and come up with several recommendations that will be presented to the RCEA bargaining committees.

I know that members are frustrated and some have been asking why we did not reach tentative agreements last November. Many point to the agreements reached by the PSAC which contain the same wage increases as mentioned above.  The key difference however, is that while the PSAC was able to negotiate and received significant improvements to their agreements while making no concessions, the RCEA was asked, for its six bargaining units, to accept significant concessions. We did not feel and do not feel at this time, that NRC employees should be virtually the only ones in the public service to be asked to make concessions.

I will update this message as soon as more information is available. As always, I do appreciate receiving your thoughts and comments.

Serge Croteau
President