November 2008

During the past 2 weeks you have probably heard about the direction the Government has decided to take vis-à-vis public service collective bargaining. On November 18, Treasury Board presented “final wage offers” to all of the core public service.  These “offers” provide for a four year agreement with increases of 2.3 % for 2007-2008, 1.5 % 2008-2009, 1.5 % 2009-1010 and 1.5% 2010-2011.

Late on Monday, November 24, NRC presented the RCEA with its “final offers” for all our bargaining units, even those that have yet to commence bargaining. We were given 2 days to respond.  This was not a surprise as we fully expected that NRC employees would be asked to sacrifice in the same manner as the core public service. Although the wage proposals are the same, we are being asked to agree to significant concessions. In our view, these requests are unreasonable and unacceptable. We know that while many members may be prepared to accept lower wage increases in order to do their part, the requested concessions ask too much of RCEA members. We do not believe that employees in the core public service are being asked to make the same or similar concessions. In fact, you will have all heard of the PSAC settlement which appears to provide significant non-monetary improvements.

We have initiated communications with the President of NRC as well as the President of the Treasury Board. We have requested that NRC return to the bargaining table to further discuss these final offers and to seek agreements that we can all live with. We have not yet had any responses. If either NRC refuses to meet with us or we are unable to reach an acceptable agreement, it is more than likely that we will be impacted by the legislation the government intends to table in Parliament on Thursday November 27.