The Government Travel Committee reviews the Government Travel Directive and the Commuting Assistance Directive and hears final level grievances on these authorities, when required by the Executive Committee. The Committee also recommends changes to various rates and premiums on a periodic basis.
Committee Advisor: Jennifer.Purdy@njc-cnm.gc.ca
Quarterly Report to the National Joint Council (September 2019)
Regular activities:
- The Committee has not met since the last Council meeting. Although meetings were indeed scheduled for both June and July to hear grievances, on both occasions the meetings were cancelled given that the grievances were either settled prior to the meeting or the parties requested to place the grievances in abeyance with the intent to settle.
- The Committee welcomed a new Bargaining Agent Side member, Isabelle Petrin, from CAPE.
Cyclical review activities:
- The Committee has continued diligently working on the cyclical review of the Commuting Assistance Directive. Given the limited proposals, the Committee has elected to work secretarially and has successfully reached consensus on a number of issues.
- In July 2019, the Committee received a written response from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) with respect to the criteria for determining whether a benefit is taxable and the Agency’s position regarding whether the commuting assistance allowance is a taxable benefit. The Committee is currently reviewing the response and considering next steps.
- The Committee anticipates meeting its deadline to provide the Executive Committee with a revised Commuting Assistance Directive at the Executive Committee’s November 2019 meeting.
Outstanding item(s):
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Seven (7) grievances:
- Three (3) have been placed in abeyance at the request of the parties with the intent to settle;
- Two (2), one of which is related to the kilometric rate and the other a meal allowance when breakfast is provided, have been scheduled for September 2019;
- One (1), related to Section 4.2 of the Directive – Ships Officers/Ships Crew, has been scheduled for October 2019; and
- One (1), which pertains to workplace change, is at the analysis stage.
Next meeting: December 12, 2019