Public Service Modernization Act
UNION MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Record of Decisions
Meeting: 7
Date: February 11, 2005
Attending: Management Side
Monique Boudrias, PSHRMAC (Co-Chairperson)
Richard Burton, PSHRMAC
Hélène Laurendeau, TBS
Richard Tobin, NRCAN
Public Service Commission
Francine Chabot-Plante (for Greg Gauld)
Bargaining Agent Side
Nycole Turmel, PSAC (Co-Chairperson)
José Aggrey, CAPE
Mark Brunell, PSAC
Michèle Demers, PIPSC
Merdon Hosking, ACFO
Sylvain Martel, UCCO-SACC-CSN
Paul Morse, IBEW
Guests
Jill Larose, PSHRMAC
Maureen Stewart, PSC
Dal Hines, PSC
Réal St.-Armand, PSC
Sarah Bélanger, PSAC
Secretaries and Support
Camille Therriault-Power, Co-Secretary, PSHRMAC
Dan Butler, Co-Secretary, Co-Secretary NJC
Michael MacDonald, PSHRMAC
Bob Taylor, PSHRMAC
1. Welcome and Introductions
M. Boudrias as Co-Chairperson welcomed all participants to the seventh meeting of the Public Service Modernization Act Union Management Advisory Committee (UMAC).
José Aggrey (CAPE) and Michèle Demers (PIPSC) were welcomed to the Committee as newly elected presidents of their respective unions.
2. Review of Proposed Agenda
The agenda was approved as provided.
3. Approval of September 22>nd Record of Decisions
The Record of Decisions for the meeting of November 18th was approved.
4. PSMA Update (R. Burton, R. Tobin, J. Larose)
R. Burton discussed the launch of the learning program in the NCR and the regions with respect to the new PSLRA and FAA direct authorities. Most policies and tools are now ready and the CSPS curriculum is in place. Effort turns now to identifying departmental needs and addressing their requirements for funding to supplement internally reallocated resources. This will be particularly important for smaller departments and agencies that may require special assistance in tailoring their business cases. A special working group led by S. Tierney and J. Larose will take the lead in these areas.
Not all departments have yet provided information for the "readiness" assessment but input received to date does suggest that the Agency will be able to declare "that we are ready". Departments have reinforced the message that communications and learning activities are vital. A new interdepartmental Council on Communications and Learning has been established to provide strategic support and to evaluate how learning and communications products are being used and adapted.
M. Boudrias noted that G. Giguère has been nominated to serve as the first Chairperson of the Public Service Staffing Tribunal (PSST), subject to parliamentary approval.
R. Tobin noted that the DM sub-committee on PSLRA/FAA will convene as necessary to deal with follow-up issues respecting the policy products developed by the sub-committee and to discuss readiness issues.
J. Larose noted a presentation made by the PSC on e-resourcing at the most recent meeting of the Staffing and Staffing Recourse working group. Staffing recourse continues to be the major focus of discussions at the group. An HR Planning toolkit is now available on the web site and consultations continue on the development of staffing modules and tools for use by departments. A transition working group is examining the capacity of the HR community and considering training and development programs necessary to build skills in this community. An interactive web site capacity will be available in 3-4 weeks where departments can share best practices and tools.
5. PSEA Appointment Framework (F. Chabot-Plante, D. Hines)
F. Chabot-Plante indicated that work on the PSEA appointment framework is reaching the stage where final approval of the Commission is to be given. She noted, however, that further improvements to the existing product can still be made to reflect ongoing DM sub-committee discussions as well as input from the PSAC. The process is anticipated to be completed by the end of February/early March.
D. Hines provided details of the PSC's roll-out strategy for the PSEA appointment framework, including learning programs in co-operation with the CSPS, competence testing of specialists, distribution of guides and tools, presentations and "get-ready" sessions. Efforts to date have concentrated on contacts through departments, APEX and regional federal councils but the PSC realizes that there is an important need to identify how it can assist bargaining agents as well. Union representatives are asked to let the Commission know how it can best assist them in supporting their efforts to be ready for PSEA implementation.
Co-Chairperson N. Turmel indicated that further discussion will be required on the more specific means of working with unions, including clarification of the possible role of JCTC's. Co-Chairperson M. Boudrias emphasized the requirement to ensure that UMAC is aware of developments in other consultation fora (e.g., PSCAC, JCTC's) so that there can be a coherent communications and outreach strategy for the bargaining agents.
6. PSEA Political Activities (F. Chabot-Plante)
Consultation on the Commission's approach to political activities under the new legislation will move to wider consultations beginning in March. As approved in principle by the Commissioners, PSC intends to emphasize guidelines in preference to highly detailed regulations in addressing the statutory requirements.
7. Bargaining Agent Communications and Outreach Activities (M. MacDonald, B. Taylor)
Based on an informal survey of bargaining agent contacts, M. MacDonald and B. Taylor outlined options for involving bargaining agents in communications and outreach activities designed to support implementation of the PSMA. With an early emphasis on the PSLRA, these options include: (i) PSHRMAC arranged "awareness sessions" in the NCR and the regions for union staff and representatives, (ii) presentations by PSHRMAC representatives at union-sponsored events; (iii) delivery of CSPS "Train the Trainer" sessions to bargaining agent representatives (jointly with employer representatives or separately). PSC officials also indicated that they were prepared to participate in these or other similar sessions to provide support to the union side.
C.Therriault-Power indicated that Agency staff will liaise with bargaining agent representatives to identify needs.
It was noted that CSPS curriculum can be made available to unions who will be welcome to use this material, modified or as is, in their own internal training programs. Departments will be asked to keep their bargaining agents informed of their own activities in order to facilitate union involvement. M. Boudrias and H. Laurendeau asked union members to bring any concerns about developments at the departmental level to their attention. The special needs of smaller bargaining agents with membership concentrated in one or several departments were noted. M. Boudrias suggested that funding support might be available from PSHRMAC to address these needs.
8. PSMA Union-Management Engagement - Where are we? Where are we going?
Co-chairperson N. Turmel posed questions concerning the future of the UMAC as the focus of activities moves increasingly from central agency policy development to operational implementation at the departmental/agency level. Members expressed the view that there continues at this time to be a need for this forum while cautioning that it should only continue to exist while the mandate remains relevant.
M. Brunell identified a need for a consolidated compendium of all policies and tools reviewed to date at UMAC. C. Therriault-Power agreed that a "state of the union" package would be prepared.
At the next meeting, members will review the mandate and a series of questions about the future of UMAC prepared by the co-secretaries (to be distributed in advance)
9. Next Meeting
The next UMAC meeting is targeted for mid-March on a date to be determined.
Dan Butler Camille Therriault-Power
Co-Secretary Co-Secretary