frustration as happiness. Now they are over, I will not dwell unduly on what could
have been done differently; I am sure we all have our theories on the subject.
Hello dear Members, A message from the faithful President of your Local to keep you up-to-date on what’s happening on the winding paths of union-management consultation. Let me be your guide on the twist and turns of these convoluted parleys that your devoted representatives engage in on your behalf. It has cost them a lot of sweat and tears as they put their mental health on the line for the cause day after day – except for weekends and holidays, there are limits to even a martyr’s sacrifice – in the altruistic hope of improving the plight of their TR and EC colleagues. I would like to take the opportunity to once again thank the representatives and stewards who support their Local in its work. Thank you for being there; without you, there would only be me, and although I myself represent an undeniable force of nature (in addition to being quite a handsome gentleman), we need to join together to influence the course of events at the Bureau. Here again is a quick overview of the key issues addressed in union-management consultations. Brace yourselves; this is not for the faint of heart. And if after this ride, you still feel strong enough to learn more about the issues addressed by particular union-management consultation committees, see the minutes of these meetings at http://www.acep-cape.ca/EN/local_900/CCPS_UMCC_e.htm. Update on CAPE activities Pensions CAPE has created a committee to mobilize members in anticipation of a government attack on the Public Service Pension Plan. I will not go into further detail here, as the latest information is available on the CAPE Web site. Update on the Translation Bureau Conflict of interest Due to pressure from the Local and the results of its own analysis of the situation, the Bureau has taken over the management of declaration of conflict of interest forms. The Bureau now aims to reduce the processing time – which previously could exceed a year – 30 to 40 days during the next fiscal year. In our discussions with the Bureau’s Labour Relations, we have obtained the following important clarification: submission of the confidential report (the form used to report possible conflicts of interest) does not relieve employees of their obligations under the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service. In other words, once you have submitted the form, you must wait until the final decision has been made before commencing, if you receive permission, the activity that is the subject of the report. Thus, an employee who has submitted a confidential report with a view to working for another employer on weekends may not begin working before receiving the final decision, failing which the employee is liable to disciplinary action. Performance evaluations There are disparities among units in the way performance evaluations are conducted. A certain amount of customization is not necessarily bad, but it is important to clarify one thing: TR3s HAVE NO AUTHORITY to sign the performance evaluations of their TR colleagues, regardless of level. This authority belongs to TR4s. TR3s only have the authority to make recommendations; again, it is TR4s who finalize and sign the evaluations of TR1s, 2s and 3s. In addition, the Local cautions TR3s against participating in the evaluations of their TR3 colleagues ; evaluations should be conducted by a superior (given that there is no premium or level for team leaders, they cannot be considered as the superiors of their T3 colleagues.).
Compensation Advisors The situation in the Compensation Unit at the Bureau appears to have turned around with the hiring of new advisors to fill the vacancies. The issue of access to the Web application by employees who are not on the government network is still a problem, but we are seeking solutions with management. For example, PWGSC is looking at setting up a key-encrypted system that would give employees Intranet access from anywhere. In any case, if you ever have problems getting answers from your compensation advisor in a reasonable amount of time, contact your representative on the Local executive, who can approach Human Resources to get things moving more quickly. Obviously some less pressing files may be placed at the end of the queue by advisors; however, it would be unacceptable if pressing cases such as retirements or extended leave remained in limbo, and we will do everything we can to help. Remember that, just as it is with your colleagues, courtesy is essential to your relationship with your Compensation Advisor. Should a conflict arise with the person responsible for your file, do not let things fester; contact your manager or your union, who will work to resolve the matter. Internal Communications We are continually urging senior management to improve its communication with employees, both in terms of the transparency of its decisions and of simple technical considerations, like the fact that many employees cannot access their e-mails from PWGSC. In that regard, we succeeded in having the information on the H1N1 pandemic that appeared in The Source copied into Atrium. When management informs us of their major communication initiatives, we remind them not to forget the employees who have no access to the network. The 2008 Public Service Employee Survey showed a need for management to improve the communication of its decisions to its employees, and I believe that management is open to our arguments in this file. The Director responsible for internal communications gives serious consideration to all our recommendations. Ergonomics Despite the pressure we have put on the Bureau for the past several years to increase its efforts to prevent ergonomics-related risks, the file is progressing as fast as a turtle that dozed off in a puddle of glue, that is to say: not at all. Bureau senior management has clearly stated that even if it is prepared to discuss the problem with us, it thinks it is already doing more than anywhere else in government and will not implement any new projects that might have a financial impact impact on budgets as long as it does not receive funds or directives from the Department. The prevention of the most common ergonomic problems in the Bureau requires the purchase of equipment and the services of ergonomics specialists, which is equivalent to saying that there is little hope that things will improve any time soon. We have therefore taken the battle to the Department, hoping to find it a bit more forward-looking. At this level, things seem to be moving. The National Health and Safety Policy Committee has indicated that ergonomics is one of its priorities, but again, I do not want to create false hopes. The establishment of a prevent program for ergonomics-related risks has been mandatory under the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations since November 29, 2007, and the Department is just beginning to work on it. So we can expect it will be a year or two before tangible results appear. Until our efforts are successful and the Bureau understands that with ergonomics, prevention is better than cure, the only way to have an ergonomic evaluation by an expert and to acquire equipment adapted to your needs is to obtain a referral from a doctor. I urge you not to hesitate to consult a doctor if you experience musculoskeletal problems at work. And if you do, do not forget to have your manager complete a Form 874 (Hazardous Occurrence Investigation Report). This form is used in the compilation of statistics on workplace accidents, and also gives us ammunition the next time we are told it is not really a widespread problem.
Training On the subject of training, we are working to prepare our special consultation with senior management on this subject, which should take place this spring. We will keep you posted on the results. In the meantime, I encourage you not to wait until your manager asks for your training plan to take stock of your training needs. Be prepared, discuss it with your supervisor, examine what the Training and Evaluation Service, universities and others are offering and be on the lookout for possible opportunities through your departmental clients. It would seem that currently the best way for employees to obtain what they really need is to get together with others in their units. Some units even have training committees that have yielded positive results. The key to success is to customize your search; don’t hesitate to be creative. ECs We continue to advocate the recognition and full use of ECs in all sectors. We stress the fact that ECs do not want to be limited to the mind-numbing task of managing the translation memory. In this regard, future automation of test alignment seems quite promising, and we will continue to monitor the situation. Terminology Standardization Directorate Diversification of tasks We are working with management to have it give more variety to terminologists, using staffing through competitions as often as possible and increasing the chance of career advancement or lateral transfer. We are also interested in how management sees the future for terminologists, and how it promotes terminology services and ensures that terminologists do not feel abandoned by the Bureau. Termium VI We have spoken with management about the impact of Termium VI on the work of terminologists, in terms of productivity, workflow and ergonomics. We continue to work with management to find the best way to use this new tool. Professional Services Olympic Games Oh, what turmoil the Olympics have caused. Ultimately, I believe that the Olympics have created as much frustration as happiness. Now they are over, I will not dwell unduly on what could have been done differently; I am sure we all have our theories on the subject. I will mention however that, although many of the decisions were not entirely transparent and caused problems for TRs who had the misfortune of volunteering at the beginning of the project, management has been impeccable in its consultations with the union from the beginning of negotiations with VANOC up to the project’s completion. Although it was limited in what it could do by management’s power to allocate its human resources where needed, the Local did its best so that the numerous changes in the conditions of work were as advantageous as possible for the TRs involved, including those taking part in the project and those who remained in their units. Now, all we have to do is draw the lessons from this project, until the Olympic Games in Quebec City...
English Translation Since management claimed that the difficulties are the same for English translation as for French translation, we met with them to give our reason why the two situations should be handled separately. We stressed that the recommendations of the latest English Translation Report (2007) could be easily implemented and we presented some new ideas. Management showed some openness and took the matter under advisement. Interpretation and Parliamentary Translation Directorate Interpreter preparation days We told management that the interpreters’ monthly preparation day did not exactly correspond to reality anymore, given the proliferation of documents to peruse prior to assignments and the increased workload. A joint working group was formed to study the issue and seek solutions. Telework We have closely monitored the situation of nine employees teleworking under a joint pilot project of the Bureau and the House, and we approached management when it became clear that, because of a lack of coordination, teleworkers were left to their own devices to deal with various levels of authority and received conflicting information from different sources. The situation has improved significantly since then., although there is still some confusion about the responsibilities of the various levels of authority. Conclusion What, you’re still there after all these pages? Admit it, you jumped right to the end, you rascals! Oh well, fine, since you were in such a hurry to see how my message would end, here it is: They lived happily ever after and had many consultations. The end. Marc Vallée President
P.S. Things not going well at work? Need help, a sympathetic ear or a shoulder to cry on? So write to Dear Abby. Once she has comforted you as only she can, contact your representative on the union Local to discuss what your union can do for you! You’ll find our contact information at: http://www.acepcape.ca/EN/local_900/Membership_e.htm
