Bargaining for the Operational Services (SV) group began June 16-17 as the bargaining team exchanged proposals at their first meeting with the employer. The bargaining team received a strong mandate from SV members at the National Bargaining Conference to address key priorities at the table.

The SV team is committed to negotiating a fair deal that improves working conditions for SV members and rejects any concessions from the employer.

• PSAC proposal package
• Employer proposal package

Key issues the SV team raised include:

• Duty to accommodate: Salaries and benefits of members have to be protected, regardless of accommodations. It is a job and financial security issue.
• Fair wages: Many SV members are experiencing a widening wage gap compared to their private-sector counterparts. These market gaps need to be addressed, and we must negotiate compensation in line with that of workers in similar occupations in the same industry. 
• Hours of work: The work week must be shortened to 37.5 hours per week, without any reduction in yearly salary, leave credits or benefits.
• Work life balance: We need flexible work options that allow members to shape their workday to match their personal and family responsibilities. 
• Job security: Contracting out and privatization threaten the jobs of SV members. This creates unnecessary stress and is detrimental to the mental health of workers. We must negotiate job security against contracting out and all forms of precarious employment to ensure that our members have access to good and secure employment.
• Ship’s crew-specific provisions: Ship’s crews are spending weeks and sometimes months at sea. On days when a crew change coincides with a designated paid holiday, both incoming and outgoing crews should be paid double time for all hours worked. We are also asking that all parking costs incurred by employees while performing their duties at sea be reimbursed by the employer.

The SV bargaining team will resume talks with the employer this fall.  

Common Issues

The common issues bargaining team held its first talks June 14-15 and exchanged its proposals package with Treasury Board. PSAC outlined several key areas targeted for improvement, including remote work, work-life balance, parental leave top-up, protections against harassment and contracting out, job security, and workforce adjustment.

The team also underscored the need for measures to address systemic racism in the workplace and to make progress on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call to educate public service workers on the history of Indigenous peoples.

The union will study the government’s proposals in detail over the summer as part of preparations for the next common issues bargaining session in September.

• PSAC proposals package 
• Employer proposals package 

Show your support

Meet your SV bargaining team and learn why they got involved in this round of negotiations. And show support by downloading and using the virtual background for all your work meetings and swap out your social media profile picture:

• Video background
• Social media frame
• Printable poster

Stay tuned for updates

To ensure that you receive all updates, make sure to keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to receive all the latest updates as we negotiate your next contract.