News

Call for Expression of Interest #1: Data Collection – Government Relations – Advocacy Training and Campaign – Member engagement and communication Theme: Impacts of Return-to-Office (RTO) on equity groups within the federal government

Call for Expression of Interest #2 - Information and Debate Session – Education Campaign Theme: Defence Fund/Collective Bargaining

Thank you to all those who applied to be considered as one of four members to join CAPE president, Greg Phillips, for next week’s lobby day being organized by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

In our most recent update, we informed you that mediation was still underway before going to arbitration. On February 7 and 8, your TR bargaining team will participate in a mediation session with the Treasury Board, under the supervision of the mediator appointed by the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board.

Any return to office policy must “consider the nature of each department’s work and the services they provide to Canadians.” Those are Treasury Board President Mona Fortier’s own words, and we urge her to heed them. Not only at a time when the triple threat of influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus filling up emergency rooms across the country, but when – thanks to this policy and seven years of unacceptable Phoenix pay problems – employee morale is at an all-time low.

Interpreters’ auditory health and safety was front and centre in a recent meeting between the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE) and the Honourable Michèle Audette, Senator.

As you will recall, after declaring an impasse at the TR table in June, CAPE felt that before submitting the application for arbitration, it would be appropriate to give the parties one last chance in a mediation process. The Employer and the Association, therefore, made a joint application to the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board, which was approved by the Board.

We wanted to send a quick update before the holidays. The parties are moving forward with arbitration and CAPE has named someone to be a member of the arbitration board. The Employer has also appointed someone. The two nominees will now work together to appoint a third person to form the board. All three nominees will then hear arguments from both side and deliver a binding decision.

Interpreters’ health and safety was once again the focus of a recent meeting between the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE) and three Bloc Québécois members of Parliament.