News

During her appearance before the House of Commons standing committee on official languages on February 9, the Hon. Judy Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, made some firm commitments regarding the future of the Translation Bureau.

Back in October 2014, the Harper government introduced a new standard on security screening measures aimed at public servants, which included fingerprinting and credit checks. Public service unions, including CAPE, denounced the government’s actions as unacceptably invasive.

Last June, the Inter-Union Youth Caucus hosted a very successful event aimed at making the public service an employer of choice for all new and young employees.

To address the problems of the Phoenix pay system related to the public service benefit plans, Treasury Board has recently put in place temporary changes to the enrollment process.

Several federal public service unions, including CAPE, will intervene before the Supreme Court of Canada on November 10 on a case that will see the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation sitting across the aisle from the B.C. provincial government. The case is expected to have important implications on the right to collective bargaining and freedom of association.

According to the CAPE, the Canadian government’s negative reaction to the recommendations of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages is not only disappointing, it is insulting.

CAPE notes the departure of the Translation Bureau’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Donna Achimov.

Last week, executive members at Local 527 banded together to raise awareness of mental illness in the workplace. In the lobby of 90 Elgin in Ottawa, where many employees of Finance Canada and Treasury Board Secretariat work, this CAPE Local held an information booth to mark Mental Illness Awareness Week.

CAPE welcomes the Canadian government for its desire to adopt measures requiring employers to eliminate systemic obstacles to pay equity in the workplace. However, after dozens of studies pointing to sustainable solutions, it’s unfortunate that the government won’t be making its changes effective until 2018.

As a CAPE member, you have the ability to guide the leaders you elect and provide direction and ideas to make our union stronger. Resolutions are what empower our members at all levels to pave the way forward for our union – to decide to how we run our organization.