What Tony Clement Won't Tell You: C-4 Will Give the Government the Power to Dictate the Outcome of Negotiations

The government will essentially be able to dictate, or at the very least influence greatly, the outcome of the next round of collective bargaining.

Wonder how the government's omnibus budget Bill C-4 will really affect federal employees?
After a careful review of Bill C-4, the omnibus Budget Implementation Bill, the Association of Justice Counsel (AJC) discovered many surprises that jump off the page.

Today, the AJC publishes another 'vignettes' capturing some of those surprises we found (or, if you will, traps set up by the Harper Government to weaken federal workers and gut public sector unions).

C-4  Will Give the Government the Power to Dictate the Outcome of Negotiations

If passed, Bill C-4 will significantly alter the binding arbitration process.  Under the new legislation, the Public Service Labour Relations Board (PSLRB) will be required to take into consideration Canada´s fiscal circumstances in relations to the government´s stated budgetary policies.

As a result, through this mechanism, the government will essentially be able to dictate, or at the very least influence greatly, the outcome of the next round of collective bargaining through a budget or policies specifically designed to curb or restrict any form of reasonable settlement with public servants.

In addition, all language relating to maintaining the balance between different groups or the necessity of offering reasonable compensation or working conditions have been gutted from the Public Service Labour Relations Act (PSLRA). This removal will undoubtedly have a 'levelling down effect' with regards to compensation not only between the private and public sector but between different groups amongst the public service.

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If you're an AJC member who opposes these attacks on democratic rights contained in Bill C-4, please forward this letter to your local MP and please cc: admin@ajc-ajj.com

And if you're a concerned Canadian who believes in protecting your rights (once they are done with the employees of the public sector, you, as a private sector employee, will be the next target), you can also forward this letter to your local MP.

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