On April 29, after two years of negotiations, PSAC reached a tentative agreement with the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) that provides a fair wage increase, the roll-in of Market Allowance into salaries, and improved contract language around family and caregiver leaves including a new article on domestic violence leave. The bargaining team unanimously recommends ratification of the new agreement.
Nearly 2,400 members of PSAC at CSE have been in bargaining since February 2019 and participated in Public Interest Commission hearings after talks broke down last year. In its final report, the PIC supported the union’s position, but the employer was reluctant to move forward on PSAC’s proposals until members mobilized and achieved a successful strike vote. With a strike mandate, members continued to mobilize and organized information pickets, formed strike coordinating committees and undertook strike training—all of which was a first for this local.
“The fact that we’ve been able to achieve this fair contract is the result of member mobilization and the strike vote,” said Alex Silas, Regional Executive Vice-President for PSAC National Capital Region. “In the context of the pandemic, these members undertook incredible efforts to engage co-workers on the issues and find ways of mobilizing and showing support for their bargaining team, both online and at in-person pickets.”
Members of Union of National Defence Employees local 70654 will be invited to participate in online ratification vote sessions and the details of these sessions will be announced shortly. Fuller details of the tentative agreement will be available soon.
“I am so proud of the team for sticking together through this unfamiliar terrain,” said June Winger, UNDE National President. “They have demonstrated what the power of solidarity can accomplish.”
