u/ACEP-CAPE

On May 19 and 21, CAPE National held two virtual events for members to ask questions to PSAC and PIPSC negotiators who are currently at the bargaining table and CAPE members who participated in the last round of EC and TR bargaining.

Here's info about them and the recordings.

May 19 - Preparing for Bargaining: Lessons from PSAC & PIPSC Negotiators

Description:

PSAC and PIPSC have already started bargaining their next contract with the Treasury Board. Both the PA and IT groups have prioritized telework and WFA as top proposals in their negotiations. This is your chance to hear directly from them about how the talks are going, what's happening in negotiations right now, and what lessons EC and TR members can draw from their experience as you head into bargaining. Hear from: Rachel Besharah, Negotiator for the PA group (PSAC) and Robert Seguin, Negotiator for the IT group (PIPSC). This panel discussion will focus specifically on RTO, WFA, and how CAPE members should be preparing to fight and win. You’ll learn what to expect and get tips on maximizing leverage.

Recording:

EN: https://zoom.us/rec/share/Cmqr9q30VVyeKUai0oIf1h8HTN6x6FrG2Ri59ylXd1upniyLSifrj56Dn4RzRrSP.wM3MQ8b40JOZLgdP?startTime=1779230111000

Passcode: s961K&Gp

FR: May 19 PSAC PIPSC Education - FR Audio.m4a

May 21 - What Really Happens at the Bargaining Table? Hear from TR & EC Members Who Were There

Description:

What is bargaining actually like? What happened last time? And what should you know as you head into negotiations for a new contract? Join us for a virtual lunch-and-learn featuring members who served directly on the last EC and TR bargaining committees. They’ll share firsthand experiences, key lessons learned, and practical insights into how best to approach this new round of bargaining.

Recording:

EN: https://zoom.us/rec/share/orLG899GZIhZ9TxTUVXIW0fua8H5bBuJM7KkZqSGAywDlIg-p2PiiqTV7JyV1aHE.Emt4vlhYxJiDpz77?startTime=1779378275000

Passcode: Ba+x4@+v

ECs and ESSes,

The EC/ESS collective agreement expires on June 21st. Before it expires, you need to take an important action: Vote on your bargaining priorities and a dispute resolution process from June 10-17.

As you know, CAPE is engaging in Open Bargaining. This means that you drive bargaining forward. And, this is the next *important* step in taking your issues to the table!

In order to vote from June 10-17, you must attend the full EC/ESS Bargaining Committee presentation at one virtual General Meeting to learn about what you’ll be voting on. An optional Q&A session will follow to address questions. You can also find an extensive Q&A at the bottom of this CAPE webpage.

Register now by clicking on your preferred session:

• Thursday, May 28th at 7pmET
• Monday, June 1st at 8pmET
• Tuesday, June 2nd at 12pmET
• Wednesday, June 3rd at 7pmET
• Thursday, June 4th at 12pmET
• Friday, June 5th at 12pmET
• Saturday, June 6th at 4pmET
• Sunday, June 7th at 7pmET
• Monday, June 8th at 8pmET
• Tuesday, June 9th at 12pmET

Accommodations:

If you are not in the Eastern time zone, and the only information sessions you are able to attend fall during your work hours, please email national@acep-cape.ca to request union leave so that you can attend.

If you require childcare, you can request reimbursement according to CAPE’s Family Care Policy by emailing national@acep-cape.ca.

If you are unable to attend one of the ten meetings, please contact CAPE at national@acep-cape.ca before June 5th about alternative means of hearing the bargaining committee recommendations and the meeting.

If you need an accommodation to participate, please email national@acep-cape.ca.

Here’s what you’re voting for on June 10-17:

1. Your Bargaining Priorities

Right now, your Bargaining Committee is working on creating the priority issues and proposals for negotiations. They are using a variety of information sources, including survey results, results of past bargaining rounds from CAPE as well as other unions, and priorities that were shared in the hundreds of conversations between ECs in the past year.

At the series of virtual General Meetings, the Committee will present you with several broad themes, and a tentative bargaining platform designed to address the key issues you have identified. You will be given the opportunity to vote on this platform.

This is the first time EC and ESS members have had the opportunity to directly and democratically set their bargaining priorities, and it won’t be the last. Your vote will be crucial to steer this bargaining round toward what EC and ESS members collectively need.

2. The Dispute Resolution Process

At the same meeting, you will receive critical information about the vote on the dispute resolution process and what happens when there's an impasse at the bargaining table. This is your choice between arbitration and conciliation.

Arbitration means that, in case of an impasse, a third-party arbitrator decides the contract. This decision is typically based on the arbitrator’s reading of norms and patterns on a given issue in the sector. With arbitration, you forfeit your ability to take legal job actions, including work-to-rule actions like walk-ins, slowdowns, refusal of overtime, etc., that could increase pressure on the employer in case of an impasse. The decision of the arbitrator is final, binding, and usually excludes precedent-setting issues (e.g., no decision on telework, usage of AI, etc.).

Conciliation means that, in case of an impasse, a union keeps all options on the table including legal job actions like work-to-rule, slow downs, strike action, etc. With conciliation, arbitration must be agreed to voluntarily by both sides in the case of an impasse, rather than directly referred to arbitration by one side. In conciliation, the final contract is decided by an all-member vote. All issues remain on the table throughout the process, including precedent-setting ones.

This vote is a major moment for EC members. Your choice will determine what you’d like to see at the bargaining table, the path that negotiations take, and, ultimately, which issues can be won in this round of negotiations.