Author: 00013UTEuser

Save the Date! UTE Local 00013 May 15th Annual General Meeting

This year’s AGM is taking place Thursday May 15th at 5:45pm at the Novotel Hotel at 45 Esplanade. We encourage you to register ASAP. All we need is for you to confirm you’re still with our local, and we’ll sign you up and provide a ticket number.

You can also pick up a ticket in office. Reach out to Thomas McInnis (thomas.mcinnis@00013ute.org), Sebe Pulickunnel (sebe.pulickunnel@00013ute.org), Eli Abraham (eli.abraham@00013ute.org) or Andria Cullen (andria.cullen@00013ute.org) if you’d like to grab one in person, or get more details.

There will be a free buffet dinner and refreshments will be provided throughout.

We will be giving out amazing prizes as well, including cash prizes, gift cards and other amazing items. We’ll have some merch you will be able to grab too.

You’ll hear from executive members and other representatives from UTE. We know that it’s been an overwhelming year for members, and there is some uncertainty amongst everyone. We want to hear from you: your concerns, your feedback and more. It helps us build a stronger local.

As always, we also want to hear from those who are interested in volunteering. We can always use more volunteers; in whatever capacity you’re interested in serving.

Please feel free to share this with colleagues and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

In Solidarity,

UTE Local 00013 Executive

2025 Annual General Meeting

If you are having trouble viewing this announcement, you can view it fully HERE

More cuts at the CRA at the expense of the population

May 1, 2025

View the original here.

Today, May 1, 2025, as the world marks International Workers’ Day, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has once again demonstrated its profound disrespect for its own employees. It was on this highly symbolic day that the CRA informed more than 1,000 of our term members working in Contact Centres across the country that their contracts will not be renewed when they expire on May 16.

This gesture is not only insensitive, but it is also indicative of a lack of respect that seems to be deeply rooted within the Agency. Indeed, on this date last year, the CRA announced that it was not renewing the contracts of approximately 2,000 of our term members working in its Contact Centres, whose contracts expired on May 10, 2024. This year, it is doing it again by laying off dedicated staff en masse, who have never ceased to demonstrate their commitment and ability to serve Canadians in often difficult conditions.

These cuts have serious human and social consequences. Behind each contract that is not renewed is a person, a family, a life situation that is turned upside down. These are parents who have to explain to their children that they don’t know when they will find a job again. These are people who have devoted time and energy to their work, and who are thanked without consideration, without recognition. It’s not just positions that are being eliminated. It is means of subsistence that are being crushed. These are communities that are being weakened.

And the impacts don’t stop there. This decision will also have a direct impact on the quality of the services that the CRA is supposed to provide to the public. Fewer staff in Contact Centres means longer wait times, slower services, and growing frustration among taxpayers and businesses. Those who remain in their positions will have to take on an increased workload in an already extremely high stress climate. Morale is in free fall. The mental health of our members is severely shaken.

We are deeply saddened for the members who are affected by these cuts and for their families. We share their anger, pain and frustration.

The Union of Taxation Employees condemns this decision in the strongest possible terms. We know that this choice is not just the responsibility of the Agency. It is the direct result of pressure from the federal government, which is imposing budget cuts while saying it wants to “optimize” services to the population. This same government that claims to be committed to the public service does not hesitate to sacrifice its own workers on the altar of austerity.

We call on Prime Minister Mark Carney and his newly elected government to immediately stop these cuts, which are direct attacks on public services . Furthermore, in these uncertain economic times, now is definitely not the time to cut jobs!   The work our members do at the CRA is very important and helps maintain the social programs that Canadians can rely on. We demand an end to contempt, an end to the erosion of the workforce, an end to the precariousness of work.

It is high time for the federal government to understand that our members working at the Canada Revenue Agency represent a very important asset and not just an expense item in its budget.

 

In Solidarity,

Marc Brière
National President
Union of Taxation Employees

Canada Revenue Agency: A guide to workforce adjustment protections

source

March 21, 2025

PSAC’s Workforce Adjustment guide for workers at Canada Revenue Agency is an essential resource to help members understand their rights and protections when changes to the workforce, including layoffs, are being contemplated. It is designed to reduce uncertainty, provide clarity, and empower members to make informed decisions.

Recent announcements of federal public service cuts have been triggered by the federal government’s Refocusing Government Spending Initiative which outlines $15 billion in public service cuts over the next four years, and has left thousands of workers uncertain about their future.

Job cuts announced so far include the termination of 600 term workers at the Canada Revenue Agency and the loss of 3,300 jobs at the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

As the CRA moves forward with mandated cuts, PSAC is committed to ensuring members have the resources they need to navigate potential workforce adjustment situations.

The WFA Guide explains the processes that govern workforce adjustment with the Canada Revenue Agency. Whether you are directly affected or want to stay informed, the guide outlines:

• Employer and employee responsibilities under the Workforce Adjustment Appendix.
• Steps to navigate workforce adjustment scenarios, including layoffs, relocations, and alternative delivery initiatives.
• Options available to workers, such as the guarantee of a reasonable job offer, voluntary departure programs, and the alternation process.

Facing workforce adjustment may be one of the most stressful experiences in your career. The WFA Guide equips you with the knowledge to navigate this process while highlighting the protections PSAC has negotiated on your behalf.

If you have questions or need assistance with workforce adjustment, contact your local representative, PSAC regional office, or your component — the Union of Taxation Employees — for support.

Download the guide here.

Happy Holidays From the 00013 UTE Local!

As we reflect on the past year, we are grateful for the dedication and hard work of our members. May this holiday season bring you joy, peace, and prosperity. Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season!

Virtual Work Arrangement Update

source
July 25, 2024

Brothers, Sisters and Friends,

This will serve as an update to the messages from our National President on May 16^th regarding the Commissioner’s arbitrary and unilateral decision to comply with the Treasury Board Direction of an increase to an average of three days per week Requirement of On-site Presence (ROOP).

In the absence of the National President, the 2^nd Vice-President was asked to attend a special meeting of the PSAC National Board of Directors scheduled to discuss the PSAC campaign against the employers’ decisions to impose an increased worksite presence without consultation with the Union. During this meeting, the participants discussed and considered a number of activities aimed at mobilizing members and putting pressure on Treasury Board and other departments and agencies to reverse their decisions. Further information concerning these actions and strategies will be shared once a decision has been made.

In the interim, UTE strongly encourages members who require more flexibility in their existing telework arrangements, more tailored to their needs, to submit a revised/new VWA to their respective supervisor for approval and if denied, to grieve said denial. Your Local union representatives are available to assist you in filing this grievance.

Relatedly, please be advised that as soon as the announcement about the increase in on-site presence was made, we noted that UTE was not included in the Policy Grievance and Unfair Labour Practice complaint with the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board filed by PSAC with respect to its other bargaining units. Accordingly, we immediately requested that the PSAC also file a similar Policy Grievance and Unfair Labour Practice Complaint, which they did on our behalf.

Rest assured that both UTE and the PSAC will continue to aggressively pursue this ill-conceived decision by the various employers and will consider all available avenues of recourse in this matter. We strongly encourage you to participate in the various activities and campaigns when you are called upon to decry this unilateral and unjust decision and to challenge this decision.

In solidarity,

Doug Gaetz
1^st Vice-President, on behalf of

Marc Brière
National President
Union of Taxation Employees

Victory: PSAC secures major improvements to the Public Service Dental Care Plan in arbitration

source
July 4, 2024

In an important victory for federal public service workers, an arbitration panel has ruled in favour of significant improvements to the Public Service Dental Care Plan (PSDCP) following an arbitration hearing on June 14. This binding arbitration award will lead to important changes to the plan, coming into effect January 1, 2025. 

This ruling comes after a long and difficult negotiation process in which Treasury Board has continuously showed unwillingness to negotiate fair and reasonable updates to the plan. PSAC applauds the arbitration panel’s decision that will benefit over 185,000 federal public service workers. 

The significant improvements to the plan include:  

• An increase to the annual maximum for routine and major services from $2,500 to $3,000 as of January 1, 2025 and to $3,250 as of January 1, 2027; 
• An increase to the lifetime orthodontic maximum from $2,500 to $3,000 effective January 1, 2025 and $3,250 as of January 1, 2027; 
• An increase from 50% to 65% coverage for major services such as bridge, implant or dentures; 
• New coverage for tomography, pit and fissure sealants regardless of age, and procedures and assessments related to Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ); 
• Contributions to the plan for those on extended parental leave will be paid by the employer for up to 18 months of leave; 
• More flexible language for exceptions for replacing appliances such as crowns or bridges and on time limits to submit a claim where unavoidable circumstances are at play; 
• New anesthesia coverage for any member or dependent who has a disorder which puts the safety of the patient or dentist at risk; 
• More flexible coverage when there is damage to a tooth that would not usually be covered if the damage is such that it may require major coverage in the future; 
• Coverage for members or their dependents with a congenitally missing tooth until the age of 22. 

The employer made several proposals to the arbitration panel, but few were accepted aside from minor changes that will have minimal impact on plan members.   

Read the full binding arbitration decision for more details.

The dental plan is negotiated for PSAC members employed by the federal government, many of its agencies (including CRA), and other employers.

Stay informed     

Make sure your contact information is up to date, and sign up to receive bargaining updates.    

 

Boycott National Public Service Week

The National Board of Directors of the PSAC has fully endorsed the boycott of activities being put on by the employer while our sisters and brothers are suffering the very dramatic impacts of work force adjustment.

Those of us who are not directly affected by the measures the employer has set in motion, owe it to our sisters and brothers who are directly affected to stand in solidarity with them. Actions of solidarity in the workplace will send a very strong message to our employers that we are not OK with what is happening.

These actions are part of the We Are All Affected. The boycott of NPSW activities in the workplace is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how we feel and fight back against the ongoing attacks on public services and the workers who provide them.

To add fuel to the fire, Treasury Board president Tony Clement announced plans for sweeping changes to the way federal employees earn and use sick leave. This announcement came on the first day of National Public Service Week, with a public declaration that federal employees are abusing the system. Happy NPSW, indeed

If you are having trouble viewing the below document, you can view it fully HERE

Last Call to Register for Thursday May 9th UTE Annual General Meeting!

/!\Arrive early enough to sign in at the registration desk on the 2nd floor in front of the Alsace banquet room. There will be signs on the first floor and 2nd floor to direct you where the AGM is taking place./!\

If you are having trouble viewing this announcement, you can view it fully HERE

Proposal to Amend Regulation 10

Regulation 10 will now state the following:

The Linda Collins Annual Charitable Donation

In honour of former president Linda Collins, an annual payment of $500.00 will be provided to a charity of the locals choosing.