PSAC Local # 76503
Bargaining Communique #3
Subject: Enough Stalling – Bring Real Commitment to the Table / A Progressive Workplace Needs a Progressive Collective Agreement
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Where are we at?
Since August 1, the parties have participated in 5 conciliation sessions. Despite the bargaining team efforts, full agreement has only been reached in 4 articles, the rest remains outstanding. The Union has withdrawn, countered, and modified its proposals on numerous occasions. However, the employer has unmatched the union efforts. The Employer has continued to show unwillingness to meaningfully engage with many of the Union proposals and has remained inflexible on issues that are important for our members.
The next conciliation date will be on December 11, 2025. We call the employer to step out of its defensive position and come at the table with a willingness to engage and a real commitment to finalize this first collective agreement.
We ask the employer: No more delays, no more overly operational or managerial responses to the Union’s proposals, no more lack of meaningful consultation with the union, no more saying that they don’t want the word Indigenous or any reference to “Indigenous”, “Elder” or “First Nations, Metis and Inuit” in the collective agreement -not even as a statement of principle-, no more firing union bargaining team members, no more refusing to meet and discuss exclusions of the bargaining unit with the union, no more weaponizing of identity in distorted ways.
We have the right to expect and demand better from this employer. We have not only the right, but the moral obligation to demand that the employer and its managers uphold the values and mission of a progressive organization in bargaining, and how they treat their employees and deal with the Union. We call the employer to walk the talk and values when it comes to working with the union to uphold both indigenous peoples’ rights and workers’ rights at the workplace. A progressive organization deserves a progressive first collective agreement.
The Union acknowledges that NWAC has been in a middle of an existential and material crisis after several years of a previous administration. We reiterate our commitment and openness to talk and work with the employer, put aside differences and fully engage in this process. We want NWAC not only to survive but to thrive with good and fair working conditions for its employees. Both can go hand by hand.
The Union team has approached negotiations with a willingness to engage in discussions and focused on solving problems at the workplace. The Union proposals are around access to leaves, grievance procedure, teleworking, job security, training, career development, health and safety, anti-harassment provisions and work-life balance among others. The Union team also
introduced proposals based on what other units and unions, including PSAC, have been able to obtain for other members outside this group. For the Union team, advancing and promoting Indigenous rights and cultures through collective bargaining is in line with the employer’s core goals and are very important.
The good news and what we need from you?
The bargaining team has been regrowing. Elizabeth Virkutis has joined Jordan Bates-Wright as part of the bargaining team in the conciliation sessions. In addition to this, Ashley Smoke has recently volunteered to be part of the bargaining. Thank you, Jordan, Elizabeth, and Ashely, for your commitment, bravery, and hard work representing the members. We are stronger than ever, and we will continue to fight for better working conditions. We need language in the collective agreement that protects our members.
We want to take action. Please contact us with your ideas on how to show support (ex. rally, mobilization committee, petition, letters, etc.). We look forward to hearing from you.
Your Bargaining Team will keep you posted at every step of the process. We will be holding a membership meeting as soon as possible to provide bargaining updates directly. Details about the meeting will be shared as soon as possible.
If you have not already done so, please provide a personal email address to your bargaining team members to ensure that you do not miss updates from the team as they will not be sent to your work email address.
If you have not signed your Union cards yet or if you are unsure if you have signed, please make sure that you do as soon as possible through following link below: psacunion.ca/rand
Please do not hesitate to contact any of your bargaining team representatives if you have any questions or if you would like to stay involved.
Thank you for your continued interest and support.
Your Bargaining Team:
Jordan Bates-Wright, Team Member: wright.jordan@live.ca
Elizabeth Virkutis, Team Member: elizabeth.virkutis@gmail.com
Said Apali, PSAC Research Officer: apalis@psac-afpc.com
Laneydi Martinez Alfonso, PSAC Negotiator: martinl@psac-afpc.com
Katherine Kellner, PSAC Regional Representative: KellneK@psac-afpc.com
| Bargaining chronology: • April 16 and 17, 2025: The Union presented a package of non-monetary proposals that were discussed with the Employer. The Union provided general rationale and answered questions. • May 5, 2025: The Employer provided responses to some of the articles presented by the Union. The Union had to push for the employer to provide a rationale for each of the refusals. • May 13 and 27, 2025: The Employer provided rationales, and the Union asked questions about the employer responses. • June 13, 2025: The Union presented the first package of counterproposals trying to address the concerns raised by the employer. The employer announced that they will be filing for conciliation. • August 1, 2025: First conciliation session. • September 29, October 2, 6, 16 and 28, 2025: conciliation sessions. • December 11, 2025: Next conciliation session. |