Non-Public Funds workers to vote on contract offer this week

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Civilian military staff working at bases in Ontario and Quebec are set to vote to ratify a new contract this week, following more than 90 days of striking.

Cathy O’Kane, vice-president for the Non-Public Funds with the Union Of National Defence Employees (UNDE), said Monday that ratification votes would take place in person from Wednesday to Friday, with the outcome expected to be announced by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) on the last day of voting.

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“We’ve been working all weekend,” O’Kane said, adding that the offer was presented by Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS), which employs the workers, late Friday.

In an email to members Monday, O’Kane said the agreement offered increases of 4.6 per cent per year, totalling 13.75 per cent. That amount would be compounded to 14.5 per cent over the duration of the deal, which would expire in 2025.

Previously, the agency said it would not budge on its “fair and comprehensive offer” to the union of 12 per cent in increases over three years.

“As we’ve indicated, there are no additional funds for wage increases beyond what has been offered, which is also in line with our other bargaining units,” said Ian Poulter, CEO of CFMWS.

While the agency had offered to increase the number of personal days available to workers, O’Kane said members were happy to see some movement from the employer on wages after more than 90 days on the picket line, with Monday marking 92 days of striking.

“When you’re that lowly paid, that money is what it comes down to,” O’Kane said. PSAC has stated that Non-Public Funds employees are some of the lowest-paid workers in the public service. “Our members deserve more than this. They deserve to be paid the same as the core public service, but this at least moves that goalposts a little closer.”

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The agreement also includes a commitment from CFMWS to consult the union on the implementation of a national job classification for workers — a key bargaining issue for Non-Public Funds employees — with the goal of negotiating revised rates of pay in future collective agreements.

“We’ve been talking national pay grid for years, so this this is definitely a solid movement towards what we would like to achieve,” O’Kane said.

CFMWS spokesperson Julie Leblanc said on April 13 that the agency could not share any further information about negotiations at that time.

If the offer is accepted, O’Kane said the union’s next priority will be to look at two layoffs that took place while workers were on strike.

Leblanc confirmed that a full-time supervisor and a full-time snack bar attendant working at Chez Brucie’s canteen in Kingston were advised on April 12 that they were being temporarily laid off starting on May 17 until Aug. 29 and September 3, respectively. The snack bar attendant has been laid off for the past two summers.

“This business decision was made by the (Royal Military College) Commandant and done for financial reasons, and is not related to the ongoing strike of our employees,” Leblanc said, noting that the canteen will be closed from mid-May to the beginning of September. “Adjustments to staffing of the canteen during the summer months has been in place for the past two years in order to reduce costs, but losses still occurred even with reduced staffing.”

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O’Kane said it was “pretty upsetting” for members on the strike line to receive letters that they were being laid off.

“They go down to a smaller staff in the summer but, for some reason, this year both of them have been laid off,” O’Kane said. “We’ll be looking into it and our labour relations as well for the legalities of that because I think there are some stipulations on laying people off during a strike.”

Non-Public Funds workers will stay on strike while ratification votes take place, with all PSAC-UNDE members in good standing working for CFMWS in Bagotville, Kingston, Montreal–St-Jean, Ottawa, Petawawa and Valcartier invited to participate in voting.

“I really would like the members to be able to get back to their lives,” O’Kane said.

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