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Putting Pressure on the Employer
Stage 1: Respecting the Collective Agreement
1. Refusal to Work Unpaid Overtime
Statistics from the Employer clearly show that FIs claim, per capita, fairly low amounts of extra duty and overtime hours relative to other groups in the public service. However, the reality is that many of us are working hundreds of free hours every year to ensure that the "job gets done". This should stop now. Everyone should work their regular hours, but we are asking you to leave work when those regular hours are completed. Financial Officers are known for their integrity and professional work habits, but this is not recognized or appreciated at the bargaining table.
One way to demonstrate our resolve is to work only our regularly scheduled hours. We are asking you to demonstrate resolve by not volunteering to work overtime. If there is additional work that needs to be done, there are overtime provisions in your collective agreement which outline how you should be compensated to perform the additional hours. If overtime is required, you should make your supervisor aware of the situation and allow him/her to schedule any required overtime in accordance with your collective agreement. We realize that many of you may have wording in employment contracts and letters of offer which expressly mention the requirement for overtime. In these cases, you should not refuse the overtime, as this could be disciplinable, but we recommend that you ask the manager to make the request in writing, in accordance with the FI collective agreement. If you end up working overtime, make sure that you get paid for it.
2. Due Diligence
Senior managers have long relied on FIs to complete reviews and provide approvals in a much shorter time period than is required to complete all of the necessary steps in the process, ensuring that all financial transactions are in compliance with the FAA and Treasury Board policies.
We are suggesting that you continue to perform your duties consciously and without delay for your clients, but we recommend that you do so with the utmost due diligence as is necessary to ensure that the integrity of the financial function is respected. This measure will not only enhance the financial performance of government in its stewardship of public monies, but also signal to the employer that you are valuable employees who demand to be treated with respect.
3. Showing Support for the Negotiations at Work
We will be producing and distributing materials for you to display or wear at work that will show the employer that you support the negotiations. It is a sign of support for your colleagues and a show of strength to the employer that FIs are serious about getting a fair and reasonable settlement.
4. Letters to your Member of Parliament
We encourage all FIs to call their newly elected MPs after the Jan 23 federal election to let them know that you are one of their constituents who needs their support. You will find speaking notes and sample letters on the Association website shortly. These actions will ensure that politicians are aware of our concerns and hopefully get them into taking positive action on our behalf.
It is time for us to take action to obtain a fair and reasonable settlement in this round of bargaining. Your bargaining team may be the face of our community at the table, but we need your voices and your strong support behind us to help us fight for you!
With your help we believe that we can pressure the employer into accepting a fair and reasonable settlement by using these professional tactics to achieve our goals and that if we are effective we can reach a new collective agreement in this manner. We hope that we can count on your support.
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