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FI NEWS : September 2001
President's Message
The Board of Directors has listened to what members have expressed regarding the frustrations that they felt after the last round of negotiations in the Public Service Bargaining Unit. Members' concerns about our perceived lack of clout were clear and requests to look at the possibility of affiliation with a larger organization were taken seriously. Your Board is taking a look at all options in a very objective way by looking at affiliation as a business case. It basically comes down to who can provide us with the best quality services at a reasonable cost. All possibilities are being explored. Meetings will be held across Canada to discuss affiliation options. I encourage you to come with an open mind and discuss the findings. We have some difficult decisions to make, and I can ensure you that if the members decide to proceed and call a vote in March 2002, any recommendations I make will be based on an objective analysis.
It is with personal regret that I must admit that the members who want the affiliation option to be brought to a vote are justified in doing so. Our Association has tried to lead the way in showing Treasury Board that there is a better way to do business, however, the last round of negotiations demonstrated without a doubt that they are not interested. We tried to get away from collective bargaining being a game of power and threats where, if you have little of each, they offer you nothing but the minimum, to one where both parties try to do what is best for the profession. We wanted to talk about professional issues and not just money. We were unsuccessful. They are not interested. Now, we are forced to look at other options such as affiliating with a larger union.
One other factor we must take into account is the possibility that the fight to save our occupational group may be on again. The report of the Fryer Committee recommends that the bargaining units be determined by the Canada Industrial Relations Board. While there is no indication as yet whether this recommendation will be accepted, we are once again dealing with the threat that our group may disappear. I guess that we should not be alarmed since we have lived with the same threat, in one form or another, for the last twelve years. This, again, provides one more reason to be looking for the resources of a larger union to help us. We might as well go from a "use the gun" as a last resort policy to a "fully armed tank".
On another front, I am excited about the Association's involvement in a project which would introduce an accreditation for public sector accountants to Canada. This accreditation would finally give us the recognition we deserve as specialists within the accounting profession. Please read the article about this initiative in this newsletter. I ask that you support its introduction to Canada.
Will UCS properly recognize the value of our work? The answer to this question remains as it was the last time I reported to you, unanswered. Is UCS dead? No, I would say it is in a coma. Do not let your guard down. For more information regarding this initiative, please refer to the article in this newsletter.
Preparations for collective bargaining for the Public Service Bargaining Unit are underway. I wish that I could tell you I think this round will be different from the last. However, it appears that Treasury Board is still singing the same old tune on the same old rusty harmonica. They maintain that FI's do not deserve anything extra because there is no recruitment or retention problem in our community. I guess this means that the reports we are hearing from departmental managers of problems they have recruiting and retaining FI's are incorrect. Are we going to get the same line that they cannot give us anything because the PEs would have to be given the same? I hope not. Treasury Board needs to deal with the problems in our community. It might already be too late. I will get little satisfaction in saying I told you so.
In closing, I appeal to you to stand up for our community, support your collective bargaining committee as they start their difficult task on your behalf and make the bold decisions necessary to defend our community. We must do whatever it takes to achieve the respect and recognition we deserve as professionals in public sector financial management.
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