This weekend, CUPE 104 signed on to join other federal public service unions in the tentative agreement with the employer to provide damages to public service workers in light of the ongoing Phoenix pay debacle. This agreement applies to all public service employees who are or have been members of the PO group or any other group represented by the signatory unions. Civilian Members are not paid by Phoenix and are not covered by this agreement.
As always, please report any pay issues to your Steward or Regional Chairperson and we will help get them resolved any way we can. Regional Chairperson contact information can be found on our website.
Things you need to know about the Phoenix compensation agreement:
Compensation has been awarded to all members paid by Phoenix for the frustration caused by the failed pay system.
You will get up to 5 days of leave.
Note: For the PO group, 1 day of leave is equal to 7.5 hours.
If you are a current member who has been working for the public service since 2016, you will get 5 days of leave.
If you joined or left the public service after 2016, your leave will be calculated based on the fiscal years in which you were employed: 2 days for 2016/2017 and 1 day each for 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020.
If you are no longer employed by the public service, you will get reimbursement equal to that leave through an expedited process.
You will receive all money owed to you.
This agreement provides additional collective compensation to members paid by Phoenix for enduring the frustration of Phoenix. You will also receive any outstanding money owed to you.
You will get additional compensation based on your individual case.
You will further receive personal compensation for financial losses, suffering and hardship that you experienced individually as a result of Phoenix.
Your employer must implement a new pay system.
Your employer must still stabilize the current payroll system and continue to work to find a replacement system as quickly as possible.
You will get additional compensation won by other unions.
All bargaining agents have been negotiating compensation with the Treasury Board together. You may have seen in the news that one of our sister unions has decided to negotiate for their compensation through a different process. Should those negotiations result in any additional compensation, it will be added to this agreement as well.
This agreement provides new processes for reimbursement of sick leave and compensation for mental anguish, trauma and personal hardship caused by Phoenix.
You will be able to file claims for your individual case. You can be reimbursed for sick leave used because of the impact of Phoenix.
The claims process for expenses and financial losses as a result of Phoenix remains the same.
You can continue to claim expenses and losses that are a result of Phoenix. This process will be available to public servants as long as there are claims being made. For interest on missed pay, various lost opportunities and claims for human rights discrimination or other serious harms, there is a $1500 threshold.
A more expedited process will be implemented to deal with claims related to discrimination for those accessing maternity, parental or disability leave.
This agreement provides an expedited grievance process.
You will now be able to file one claim for all of your issues with Phoenix. If any part of this claim is denied, it can then be grieved and the employer will issue one decision. The unions and the employer are working on developing a faster, more effective adjudication process to address outstanding grievances.
For more information:
Joint Statement: Federal unions approve agreement on Phoenix damages
FAQ: Phoenix Damages Agreement