OTTAWA, March 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NAV CANADA today announced that members of the Association of Financial Officers of Canada (ACFO), which represents approximately 27 financial experts, have ratified a new collective agreement. Comparisons also include targeted improvements worth about 1% over the life of the agreements. For most of the 34 groups, these improvements are in the form of two-year wage adjustments: 0.8% in the first year and 0.2% in the second year. These include the Economics and Social Services (EC) group, represented by the Canadian Professional Workers Association (CAPE), the Financial Management Group (FI), represented by the Association of Canadian Financial Officers (ACFO), and the Architecture, Engineering and Land Survey (NR), represented by the Professional Service Institute of Canada (PIPSC). For some other groups, including the Audit, Trade and Purchasing (AV) groups, the health services (HS) represented by PIPSC and the External Services Group (FS), represented by the Professional Association of External Action Officials (PAFSO), the parties agreed to allocate the 1% differently depending on the particular circumstances of each group; However, the total value of these targeted adjustments should not exceed 1%. The agreements announced on Tuesday concern certain members of the Professional Institute of Public Service (PIPSC), the Association of Canadian Financial Officers (ACFO) and a local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. These employees receive a 7% increase over the four-year contract. Given the magnitude of the bargaining officer`s outstanding proposals, the employer requests that the PSAC consider a limited number of proposals that take into account the current collective bargaining landscape and the recent results of negotiations with other federal public service officials. The large number of proposals makes it difficult for the parties to focus their work on key priorities; a smaller number of proposals should significantly improve the likelihood of implementation. The employer respectfully proposes to the Commission to give direction in this regard and to order the parties to return to negotiations with a reduced number of proposals before the Commission`s report is published.

In all agreements reached to date, average annual growth is 2.0% per year over four years before the composite effect is calculated. It takes into account economic increases of 2%, 2%, 1.5% and 1.5%, as well as increases of 1% targeted over the duration of the agreements. The PSAC also submitted 55 specific amendments to the SV table, in 22 articles and 6 annexes. These changes include increases in vacation provisions, new certificates and other monetary and non-monetary items that are not currently included in the SV Treaty and/or other CPA collective agreements. In the past, Phoenix`s problematic compensation system has struggled to implement new collective agreements, giving the employer more time to adjust. Members of the three unions must vote in favour of ratifying their agreements. In 2017, PSAC and other CPA negotiating partners have decided to create and appoint a joint subcommittee of the Phoenix Employers` Union to resolve the issue of damage to workers caused by the phoenix compensation system. Between 2017 and 2019, this committee worked independently of the tariff schedules. All 34 agreements cover a four-year period and include economic increases of 2.0%, 2.0%, 1.5% and 1.5%. In addition, the 34 agreements contain the same Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of collective agreements.