Updates

The March 4 federal budget freezes federal departmental spending.   The government announced they want to balance the budget on the backs of public service workers – a direct threat to our jobs and the services we deliver.

On January 15, 2010, the Occupational Health and Safety Administrative Penalties Regulations (N.S. Reg. 291/2009) became law. The Regulations give the Department of Labour and Workforce Development’s Occupational Health and Safety (“OHS”) division the ability to issue penalties when violations of health and safety laws are found in workplaces.

Minister of State for the Status of Women Helena Guergis has made several announcements over the last ten days with respect to small funding grants to various groups across Canada, particularly those encouraging and coordinating educational projects for women entrepreneurs fitting with SWC's theme Strong Women, Strong Canada. There has been no announcement about funding for the Sisters in Spirit initiative of the Native Women's Association of Canada.

The Charlottetown Regional office of the Public Service Alliance of Canada held a pension information session on February 23rd, at the Charlottetown Hotel.  Mark Brunell, National President of the Government Services Union, presented the real facts about our public service pension to an audience of 100+ and answered the questions and concerns of the members.There was a strong message to keep getting signatures on the petitions, call and write your MP's and talk about this issue until Ottawa gets the message to "keep their hands off our pensions".

The Atlantic Region is mobilizing around retirement security. We are organizing town hall meetings and plant gates, and taking advantage of every opportunity to collect signatures for our petition to Prime Minister Harper. Contact your regional office to arrange for a workplace information session. And visit http://www.psac.com/petition-pension/ to sign our on-line petition and get campaign information.

A townhall meeting took place in Moncton on February 9 with PSAC Atlantic REVP, Jeannie Baldwin, and PSAC Quebec REVP, Jerome Turcq, in order to discuss federal public sector pensions.  Two sessions took place with over 80 PSAC members from a variety of departments were in attendance.

The PSAC and the Saint John RWC hosted a pancake and chocolate breakfast in order to give information to PSAC members in regards to the federal public sector pensions with a petition for Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Congratulations to the 18 members of UCTE Local 60925, Charlottetown Airport.UCTE  local 60925 voted to donate $250.00 to Haiti which the employer, “airport authority” matched bringing the total donation to $500.00. This money was given to the Canadian Red Cross which was doubled again by the Government.