Media Advisory: Public Sector Workers Join Together for a Union Walk During National Public Service Week (Saint John, NB)

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION                                                                        June 17, 2015

PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS JOIN TOGETHER FOR A UNION WALK DURING NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE WEEK

SAINT JOHN, NB – Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) along with other Unions will be participating in a Union walk and rally to demonstrate their solidarity in defeating the Conservative government in the upcoming federal election.

“Unions have been attacked left right and center by the Harper government. With their most recent Bill, C-59, the Budget Implementation Act, they are taking away fundamental right of federal public service employees to exercise our Charter rights by engaging in fair collective bargaining.” said Jeannie Baldwin, Regional Executive Vice-President of PSAC-Atlantic.

Darlene Bembridge, Provincial Director – New Brunswick for PSAC Atlantic explains why they are organizing the event: “This week is National Public Service Week. The government is supposed to recognize the value of public sector workers and public services but instead they keep cutting valuable public services to Canadians. Furthermore, they are taking away our fundamental right of collective bargaining.”

DATE: Thursday, June 18, 2015

TIME: 12:05 PM to 12:30 PM

PLACE: 126 Prince William Street, to Rodney Weston’s office, 90 King Street, Saint John.

Background facts:

•          National Public Service Week (NPSW) was created in 1992 “to recognize the value of the services rendered by federal public service employees, [and to] acknowledge the contribution of federal public service employees to the federal administration.”

•          Bill C-59, the Budget Implementation Act that was tabled on May 7, 2015 authorizes Treasury Board to modify collective agreements to remove sick leave and impose a short and long term disability plan outside of collective agreements.  The Bill will circumvent the Public Service Labour Relations Act as well as ongoing negotiations.

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Contact:

Sébastien Bezeau, Regional Political Communications Officer, PSAC, (cell) 902.266.8589 bezeaus@psac-afpc.com