Victory for PSAC Members in Vegreville
On the heart-breaking final week for employees of the Vegreville Case Processing Centre (CPC), the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has won an important but bittersweet victory for our members.
On June 28, 2017 PSAC filed a Policy Grievance on behalf of members working at the Vegreville CPC. The Policy Grievance was filed because the Department of Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) told employees that if they did not want to relocate to Edmonton as a result of the impending closure of the Vegreville CPC, there would be no compensation package and that employees must move with their position or be laid off, despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s clear public commitment to the contrary. On August 29, 2018, The Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board ruled in favour of the PSAC and its members.
“PSAC and CEIU stand strong in our belief that the Vegreville CPC closure is not the right decision for our members, the community of Vegreville, or the Canadians these employees serve every day,” said Marianne Hladun, Regional Executive Vice-President, PSAC Prairie Region. “This victory is bittersweet, but we hope that it will allow our members to plan for their future in a way that ensures their employment rights are respected.”
PSAC believes that the information given out by the department was wrong and that even those who said “yes” to the relocation prior to October 2017 should get a chance to change their mind. The choices made by the members at Vegreville were compromised by the information given out by the department.
“It is time for the federal government to treat these federal public service workers with respect – something they have not done since the wrong decision was made to close the Vegreville CPC in the first place,” said Hladun. “This victory would not have been possible without the testimony of our members, and the support of everyone who fought to Respect Vegreville.”
The Board has given PSAC and the employer 60 days to try and negotiate the remedy on their own. If an agreement is not reached in that time period the Board will be able to rule on the issue of remedy.