The Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE) is introducing the new symbol for the launch of Public Service Week with hopes that it will be worn over the next three years as the government downsizes and eliminates at least 19,200 jobs. Other unions are marking Public Service Week by snubbing government-sponsored events or urging their members to boycott them.
CAPE President Claude Poirier says the grey square is meant to be a non-partisan gesture. The union settled on the lacklustre colour as the perfect “neutral” colour — like the neutral public servant — that could bridge divides between political parties and labour and management. He said it also reflects the “grey zone” employees facing layoffs find themselves in during the government’s annual week to celebrate the work of the public service.
He distributed the squares at this week’s meeting of the National Joint Council, a joint labour-management organization. He said the management representatives accepted the squares but didn’t put them on. “I guess they have to check with Treasury Board first,” he said.
At that meeting, Treasury Board officials confirmed that nearly 2,200 of the thousands of public servants who received affected notices since the March budget will be laid off. Another 915 public servants are losing their jobs but have been promised ‘reasonable’ job offers by their bosses. Unions are braced for another round of affected notices before the end of June.
“The grey square is supposed to be non-partisan and we are not attacking the government but showing support for everyone losing jobs, whether unionized or not, because they won’t be recognized in public service week. I hope MPs wear them in the House too,” said Poirier.
It’s a spirit of détente that some union leaders are finding hard to swallow.
Ron Cochrane, vice-chair of the National Joint Council, said he will be wearing grey square in solidarity with CAPE but said some may feel it is “disingenuous” to participate in an appreciation week sponsored by a government that doesn’t like the public service.
“Look, if we could separate the government from the bureaucracy I think we would all celebrate the people who work for the public service ... but the government’s policies show little respect for the public servants and what they do so it’s an hypocrisy to hold this.”
Robyn Benson, president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, is urging her members to boycott all events and instead go to events that are being put on by the union. It’s unclear if PSAC will be wearing the grey square but their members in the National Capital Region are being asked to wear black squares to send a similar message of support for workers and against the cuts.
“Public Services should be celebrated by the government, not dismantled,” said Benson.
PSAC has boycotted the week numerous times since it was introduced 20 years ago to build workplace morale and awareness among the general public of the work done by public servants. The week includes a major awards ceremony and various events in departments. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Our Commitment.”
Gary Corbett, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, said the union isn’t boycotting but rather “is doing its own thing.” In a letter to Privy Council Clerk Wayne Wouters, the country’s top bureaucrat, he said this year’s celebration week was ‘inappropriate’ and the union will be highlighting the cuts that are eroding services and programs Canadians rely on.
He said Public Service Week has become a “headache” over the years because managers, especially with restraint and clampdown on hospitality, can’t spend any money on their employees. “It would be hard to get a burger from a department,” he said.”
And Corbett said he probably won’t be wearing the grey square. He said there are so many “ribbons, squares and patches, red, green, black, pink around” that they are losing their impact. PIPSC is having its own public service celebration this weekend at Jetform Park with the Ottawa Fat Cats.
Original Article
Source: ottawa citizen
Author: KATHRYN MAY
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