Government Operations Committee on Feb. 5th, 2008

[Diane Melançon]

There are full-time employees, there are part-time employees; there are all the scenarios. As I said, the full-time employees often have problems because they have worked overtime and have not been compensated. They may have been waiting for a cheque for up to six months. There's no reason to wait six months for an overtime cheque. It may be because they were promoted and are waiting for a cheque, and so on. There are a number of scenarios. Transfers are a big problem because there's tax incidence. When people work in Quebec and go to work in Ontario, taxes and deductions are definitely not the same. We don't have the power to begin discussions to prevent certain deductions from being made or to suspend deductions that these people would like suspended. If there is an impact, it's terrible. Some of these people are on the payroll, but not necessarily all; there are some who aren't. Some are casual workers. The problem most frequently cited is lost documents.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

That happens often?

[Diane Melançon]

It happens fairly often.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

A lot of people contact my office, and, as if by chance, their documents are lost. But behind the computer systems, there are human beings.

[Diane Melançon]

It goes beyond reality.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Ms. Ducharme, I'm going to ask you the next question. You told us that the agreement on the classification review was not negotiated. Is that correct? That was announced unilaterally by the employer, and you haven't been given an answer since that day, despite your efforts to be included in the process. Is that correct?

[Patty Ducharme]

Yes, Madame, that's correct.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

If I understood correctly, there's no timetable for solving the problem, and no measures are being contemplated. You've been given no solutions.

[Patty Ducharme]

Yes. I believe it was Madame Boudrias who gave evidence on December 12 that the work related to PA reform had not even started when she came in December. Our bargaining teams are meeting and have been trying to get the employer to make presentations with respect to where we are on the whole PA reform issue. It's my understanding that to date no such presentation has been made to the bargaining teams.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

My last question is for Mr. Brandimore. With regard to the recruitment of compensation employees, you said that 60 full-time employees had been recruited, as well as 49 others, part-time employees, I imagine, for a total of more than 100, when 100 employees retire. Is that correct?

[Michael Brandimore]

Yes, that is correct.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Do you see any clear will on the employer's part to solve the problem? That's not it? Did I misunderstand?

[Diane Melançon]

Pardon me, there were 109: 60 were recruited by Public Works and Government Services Canada, and 49 were distributed among the other departments. They are full-time employees.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

All right. If I understand correctly, a lot more are needed when 100 retire in a year?

[Diane Melançon]

Yes.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

How long have you been reporting that problem?

[Diane Melançon]

It started in 2000.

[Jill Ronan]

February 14, 2000.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

And you've observed no clear will to solve this problem?

[Diane Melançon]

Since February 14, 2000, we've attended committee meetings with the union, and so on. The members of the compensation committee ultimately retained their own lawyer. We've all had to provide money to pay him. The complaint has just been accepted by the Canadian Human Rights Commission. It was filed in 2004. It has just been accepted, but it has to go through various stages at the Commission. Absolutely nothing has been resolved to date.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

That's fine. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

Here in the committee, we've been talking about this for about a year and a half. It's taken a little time to get to us.

[Jill Ronan]

It's a good thing we don't pay people that slowly, I guess, eh?

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

Thank you.

We'll go to Mr. Albrecht.

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you to each of the witnesses for being here. I don't question for one minute your dedication to your job and to the people you represent. So thank you for that.

My understanding is that, clearly, the classification issue is the primary concern you're coming with today. I also understand that you've been working on this since at least 2000, if not earlier, and we still don't seem to have come up with a remedy.

For me, as a new member in this Parliament, it would have been helpful to have some of your submissions written today, because, as you indicated, it's very complex, and it's even more complex for someone like me who doesn't--