Thank you and good morning, Mr. Chair and committee.
As stated in budget 2015, the government will make every effort to reach agreement with bargaining agents within a reasonable timeframe on necessary reforms to disability and sick leave management.
A new round of collective bargaining between the Government of Canada and the federal public service bargaining agents began in 2014 to renew the government's collective agreements. The government's overarching goal in these negotiations is to reach agreements that are fair and reasonable for both employees and taxpayers. The negotiations held today reflect the government's commitment to good faith collective bargaining.
The government's priority in these negotiations continues to be to provide for a disability and sick leave management system that is modern, comprehensive, and responsive to employees needs. The government's outdated existing system of bankable sick days is failing both employees and taxpayers. For example, over 60% of employees in the core public administration do not have enough banked sick leave to cover a full period of short-term disability.
Twenty-five per cent of our employees have fewer than 10 days of banked sick leave. Many employees, especially new and younger employees, have no banked sick leave at all. In contrast, long-tenured individuals, including many executives, have far more banked sick days than they will ever reasonably need.
The government will continue to make every effort to negotiate and to reach agreement with bargaining agents within a reasonable timeframe on necessary reforms to disability and sick leave management. The government continues to negotiate with bargaining agents to identify mutually acceptable design parameters for the new system and is prepared to consider reasonable improvements to its tabled proposals.
In the event that agreement cannot be reached, the government will take steps required to implement a modernized disability and sick leave management system within a reasonable timeframe.
Under the Financial Administration Act, the Treasury Board may establish terms and conditions of employment for public service employees, including those respecting sick leave, and may modify any group insurance or other benefit program for employees.
In accordance with requirements under the Public Service Labour Relations Act, the government is bargaining in good faith and is proposing changes to the terms and conditions of employee sick leave as well as the introduction of a new short-term disability plan.
The government believes in the bargaining process and is committed to making every effort to reach a negotiated settlement.
Under the proposed legislation, the government—