Help eliminate pay zones | Public Service Alliance of Canada

Eliminate pay zones

The vast majority (93%) of federal public service workers receive a national rate of pay. Many workers at Treasury Board, Parks Canada, CFIA and the CRA are still under regional rates of pay. This means that some, particularly tradesworkers, are paid dramatically less - as much as 10% -- than those who do the same jobs in another part of the coutnry. Members of Parliament receive the same base rate for their work regardless of where their riding is, and they would not accept otherwise.

This discriminatory treatment of workers lowers morale. It also means recruitment and retention problems for the government as the trades workforce becomes more scarce and demand for them increases.

It's time to eliminate this inequality and restore quality public service for all Canadians. Ask your MP to takes steps to eliminate pay zones by sending him a fax. A sample letter below will help start you off. You can edit it to include your own comments.

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Your Member of Parliament
House of Commons
Ottawa ON K2P 0A6

As my Member of Parliament, I urge you to help end the discriminatory treatment of federal public service workers by pushing for the elimination of regional pay zones.

While 93% of federal public sector workers serving Canadians across the country receive a national rate of pay based on the work they do, 7% of these workers continue to be paid regional rates of pay based on where they work and not for the work they perform. For example, on average, Operational Services (SV) employees with regional rates of pay working in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta make 9.4% less than their counterparts in B.C. and the Territories. The average wage loss for similar employees in the Atlantic, Quebec and Ontario is 7.3%. Members of Parliament also receive national rates of pay, and I'm certain you wouldn't agree to be paid less than your counterpart from another region.

Implementing national rates of pay for the Operational Services (SV) bargaining unit would only result in an approximate increase of only 0.27% to the Treasury Board payroll. On the other hand, it would be much more costly in the long run for government to maintain regional pay zones. With a very high proportion of operational employees eligible to retire in the next five to 10 years, federal government employers will find they must compete with other employers throughout the economy for scarce skilled trade workers. Recruitment and retention of these workers will become a big problem.

For about 40 years, workers paid regional rates have struggled for a national rate of pay through contract negotiations with the federal government. They have been able to make some progress as zones were reduced over numerous rounds of negotiations. The government is once again in contract negotiations with these workers who are still under regional rates of pay. I am asking you to contact Treasury Board President Vic Toews to let him know that you support national rates of pay and to finally eliminate pay zones in this round of negotiations.

Sincerely,

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