Let's Settle This; Do!

"Let's settle this. It's time for the government to realize that we are unbowed, our determination is strong. We're going to take this to the end. The best way out of this for Canada and Canadians is to come back to the table."
"The ball is in Treasury Board's court. We hope they will do the responsible thing."
Tim Edwards, president, Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers

Not a very good situation. To begin with, that any bargaining unit can point to the fact that their union members have been without a contract renewal for two years. And the 1,388 foreign service officers who work for the federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, along with Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency have not had their contracts renewed, since June of 2011.

This is a matter of huge dispute between Treasury Board on behalf of the Government of Canada, and PAFSO. Of course, Treasury Board has been instructed by the government to observe the limits imposed upon it in contract bargaining for salary increases in view of the government's austerity program where Canada is trying to live within its means, and to studiously attempt to avoid adding to the current alarmingly high deficit, and by extension the country's debt.

And since PAFSO insists on its demands for wage parity between foreign service officers and other government professionals whom they claim are performing essentially like-work, the situation remains at a stalemate. Treasury Board, which has managed to come to a wage settlement with other larger unions within the civil service, understandably aspires to persuade all unions that it is in the country's best interests to accept modest wage increases. 

It seems somewhat unreasonable for a unit to insist it has the right and the might to assess and impose salaries it feels in its view is suitable for members to receive. One might be forgiven for thinking that it is the role of the employer by and large, to make that deliberation. It is not as though public civil servants are suffering; their perquisites are gilt-edged the envy of the private sector. Leave in protest, if the emoluments are believed unsuitable to the status of the receiver.

The Public Service Labour Relations Board has found fault with Treasury Board Present Tony Clement in imposing "unreasonable" conditions before agreeing to binding arbitration as proposed by the union. The government has decided to challenge the labour board finding of bad faith. "We see this as an unnecessary prolongation of our strike, a very damaging strike that has had serious impacts on the Canadian economy. It's now time for the government to 'change course' and return to the negotiating table", pronounced Mr. Edwards.

Somehow it strikes a sour note to conclude that Treasury Board is not being reasonable, but PAFSO is, under the circumstances. Foreign Service officers at fifteen of Canada's largest visa processing centres world-wide withdrew services, causing long delays in the issuance of visas. And their PAFSO president warns of a "ramp[ing] up" of job action for the purpose of disrupting the country's foreign affairs and trade efforts, as well.

"We believe that's having a very serious impact on the delivery of Canada's international political and trade priorities", said PAFSO's president, with no small amount of smug satisfaction. "This posture will continue for the foreseeable future", he promises. PAFSO, he also claims, is more than willing to return to the bargaining table "as long as there is a meaningful attempt at engaging with us and seeking a solution".

How is this different from coersion? Blackmail? Threatening and actually planning to do harm to government programs upon which the country depends to advance its status abroad seems suitable emanating from a source that is a declared enemy of the state. From a public service union representing an elite government department?

How contemptibly entitled. Too much, evidently, to expect professionals, well compensated in their positions, to have respect for the government they serve and the public whose taxes enable their employment. The measure of juvenile entitlement hysteria that emanates from PAFSO seems fairly pathetic in reflecting the calibre of those who serve in these elite positions.