Now that we have concluded tentative agreements, whats happening with the Essential Service Agreements (ESAs)?
The PSAC has been working hard for over a year and-a-half to conclude an Essential Services Agreement (ESA) with the Treasury Board that strikes a balance between our members’ legal right to strike and ensuring that services that are essential to the safety and security of the public are maintained. While this process is somewhat similar to the former “designations” process, the new Public Service Modernization Act (PSMA) legislation is different in some important ways. For one thing, an ESA does not end with each round of bargaining. This means that at this point, your Union will continue to negotiate an Essential Service Agreement for each bargaining unit until a fair agreement is reached. This will ensure that an ESA is in place before the next round of bargaining begins so that members can exercise their legal right to strike.
