Public servants ask federal labour body to declare government broke the law

The biggest union representing public servants in Canada is seeking damages after the federal government missed a deadline for implementing four collective agreements.

The move formalizes a complaint launched in October by the Public Service Alliance of Canada after the Liberal government openly admitted problems with its Phoenix pay system would mean it would miss a 150-day deadline to pay three years’ worth of back pay and implement pay raises under the agreements.

The new contracts were ratified in June.

Failure to meet the deadline came even after PSAC gave the government an additional two months to make the changes.

In a statement released Friday, the union said it has asked the Federal Public Service Labour Relations Board to declare the government has violated its obligations under law.

PSAC said it was also calling on the board to order the government to provide a firm date for implementing the collective agreements, and to negotiate damages for civil servants covered by the contracts.

“If, after two months, these negotiations do not yield an agreement on damages, PSAC is asking the board to intervene,” the union said in a statement on its website.

The bargaining agent didn’t say how much it is seeking in damages. It’s not clear how many government departments or agencies have failed to fully implement the contract changes or how many civil servants have not received back pay and pay increases.