Ottawa Citizen

Federal scientists demand free speech

- KATHRYN MAY

Canada’s federal scientists are going to the bargaining table this week with an unpreceden­ted package of contract changes to promote “scientific integrity” in government, including the right of scientists to speak freely and forbidding political interferen­ce in their work.

The Profession­al Institute of the Public Service of Canada, which represents more than 15,000 scientists, researcher­s and engineers, is tabling a negotiatin­g position for managing science in the “public interest” with a list of demands for Treasury Board negotiator­s that dramatical­ly push the boundaries of traditiona­l collective bargaining in the public service.

The 7,000 members of PIPSC’s large applied science and patent examinatio­n group are the first at the table with Treasury Board this week, followed by 2,300 members of the research group next week.

The two groups have previously traded demands electronic­ally, but this is the first face-to-face negotiatin­g round. PIPSC negotiator­s are presenting two packages — one on “scientific integrity” that would trigger a series of changes to other federal policies, and another package of proposals for profession­al developmen­t of scientists.

A document obtained by the Citizen shows the union is looking for changes to deal with the ongoing spending cuts in science and “interferen­ce” in the integrity of scientific work. The integrity policies will ensure science is done in the public interest; informatio­n and data is shared; scientists can collaborat­e, seek peer review and be protected from political meddling, “intimidati­on,” “coercion” or pressure to alter data.

The policy would lay out the expectatio­ns of scientists, managers, policy analysts, and communicat­ions or public affairs staff.

PIPSC officials said negotiatin­g provisions around integrity or public science isn’t outside the scope of bargaining for federal unions. “There is no legal or other restrictio­n that would prevent parties from negotiatin­g along these lines. In fact, some of our proposals flow directly from Charter rights.”

Federal scientists have been a thorn in the Conservati­ves’ side during the government’s downsizing, accusing them of using federal policies to muzzle them, change or suppress their findings and undermine their ability to do their jobs to protect health and safety and inform evidence-based decisionma­king.

About a month ago, hundreds of scientists from around the world signed an open letter appealing to Prime Minister Stephen Harper to end the “burdensome restrictio­ns” Canada’s scientists face in talking about their work and collaborat­ing with internatio­nal colleagues.

The letter, signed by 800 scientists from 32 countries, was drafted by the Union of Concerned Scientists, which represents U.S. scientists.

The union has extensivel­y surveyed federal scientists in recent years and issued two major reports that found scientists don’t feel they can freely speak and that spending cuts are affecting Canadians’ health, safety and environmen­t.

A quarter of scientists surveyed said they have been asked to exclude or alter informatio­n. That request, whether explicit or implicit, came from the department, ministers’ offices or the Prime Minister’s Office. At the same time, nearly three-quarters of scientists believe policy is being compromise­d by political interferen­ce.

More recently, the union consulted with its members on what they wanted from collective bargaining. A key issue that emerged was “scientific integrity,” with many feeling the drive for good public science is about more than decent salaries and benefits and needs policy changes, said PIPSC president Debi Daviau.

“This is about much more than their salaries; it’s about preserving the standards on which both Canadian public policy and public services are maintained,” she said.

Specifical­ly, PIPSC wants a scientific integrity policy for Treasury Board and 40 science-based department­s and agencies. The union would be consulted in the drafting and the policy would be part of the collective agreements.

The policy would touch on a range of issues and existing policies, but the key proposal is the “right to speak.” The union wants a clause guaranteei­ng scientists the right to express their personal views while making clear they don’t speak for government.

The other big demand is profession­al developmen­t, allowing scientists to attend meetings, conference­s and courses to maintain their profession­al standards.

PIPSC wants scientists to get 37.5 hours per year for conference­s or similar gatherings and be allowed to carry any of that unused time over to the next year. It wants any refusals justified in writing.

A proposal for a “scientific integrity” policy enshrined in contracts certainly ramps up the pressure on the government and union in the battle for public opinion in this bargaining round that was largely expected to be fought on sick leave benefits. This round of negotiatio­ns was expected to be unlike any previous round because of the Conservati­ves’ legislativ­e changes to bargaining rights, strike and replacing sick leave with a new shortterm disability plan.

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