THE PUBLIC SERVICE
The Conservative government hasn’t been very popular with public servants in Ottawa after their 2012 budget promised to cut $5.2 billion in spending and axe more than 19,000 positions in the federal public service.
CONSERVATIVES
Harper reiterated on the campaign trail that reforms are in the works to sick leave and disability benefits for public servants, proposing reducing the number of annual sick days a year from 15 to six and abolishing much of the 15 million days of banked unused sick leave. It is the main issue at the ongoing round of collective bargaining with federal unions. Thirteen of the 17 federal unions recently filed a motion seeking an injunction to stop the federal government from invoking new powers it gave itself in omnibus budget Bill C-59 to unilaterally impose a new sick-leave agreement.
The Conservative leader issued an open letter to federal public servants in early October telling bureaucrats the Conservatives are proud of Canada’s “world-class public service” and are the party best able to represent their interests.
NDP
The NDP is promising no new spending cuts and job cuts. As well, the party says it will improve the public service with several concrete steps, including establishing a code of conduct for ministers and their staff to “ensure ministers stop blaming the public service when things go wrong”; introducing legislation to better protect the anonymity of whistleblowers; and creating a six-member board — jointly selected by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Official Opposition — to review and approve all political appointments.
A New Democrat government would “protect collective bargaining” by repealing all Conservative measures contained in several bills that limit free and collective bargaining; adopt clearer rules around the use of temporary work agencies and external consultants; protect public servants’ rights to work in the official language of their choice in bilingual regions; and work toward a 25/75 Gatineau to Ottawa office ratio.
LIBERALS
The Liberals opposed provisions in Bill C-59 that will create a new sick-leave regime, and the party says it would review the bargaining mandate to ensure “it is fair and reasonable” for the public service and all Canadians. The Liberals are pledging to bargain “in good faith” and say the Conservatives have not justified why they plan to make changes to public sector sick leave.
Trudeau says the Liberals would also ensure the federal government, as the country’s largest employer, tackles the challenges of mental illness, which account for almost half of its disability claims.
The Liberals say they would restore “fair and balanced labour laws” that respect the important role played by unions in society, and revisit changes to collective bargaining rights included in the government’s omnibus budget Bill C-4.