Alliance de la Fonction publique du Canada

International Human Rights Day is a day to celebrate and recommit to advancing human rights here at home and globally.  

Seventy-two years ago, on December 10, 1948, the United Nations adopted the Declaration of Human Rights. It was a revolutionary document for the times.  

PSAC recently concluded a historical round of bargaining on behalf of 130,000 members in the federal public service and negotiated new agreements for members in many other sectors. An important goal of every round of bargaining is to address inequity—here are some recent achievements.

When COVID-19 effectively shut down Canada last March, many of us thought the new and bizarre situation would be temporary. Almost a year later, it is clear there is no going back to the way things were. To address the extensive damage done by the pandemic, especially the suffering endured by those already vulnerable to harm because of deep pre-existing structural inequities, major reconstruction is what we need, not a repair job. 

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Union of Veterans Affairs’ Employees (UVAE) are sounding the alarm over ongoing mental health issues at Veterans Affairs’ Canada (VAC) and calling for permanent solutions to help both veterans and VAC employees.

Excessive workloads, tight turnaround times and multiple incompatible processes and computerized systems are causing delays for veterans in accessing critically needed services. Despite calls by veterans, their advocates and workers at VAC, problems are getting worse and both veterans and workers are suffering.