Negotiators met for a total of three weeks in three separate sessions since March of this year. On June 9, 1992, an agreement was reached which I believe satisfies the needs of both the government and the union. The union bargaining committee is unanimously recommending ratification by its membership. Ratification is expected to be completed by mid-September.
As you know, there is not a great deal of money available for salary and benefit increases. However, the negotiations provided a good opportunity to solve a number of longstanding labour relations issues and to implement some creative changes to the collective agreement. These changes do not have significant cost implications but will provide more flexible benefits for employees.
For example, significant changes were made to give more flexibility in scheduling hours of work depending upon the needs in the workplace: Clear rules were added for shift scheduling; employees now have the flexibility to put in their required hours of work over fewer days; the job sharing provisions, previously available only to health service employees, have been expanded, and all government employees are now eligible to participate. This will benefit staff who wish to work fewer hours so that they can spend more time with their families; employees in smaller communities can schedule their own hours of work to better meet their own and the community's needs. Employees who work evenings and weekends because of the schedule of their clients will be able to get time off during the normal work week to compensate for these irregular hours.
A major change to the collective agreement is for the payout of vacation travel assistance. The current system of providing travel warrants is cumbersome and administratively inefficient. The new system will provide a cash payout to all employees regardless of whether they take their vacation on the land or they travel to southern Canada. This change was achieved at no extra cost. It will put cash in the employees' pockets, and it enhances the benefits for employees who take their vacation on the land and were previously paid only a small proportion of the benefit available to those who travelled south.
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A work force adjustment policy was negotiated which provides a wide range of benefits to employees whose positions are declared surplus as a result of restraint or the consolidation of departments. There is no negotiated increase to salaries during 1992-93. Settlement allowances will be increased by 1.8 per cent in 1992-93. Salaries will be increased on April 1, 1993 by 1.8 per cent.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that this is a fair and balanced agreement which recognizes the need for restraint within a more flexible work situation. Thank you,