Government Response to the Thirteenth Report of
 the Standing Committee on Public Accounts with respect to
 the recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Labour Management Relations in the Federal Public Service

Introduction

The Government has considered carefully the Thirteenth Report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts tabled on December 7, 2001, with respect to the recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Labour Management Relations in the Federal Public Service,and has responded to its recommendation.

Response to the Recommendation of the Standing Committee’s Report

Recommendation

That the report and recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Labour Management Relations in the Federal Public Service be seriously considered and expeditiously acted upon.

Response to the Recommendation

The Task Force on Modernizing Human Resources Management in the Public Service is examining the labour relations regime as a key element of the legislative and institutional changes it is considering. As part of this initiative, the Task Force will take into consideration the new labour relations regime proposed by the Advisory Committee on Labour Management Relations in the Federal Public Service.

The Government is committed to the principles of better cooperation and communication.  For example, the Treasury Board Secretariat and the bargaining agents already proceeded along these lines when they engaged into co‑development of specific joint initiatives through the National Joint Council.  Last year, new by-laws were approved by the National Joint Council to make it a forum of choice for union-management information sharing, consultation and co-development.  One recent example of close collaboration at the National Joint Council concerns discussions to further joint learning, which are now reflected in a new framework of principles to support discussion around learning in union management committees.

While it is too early to provide a response on legislative changes, the President of Treasury Board has already made public some of the thoughts guiding the reflection of the Task Force on Modernizing Human Resources Management in the Public Service:

Ø      The federal public service is largely unionized and will stay that way.

Ø      Our collective bargaining system is far from perfect and we will need some renewal in this area.

Ø      Effective unionized workplaces are shaped in large measure by relations of confidence and respect between the employer and the unions representing employees.

Ø      These relations require more than what we usually call consultation. There needs to be a true partnership, one that includes identifying issues together, shaping options together, and identifying the best solutions together. However, Ministers and public service managers need to continue to produce the results that Canadians expect, recognizing that consultation needs to be balanced with management’s requirement to be able to get the job done and to make decisions in the best interest of the Canadian public.

Ø      Joint learning should be encouraged.

Ø      Although we need institutional change to support a better system, that is not enough. We also need a new spirit, a new mindset on both sides. Only this change of heart, and not institutional changes alone, will make change real.