Rally Against Bill C-10 Budget Implementation Act - Saturday

dru — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:10:53 +0000

PSAC pressuring Liberals to remove wage, pay equity clauses in budget bill

HALIFAX, N.S. / CANADIAN PRESS — Calling the Liberals "cowards," about 100 unionized public sector workers braved wind and icy rain in front of a Halifax hotel on Saturday to urge the party to push for changes to the federal budget before it is implemented.

Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada and supporters chanted and waved signs as federal MPs arrived in advance of their leader to participate in the Nova Scotia Liberal Party's annual convention.

PSAC fears center on what union officials call "three poison bills" within the Budget Implementation Act, including clauses that they claim will cut wages, deny pay equity and complicate the employment insurance process.

"There are parts of this bill that need to be changed," said Jeannie Baldwin, regional executive vice-president of the union.

"We want to send a message to Michael Ignatieff that we want these clauses carved out of Bill C-10," she said.

The vote on budget implementation is expected to take place sometime before the middle of March.

Baldwin said the rollback clause would take a 2.5 per cent wage settlement, negotiated just last year, and roll it back to 1.5 per cent in November, costing 30,000 Canada Revenue Agency employees about $528 each.

"What we're saying is to stimulate the economy you shouldn't be acting that way," said Baldwin.

"You know the $528 from every worker is going back into the market and the economy."

The New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois tried to get the Tories to drop the offending clauses from the budget bill during recent parliamentary committee hearings.

But when it got down to a vote the Liberals abstained, not wanting to make it a confidence issue.

Shirley Di Liberatore

Rally Against Bill C-10 Budget Implementation Act - Saturday