Labour union says Treasury Board rejected mandatory training on systemic racism for public service workers

One of Canada’s largest labour unions says the Treasury Board will not consider mandatory training on systemic racism and harassment for public service workers during negotiations but Ottawa maintains this is not the case.

Earlier this week, the Public Service Alliance of Canada issued a news release saying the union put forward a recommendation during contract talks that training should be provided to all managers and employees. The negotiations on behalf of more than 165,000 federal workers began last year.

PSAC represents federal public service workers under the Treasury Board of Canada in every province and territory in the country. The union says this round of negotiations includes several different Treasury Board groups.

PSAC national president Chris Aylward said in a statement that the Treasury Board is being “completely disingenuous.” He said that on one hand the government says it is committed to improvement, but then discounts the value of the mandatory training.

“They can’t have it both ways,” he said in the statement. “Either they support the long overdue need for change in the public service, or they don’t. And disappointingly, based on their blanket rejection of all training proposals, it seems they don’t.”

In response to PSAC’s statement, the Treasury Board said the public service is committed to taking steps to remove discrimination from institutions and to address all forms of oppression, to challenge biases and to empower employees.

The union noted that it put forward a proposal that would require all federal public service workers and managers to complete training on discrimination, harassment and violence in the workplace. It also was seeking education for works on Indigenous history, aligned with a call from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for professional development and training.

The TRC, which examined the legacy of residential schools in Canada, said federal, territorial and municipal governments should provide education to public servants on the history of Aboriginal people, including the history of the schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, treaties and rights.

“A progressive government – that recognizes the need for reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and dismantling systemic racism – should be leading by example by providing invaluable training to Canada’s largest work force,” Mr. Aylward said.

“We sincerely hope Treasury Board and this government reconsider their decision.”

The Treasury Board said it is committed to building a diverse and inclusive public service and it will continue to work with bargaining agents on realizing this goal.

It said, however, the statements made by PSAC this week do not “fairly represent” the continuing work and accomplishments achieved with bargaining agents.

For example, it said there are “multiple” opportunities offered including mandatory training on discrimination, harassment and violence in the workplace, such as the Public Service Commission’s requirement for hiring managers to take unconscious-bias training.

The Treasury Board added that the government has introduced courses that are available to all public servants on Indigenous topics, harassment prevention and anti-racism, including a mandatory orientation course for new employees that has components on diversity and inclusion.

It also said it is concerned by PSAC’s public comments on specific proposals discussed at the bargaining table. The Treasury Board said to respect the collective bargaining process, and to bargain in good faith, the government will not negotiate in public.

Mr. Aylward told The Globe and Mail on Thursday that the union “doesn’t like collective bargaining in the media either.” But he said that when the Treasury Board “simply refused” their demand, the PSAC was “really shocked.”

He also said that while courses are offered, if they are not made mandatory, which not all of them are, then there are simply not enough workers who are going to be able to take them.

“If they’re not in the collective agreements and they’re not mandatory, then they’re just sitting on a shelf,” he said.

“We have a major concern with that.”

The Treasury Board said it is committed to building a diverse and inclusive public service and it will continue to work with bargaining agents on realizing this goal. It said, however, the statements made by PSAC this week do not ‘fairly represent’ the continuing work and accomplishments achieved with bargaining agents.