PSAC members protest Phoenix pay system, Judy Foote in St. John's
Noon rally at Harbourside Park protested 'major problems' with pay system affecting 80,000 workers
Public service employees and union executives gathered in St. John's on Thursday to speak out against the troubled Phoenix pay system and demand a fix from Public Services and Procurement Minister Judy Foote, who oversees the system.
About 30 per cent of the federal government's workforce has had issues with getting paid since Phoenix was introduced in February — about 80,000 people in all. Many of those employees have missed pay periods and are unable to manage financially.
"Our members need their pay on pay day. Everyone works to get paid: It's a basic principle," Chris Aylward, vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, told a news conference at the Delta Hotel in St. John's on Thursday morning.
"This is a prime example of what happens when you over-rely on technology and try to replace humans with technology. It simply doesn't work."
The press conference proceeded a public rally at noon at Harbourside Park in the city's downtown, where Alyward lobbied a crowd of protesters, calling Phoenix "a national disgrace" and calling out Foote.
"You gotta start answering the questions, Minister Foote, and you better start answering them tomorrow," he shouted.
At the news conference, Aylward said the head of PSAC, Robyn Benson, and Foote are set to meet Friday morning to discuss the Phoenix problems, a sitdown the union has been asking for for two months, and PSAC's message for her is simple: "We need Phoenix fixed... until you fix Phoenix, then maybe people should be handwriting paycheques."
Aylward promised Thursday's events will spark a ripple effect of union protests across the country.
'We have no money coming in'
One Canadian coast guard crew ship member told the news conference he recently missed two pay periods.
"I was at sea, 700 miles offshore. our internet connection is dismal to say the least at sea," said Bill Ryan, a member of the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees.
Ryan said it took two days to simply download forms to apply for tide-over pay, and then was forced to wait until he returned to port to file them.
"I shouldn't have to deal with family at home that are worried to death because we have no money coming in," he said.
"A pat on the back saying, 'Thanks for coming to work, we'll pay you whenever,' isn't going to cut it."
Oct. 31 deadline 'a trick'?
The federal government has said it can iron out the bugs in the Phoenix pay system by Oct. 31.
Chris Aylward said PSAC doesn't know why the government picked that date — "is it a trick, or a treat?" — and said he's worried problems could easily last into 2017 if the entire system isn't taken offline for an overhaul.
When it's ready, Aylward said, it should be trial tested on MPs and other top-level officials.
"Because then if there's a problem, you'll bloody well get it fixed," he said.
Aylward said PSAC has filed an application in Federal Court to explore legal recourses for members who has suffered financial hardship due to Phoenix.