July 2018
Hon. Pablo Rodriguez
Minister of Canadian Heritage
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Dear Minister:
We, the employees of the National Battlefields Commission, wish to make you aware that we are currently in negotiations for the renewal of our collective agreement. We have not had a collective agreement since November 1, 2017. We are seeking to have the following issues resolved.
We have noted a large wage gap with various groups that are part of the same federal organizations. This has a negative impact on us and makes us feel like second-class employees within the public service. As dedicated employees, we are proud to make this park a memorable place for visitors from Quebec and around the world.
Thanks to our work, the Plains of Abraham park is a jewel that represents Québec City on the international stage. We find it inconceivable that we are paid less than our counterparts at Parks Canada and the National Capital Commission for doing the same work.
The precarious nature of our employment is also detrimental to us. A number of staff members hold seasonal employment, or work on call. This precarioius work leads to stress and high turnover, since these employees look for year-round employment or work with a set schedule in order to improve their living conditions. Much of this employment is in female‑dominated professions, and the stress these employees experience – and the difficulty in maintaining a proper work-life balance – have a detrimental impact on their family life.
We find that our employer shows little consideration for employees with families. Our employer rarely grants preventive withdrawal for pregnant women who feel that their duties could be harmful to their health or their pregnancy.
Some of our colleagues also see sub-contractors at the park performing duties that they themselves could have done at their workplace. Most of the work being contracted-out is the same work done by colleagues with seasonal positions, and this lost opportunity to extend their period of employment is happening right under their noses every season.
The purpose of this letter is to seek your support during negotiations. We hope to see a change of mandate at the bargaining table and we hope that it will be positive for our members.
Yours truly with profound respect, Minister Rodriguez,
The employees of the
National Battlefields Commission