It’s been almost two years since the Black Class Action delivered its original statement of claim on systemic anti-Black racism and discrimination in the federal public service.
On October 24, the Black Class Action Secretariat created a Francophone chapter as part of its efforts to secure compensation for persons who faced discrimination in the federal public service because they are black.
“For far too long now, Black public service workers have been subjected to discriminatory hiring and promotional practices. Recent data shows that Francophones are at a disadvantage and underrepresented in senior public service positions. Imagine, then, how it must be for Francophone public service workers who are black,” stressed PSAC-Quebec Regional Executive Vice-President Yvon Barrière. “The government must do what is necessary to right these wrongs and ensure that these injustices do not continue.”
Let us recall that in March, the Federal Court of Canada rejected attempts by the government’s lawyers to delay the proceedings by lumping all systemic discrimination cases together.
PSAC is committed to seeing justice carried out for our members despite the delay in court proceedings. In continued solidarity with our members, and with all Black federal public service employees who have been subjected to decades of employee exclusion and discriminatory hiring and promotional practices, PSAC has donated $50,000 to the Black Class Action. This is in addition to a $15,000 donation made early last year.
As Canada’s largest federal public sector union, PSAC represents the largest portion of Black Class Action’s 1,500 or so plaintiffs.
PSAC and PSAC-Quebec will continue to fight anti-Black racism in the federal public service, including by supporting the establishment of a mental health fund for Black federal public service workers to address racial trauma and an equitable representation policy to address the disproportionate absence of Black employees in executive and management positions. PSAC is also fighting for mandatory anti-oppression and discrimination training for all federal public service workers and managers at the bargaining table.