Binding arbitration has resulted in a higher wage increase for House of Commons transcribers and editors, with retroactive adjustments for 2023. The decision, issued on March 3, awarded a 1.25-per-cent wage adjustment for inflation, surpassing the 0.5-per-cent increase proposed by the House of Commons administration.
Background of the bargaining unit
The text and processing bargaining unit, represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), includes approximately 83 members: 49 full-time employees and 34 seasonal staff who work between 700 and 1,820 hours per year. Among them, 34 are editors or senior editors responsible for editing documents, while 39 are trans-editors who transcribe debates and perform initial editing.
Under the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act, members of this unit are prohibited from striking, leading to a reliance on arbitration through the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board to resolve outstanding issues.
Key outcomes of the arbitration
In addition to the wage adjustment, the arbitration decision included several other provisions:
- Small penalties for delayed payment of retroactive wages.
- Language addressing technological change.
- One paid leave day for seasonal employees for training and skill development.
However, the board denied PSAC's request to add Family Day as an additional designated holiday and a second personal day, citing that case law did not support expanding statutory holidays and personal leave.
The decision also rejected the employer's proposal to eliminate overtime meal allowances for employees working from home.
Telework remains an unresolved issue
Questions surrounding telework, including overtime meal allowances and other employment conditions, remain outstanding. Board member Christopher Rootham encouraged both parties to thoroughly examine all terms affected by telework and negotiate comprehensive changes rather than addressing them piecemeal through arbitration.
Lawyers not involved in the case described the decision as expected and consistent with similar arbitration rulings.
In a statement, Olivier Duhaime, spokesperson for the House of Commons, noted that the parties had reached agreement on many issues, while outstanding matters were referred to arbitration.
