Foreign Service - Strike?

[CanadianJeepGuy]

The article is about the ongoing PAFSO strike and that's exactly what they're asking for.

Furthermore the author claims the action is causing Canada embarrassment, for example at the G8 meetings in N.Ireland. Luckily however I have relatives working in N.Ireland who were directly involved in planning for that summit and Canada wasn't an issue at all.

I have no idea why your relatives opinions matter at all.

It would be considered an embarrassment to any country that claims itself to be superior in any fashion to have be having such a simple, small and easily resolvable labour dispute exposed on the world stage.

 

[Catou]

Furthermore the author claims the action is causing Canada embarrassment, for example at the G8 meetings in N.Ireland. Luckily however I have relatives working in N.Ireland who were directly involved in planning for that summit and Canada wasn't an issue at all.

It may not have been an issue for your relative but I imagine any government should feel embarrassed that it is being ridiculed internationally for not settling a labour dispute with its government employees in a timely manner. This ongoing issue raises questions about the Canadian government's ability to effectively govern. I live on the other side of the world yet this issue gets reported in our news, usually with astonishment that the labour contract has been outstanding for the best part of two years, is not yet resolved, and, incredibly, that the government goes off and takes a vacation in the midst of the strike. Canada is becoming a laughing stock over this and if it isn't really embarrassed by now, it should be.

 

[gongdi]

This ongoing issue raises questions about the Canadian government's ability to effectively govern. I live on the other side of the world yet this issue gets reported in our news, usually with astonishment that the labour contract has been outstanding for the best part of two years, is not yet resolved, and, incredibly, that the government goes off and takes a vacation in the midst of the strike. Canada is becoming a laughing stock over this and if it isn't really embarrassed by now, it should be.

I wish the strike were covered by the Canadian media, aside from a few blurbs about lost tuition money from the University industry. Why should this current government be embarrassed by prolonging this strike when it has no shame, undemocratically ram-rods suicidal trade deals through parliament and "prorogues" every time it risks losing face? This is a government that can't even deal with it's own diplomats!

One thing it is clear: No one gives a hoot about the damage to family sponsorships; neither our govt, unions, media and citizens who are uninvolved in the ongoing mess. Maybe it's time for applicants en masse to offer up the money they want just to get them back in their office! ???

 

[yamayama]

I wish the strike were covered by the Canadian media, aside from a few blurbs about lost tuition money from the University industry. Why should this current government be embarrassed by prolonging this strike when it has no shame, undemocratically ram-rods suicidal trade deals through parliament and "prorogues" every time it risks losing face? This is a government that can't even deal with it's own diplomats!

One thing it is clear: No one gives a hoot about the damage to family sponsorships; neither our govt, unions, media and citizens who are uninvolved in the ongoing mess. Maybe it's time for applicants en masse to offer up the money they want just to get them back in their office! ???

I agree with u 100%. I don't mind paying the family class sponsorhip twice or 3 times but just finish this F strike.

 

[Vats]

The strike may end hopefully on 20th sep 2013 (as per attorny(at canada) of one of my friend's application at Canada)

lets hope the same happens

 

[finalhope]

Another day and the same story - just on a different newspaper.

http://www.livepunjab.com/content/20130905/canada-immigration-foriegn-workers-strike-impact-canadas-economy-111105.html

I think tomorrow will provide the result of the bad faith charge's as it is close to weekend and it will give both sides time to think about decision.It will have been three weeks for that office to give a answer to a three hour meeting.
lets wait and see.....

 

[automaton82]

It's generally a good idea particularly if you feel there isn't anything difficult about your case. If you're from a visa-exempt country you'd likely not be called for interview at all.

Interesting. What makes it a good idea over inland though? Assuming it won't get rejected and I don't need appeal rights (it would never get rejected).

 

[orly]

It may not have been an issue for your relative but I imagine any government should feel embarrassed that it is being ridiculed internationally for not settling a labour dispute with its government employees in a timely manner. This ongoing issue raises questions about the Canadian government's ability to effectively govern. I live on the other side of the world yet this issue gets reported in our news, usually with astonishment that the labour contract has been outstanding for the best part of two years, is not yet resolved, and, incredibly, that the government goes off and takes a vacation in the midst of the strike. Canada is becoming a laughing stock over this and if it isn't really embarrassed by now, it should be.

That's the point...no one is ridiculing Canada. Most Canadians aren't even aware, or care about, the strike.

 

[orly]

I have no idea why your relatives opinions matter at all.

It would be considered an embarrassment to any country that claims itself to be superior in any fashion to have be having such a simple, small and easily resolvable labour dispute exposed on the world stage.

They obviously won't matter to you as it doesn't fit the narrative of "kick the government".

The facts however are that while this strike causes some ruckus in Canada and screws over some people getting visas (particularly students) it's not having any discernible effect for 99% of Canadians nor is it adversely affecting Canada's "image" abroad.

The article, one again, is tripe.

 

[costaudjoe]

They obviously won't matter to you as it doesn't fit the narrative of "kick the government".

The facts however are that while this strike causes some ruckus in Canada and screws over some people getting visas (particularly students) it's not having any discernible effect for 99% of Canadians nor is it adversely affecting Canada's "image" abroad.

The article, one again, is tripe.

If you think the article is tripe, I can only imagine how strong your words must be with regard to the government's absolute stupidity. You know how they are flushing a billion of dollars this year to avoid paying $4.2 million over 4 years?

 

[QuebecOkie]

Interesting. What makes it a good idea over inland though? Assuming it won't get rejected and I don't need appeal rights (it would never get rejected).

Benefits over inland: the wait time for outland applications from some visa-exempt countries is faster than inland. Also, you can travel freely without worrying about abandoning your application (if you leave Canada with an inland app in progress and you are denied re-entry to Canada for any reason, your application is considered abandoned and you have to start over from scratch). A year and a half is a long time to go knowing any international travel puts your application at risk. Think about if a family member gets sick/dies/gives birth/etc. in your home country, and how terrible the decision is...do go and risk my application? (All the money and time and stress you've already put into it!) Or do I not go, and miss seeing my father/mother/etc. one last time, or meeting my new nephew/grandson/etc? Miss weddings? Funerals?

I often regretted applying inland, as I miss my family terribly, and the timeline has lengthened for inland apps since I applied (from 14 months to 18, not including landing or waiting for PR card). We got really lucky with a faster-than-usual timeline, so I no longer regret our decisions. But for many months, I've been longing to visit my family, but decided the risk to my inland application wasn't worth it.

 

[orly]

If you think the article is tripe, I can only imagine how strong your words must be with regard to the government's absolute stupidity. You know how they are flushing a billion of dollars this year to avoid paying $4.2 million over 4 years?

Are your figures as robustly researched as the student article?

 

[costaudjoe]

Are your figures as robustly researched as the student article?

1. The "student article" makes no argument based on figures (it does give an example with which you obviously disagree) but rather proposes that low paid foreign service workers are at a higher risk to succomb to corruption. You have yet to disprove his hypothesis and instead go for the easiest fallacy available to you, i.e. ad hominem. Here I will help because you are quick to criticize and seem to have difficulties to critique (http://www.voxeu.org/article/higher-government-wages-may-reduce-corruption).
2. $4.2 million is well quoted in all of the union demands. The union has been very transparent about this. One of MANY examples: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/08/20/pol-foreign-service-bad-faith-complaint-hearing.html
3. Student visas ALONE brought in $7.7 billion in 2012 (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/many-international-students-still-waiting-for-visas-to-study-in-canada/article13947335/). This doesn't include foreign workers visas or lost tax opportunities because family sponsorships are on hold.

Again, my question: what words do you hold for a government that refuses to pay $4.2 million over 4 years at the risk of losing a billion a year?

 

[orly]

1. The "student article" makes no argument based on figures (it does give an example with which you obviously disagree) but rather proposes that low paid foreign service workers are at a higher risk to succomb to corruption. You have yet to disprove his hypothesis and instead go for the easiest fallacy available to you, i.e. ad hominem. Here I will help because you are quick to criticize and seem to have difficulties to critique (http://www.voxeu.org/article/higher-government-wages-may-reduce-corruption).
2. $4.2 million is well quoted in all of the union demands. The union has been very transparent about this. One of MANY examples: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/08/20/pol-foreign-service-bad-faith-complaint-hearing.html
3. Student visas ALONE brought in $7.7 billion in 2012 (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/many-international-students-still-waiting-for-visas-to-study-in-canada/article13947335/). This doesn't include foreign workers visas or lost tax opportunities because family sponsorships are on hold.

Again, my question: what words do you hold for a government that refuses to pay $4.2 million over 4 years at the risk of losing a billion a year?

Thanks for your "help" with the article. By the way, did you actually read it yourself because I'm not sure you did. It doesn't support your idea at all.

Be interesting to see the results of this PAFSO strike. On the one hand people are arguing they're so small and "cheap" that it's not worth the hassle to fight the union demands. This does of course ignore the knock on effects which are conveniently forgotten when other unions crawl out of the woodwork. Or the effects on benefits, pensions and severance perhaps decades hence which are always linked to wages. It ignores that the $4m is $4m forever. Not just 4 years as you try to suggest. You're living in the clouds if you think it's somehow "temporary". Such stewardship of the public purse is what has essentially bankrupted much of the western world.

On the other hand apparently they're so mighty that it's costing the country billions of dollars and grinding visa applications to a halt. Which isn't true...at least in London where there has been essentially no discernible difference in processing. They're just going as slow as they have been for the past few years (a point I made pages ago). Such sluggishness on the whole is the last section that needs rewarded with a pay bump. I suspect it's a similar situation elsewhere regardless of the location or visa type - they're going at the same similar, inefficient, pace as previous. This is where the government has the real duty - to make the system clearer and fast. This is obviously not on the Unions radar...they care little about the efficiency of what they do but care greatly how much they are remunerated for administering it. I'll see if there is ever a strike, from any union, campaigning for a better system for the people using the service. Tip: Don't hold your breath.

The government, probably correctly, has done the math here and figures it can wait it out. I get the feeling they are right.

 

[costaudjoe]

Thanks for your "help" with the article. By the way, did you actually read it yourself because I'm not sure you did. It doesn't support your idea at all.

Ummmm I specifically chose it for you kinda hoping you could put forward an argument based on empirical research ;-)

We will have to agree to disagree on the reasoning behind the government refusing to come to the table.

Cheers!