25 June 2013 - The Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers will picket the Prime Minister’s Office
Members of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers (PAFSO) will hold a picket on Tuesday, June 25, 2013 from 11:30 to 1:00 p.m. in front of the Prime Minister’s office at the Langevin Block, on Wellington Street between Elgin & Metcalfe. Mr. Tim Edwards, president of PAFSO, will be available for media interviews.
"This picket is meant to stress to the Prime Minister our deep frustration with the Government’s lack of meaningful engagement in contract negotiations," said Mr. Edwards. “Resolving this situation would cost less than 2.5% of the total Foreign Service payroll – a tiny fraction of the continuing economic fallout which the Government's inflexibility is creating.”
The main issue at hand remains PAFSO's request for equal pay for equal work. Specifically, Foreign Service officers are subjected to a series of unfair wage gaps compared to other federal professionals performing similar or identical work. These include economists, commerce officers, policy analysts, and lawyers. PAFSO members have been without a contract since 2011 – this despite conceding to the Government’s two key demands in January 2013.
As part of PAFSO’s on-going job action, select members have this week withdrawn their services at Canada’s missions in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Jakarta, Bangkok and Washington. In addition, visa and immigration officers have withdrawn their services at missions in Delhi, Chandigarh, Bogota, and Sao Paolo.
"The Government's refusal to update a pay offer which has been on the table for 20 months has forced us to escalate job action measures to a level unprecedented in PAFSO’s 46-year history,” added Mr. Edwards. “We will keep up the pressure until the Government recognizes the tremendous value and dedication Foreign Service officers offer to Canada’s taxpayers and elected representatives."
