Message from the President on the Government Parking Policy

Click here to download the poster (pdf). You can obtain a poster by contacting Rachel Blouin in the Communications Section at rblouin@pipsc.ca.

The Professional Institute has serious concerns about the government’s new Parking Policy as initiated by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) for implementation across most federal departments and agencies. We are concerned that a significant number of members will experience unjustified steep increases in parking rates which outweigh the very limited gains at the bargaining table. We are also very concerned about the lack of accommodation for persons with disabilities.

Months ago, I wrote to the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), expressing the Institute’s concerns and calling on him to consult with the public service unions prior to launching any implementation initiative. I acknowledge that some consultation has occurred, but much remains to be done.

It is incumbent upon PWGSC and other federal departments to make a compelling and transparent case for the fair market value they propose. If not, they can expect substantial push-back and much time will be lost. We are willing to take whatever steps are necessary to get our message through to the employer.

I encourage members to contact their local steward to discover the recourse mechanisms available to them.

We have developed a poster for members to display in their workplace bulletin boards to focus their attention on this issue and to join together in solidarity to act. This poster can be downloaded from this web page or requested through rblouin@pipsc.ca.

Watch this web page for future developments.

Gary Corbett
President