As mentioned in previous communications, I, as your AJC President, co-chair the Subcommittee on Phoenix Damages. I am pleased to announce that the parties have come to a tentative agreement.

In our December 3rd update we indicated that we did not yet know when the collective agreement retroactive payments would be processed but would let you know as soon as we heard.

As we near our eighth month, we are all acutely aware that we still do not have a decision on the issues raised during our conciliation hearing.

Late last week, a subcommittee of federal public service unions and employer representatives reached a tentative agreement to provide damages to public service workers in light of the ongoing Phoenix payroll debacle.

We have been advised that 20.6% of the PPSC population received "Exceeds" ratings and that the percentages will remain the same as last year for those already at the top of the range. This means 4.3% for "Meets" and 6.5% for "Exceeds".

You will recall that when the Collective Agreement retroactive pay implementation was being finalized, retroactive adjustments to Performance Pay paid in previous years were not done.

The Government of Ontario announced in its April 2019 budget that Legal Aid Ontario would see a 30% cut in funding retroactive to April 1, 2019.

Last week, the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs presented its report on Bill C-75, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and other Acts and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.

Many members have received the T1198 Qualifying Retroactive Lump Sum Payment (QRLSP) form from PSPC relating to having payouts received as part of the conciliation award taxes as if they had been earned in prior years.

As your AJC President and co-chair the Subcommittee on Phoenix Damages, I am pleased to announce that leave banks for the first phase of the Phoenix Damages Settlement for LP's working at DOJ and PPSC should be credited next week.

Your Negotiations Team is pleased to report that we have reached a tentative agreement with the Employer.

On Friday August 9, 2019, AJC members ratified a new collective agreement with their employer, putting an end to the bargaining process until 2022.

Despite assurances we received in June from the CRA that unsigned T-1198 forms with a typed entry on the signature line of "Pay Administration Branch - PSPC" would be accepted, acceptance of such forms by the CRA has been inconsistent.

As indicated in our October newsletter, the updated rates of pay for AJC members were initiated the week of November 13, 2019.

The AJC Negotiations Team (NT) has been very busy since filing our Notice to Bargain. Here's what you need to know