NEW DELHI - 2013 APPLICANTS.

[zormas]

when is the deadline for their statement?

I dont think there is any deadline for their statement...but it should be today or maybe tomorrow..since Tony clement has already given his statement.

So it really is upto PAFSO now...hope for the best!

 

[zormas]

Michelle Zilio ‏@MichelleZilio 53s

PAFSO says it appreciates the government’s attempt at finding a resolution to this dispute and remains hopeful. #dipstrike #cdnpoli


Michelle Zilio ‏@MichelleZilio 30s

"Until agreement is reached, there will be no change in PAFSO’s job action measures," says the union. #cdnpoli #dipstrike



I have no idea what is that suppose to mean....is PAFSO playing hard ? i think a little..yes.

 

[zormas]

Im sorry to break this news but the wait will have to go on ...selfish pricks!!!!

Michelle Zilio ‏@MichelleZilio 48s

So basically, until arbitration process is over, picketing/rotating strikes will continue. Bad news for visa applicants. #cdnpoli #dipstrike

 

[skas13]

Im sorry to break this news but the wait will have to go on ...selfish pricks!!!!

Michelle Zilio ‏ @ MichelleZilio 48s

So basically, until arbitration process is over, picketing/rotating strikes will continue. Bad news for visa applicants. #cdnpoli #dipstrike

Bad news: Michelle Zilio ‏@MichelleZilio 3m

"Until agreement is reached, there will be no change in PAFSO’s job action measures," says the union. #cdnpoli #dipstrike


I thought that as a sign of good faith, PAFSO would send officers back to work!! I'm disappointed.

 

[VB20]

Im sorry to break this news but the wait will have to go on ...selfish pricks!!!!

Michelle Zilio ‏ @ MichelleZilio 48s

So basically, until arbitration process is over, picketing/rotating strikes will continue. Bad news for visa applicants. #cdnpoli #dipstrike

I knew it!! these Jerks will defiantly find some or the other excuse to delay the process of ending strike..

 

[skas13]

Michelle Zilio ‏@MichelleZilio 4m

So basically, until arbitration process is over, picketing/rotating strikes will continue. Bad news for visa applicants. #cdnpoli #dipstrike

BOO!!!

 

[JN 009]

This is ridiculous from PAFSO.

They will loose public sympathy with such kind of attitude and by continuing the strike.

Heart breaking.........

 

[RD.NewDelhi]

This is ridiculous from PAFSO.

They will loose public sympathy with such kind of attitude and by continuing the strike.

Heart breaking.........

True -- totally Gutted!!!

 

[zormas]

This is ridiculous from PAFSO.

They will loose public sympathy with such kind of attitude and by continuing the strike.

Heart breaking.........

Honestly...i dont think either of these Parties care about emotions or public reaction ..they are only interested in 1 thing....and that is $$$ !

Not sure when this arbitration process will end. Both these parties have to agree on the result of arbitration process...so god knows how long thats gonna take.

 

[skas13]

True -- totally Gutted!!!

Now we need to flood the PAFSO Twitter sight and webpage, ball is in their court. Government has shown their good faith. It's PAFSO's time. Hopefully third party arbitration leads to a swift and fair decision.

 

[zormas]

Now we need to flood the PAFSO Twitter sight and webpage, ball is in their court. Government has shows their good face. It's PAFSO's time. Hopefully third party arbitration leads to a swift and fair decision.

Agreed. People need to flood their facebook pages and tweets.....this is really F***kd up from PAFSOs side.

If they truly cared about the people..they could have Resumed work until the arbitration process was over...but who r we kidding? these guys dont give a sh***t about anyone..

 

[simram]

Full ipolitics.ca article:

Treasury Board has agreed to enter into binding arbitration to end a controversial strike by Canada's foreign service officers, but not without conditions.

After nearly two months of picketing outside government offices around the world, the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers (PAFSO) requested the government enter into third-party binding arbitration last week. The union's offer was set to expire Tuesday at noon.

In a statement Tuesday, moments before noon, Treasury Board President Tony Clement said the government is willing to enter into arbitration, “under certain conditions.” However, those conditions will not be made public as they are subject to negotiation confidence, he said.

“We will continue to bargain in good faith and we appreciate the bargaining agent's efforts at finding a resolution to the strike,” said Clement. “Our goal is to have diplomatic, consular and other services to Canadians fully restored as quickly as possible.”

PAFSO did not respond to Clement's statement at time of publication Tuesday.

PAFSO, which represents 1,350 non-executive-level Canadian diplomats, has been in a legal strike position since April 2 and without contract since June 2011. The union is demanding equal pay for equal work because some junior diplomats earn up to $14,000 less than colleagues doing the same work in Ottawa.

Hundreds of PAFSO members have been picketing outside of government offices, including major embassies, around the world over the past two months. Members have also been participating in rotating strikes aimed at missions and sections where job action will have the strongest impact.

“Over the summer, we are going to be targeting mainly visa and immigration processing because this is the peak season for those files, whereas the political and trade diplomatic calendar slows down over the summer,” Edwards told iPolitics.

As Treasury Board and PAFSO attempt to come to an agreement, the effects of the strike are being felt around the world. According to Edwards, visa issuance has been heavily impacted, especially in major processing centres such as Beijing, Delhi, Manila, Mexico City. He said targeted missions have seen a 60 to 65 per cent drop in visa issuance and a 25 per cent drop system wide.

Although PAFSO has been in informal contact at the official level with Treasury Board, with whom it is negotiating the contract, Edwards said the union has not officially sat down with the government since June 5.

Treasury Board has said it believes PAFSO members have been presented with a fair offer — something Clement maintained in his statement Tuesday.

In prior statements, Treasury Board has highlighted some of the perks, known as Foreign Service Directives, PAFSO members are entitled. These include a reimbursement of up to 50 per cent for dry cleaning expenses, the shipment of personal vehicles and household items such as furniture to the diplomat's posting, and a foreign service incentive allowance recognizing the challenges associated with living abroad. Treasury Board said it invests $126 million a year in said Foreign Service Directives, most of which is dedicated to PAFSO members.

But the union has said Treasury Board's reference to the Foreign Service Directives is irrelevant to the negotiations currently at stake, which are focused on issues of pay.

If the strike continues into the fall, Edwards said the government can expect to feel the impact during every ministerial trip abroad.

“Any cabinet minister that travels abroad can expect that in any location that they visit.”

It is not clear whether rotating strikes will continue during arbitration.


Official statement:


The Government of Canada has presented the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers an offer that is fair and reasonable to both employees and taxpayers.

Last week, the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers requested the Government enter into binding arbitration to end the union's strike. The Government is willing to enter into arbitration, subject to certain conditions.

These conditions are subject to negotiation confidence and cannot be shared publicly. We will continue to bargain in good faith and we appreciate the bargaining agent's efforts at finding a resolution to the strike.

It is important to note that Foreign Service Officers have unique jobs that cannot be compared to others. These jobs are substantively different from public service lawyers, economists or commerce officers. The Foreign Service also has no recruitment or retention issues.

Our goal is to have diplomatic, consular and other services to Canadians fully restored as quickly as possible. We continue to take steps to ensure the timely processing of visas.

 

[dhami_u]

Im sorry to break this news but the wait will have to go on ...selfish pricks!!!!

Michelle Zilio ‏ @ MichelleZilio 48s

So basically, until arbitration process is over, picketing/rotating strikes will continue. Bad news for visa applicants. #cdnpoli #dipstrike

i don't think she enough facts to say that until arbitration is over they will not work. During arbitration yes they still remain on strike, but it would look good for them to work during this process. Everyone just relax take a deep breathe and wait until PAFSO releases an official statement. The conditions the government could be something PAFSO does not want either who knows?

We will have an answer shortly, have waited this long what's another few hours or a day for the official PAFSO statement.

 

[Harshiddhi005]

Can anyone give a complete idea of what is going on??

 

[drills]

Strike will be on till its resolved. Hope for arbitration this week or the next. i am very positive that it will be resolved
But dont expect them to get back to work before arbitration. I think first or second week of august everything will be normal.