National Labour - Management Consultation Committee (NLMCC)

Terms of Reference (unsigned)

National Labour-Management Consultation Committee (NLMCC)

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
(Includes Service Canada and the Labour Program)

Terms of Reference

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The mandate of the National Labour-Management Consultation Committee (NLMCC) is to provide a forum for meaningful and timely consultation on strategic direction and issues of importance to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) and its employees, in order to improve communication, develop trust, and build a sense of common purpose between management and Union representatives. Consultation is based on full and timely disclosure to the utmost possible extent, of contemplated actions by both parties. Such consultation ensures that the views of management and employee representatives are obtained and the careful consideration is given to these views before making decisions.

The Committee will be guided by the Department’s Union-Management Consultation Framework and these Terms of Reference (TOR). In doing so, it will strive to promote the well-being and efficiency of employee/members to the end that the people of Canada will be well and efficiently served. 

ACTIVITIES

The Committee will:

  • Share information on plans, policies, new programs and change initiatives;
  • Discuss the impact(s) of planned changes;
  • Identify challenges related to implementation, and possible solutions;
  • Discuss issues of general concern to managers and/or employees;
  • Seek ways to co-operate to improve the quality of the workplace and of service to the public; and
  • Create joint working groups and sub-committees as necessary to support mutual goals.

This list is not inclusive; the Committee may undertake other activities that support the overall goals of Union-Management consultation.

The Committee has no authority to amend any provision of collective agreements or regulations affecting employees’ terms and conditions of employment. This does not mean that such topics cannot be discussed. The specific details of individual cases shall not be subject to consultation, but matters of national significance may be discussed.

COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE

The Committee will be composed of Union and Management representatives.

The NLMCC – RHSDC meetings will be co-chaired by the National President of the Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU) and the Deputy Minister of HRSDC.  The Senior Associate Deputy Minister and Chief Operating Officer for Service Canada will be Vice Co-Chair on the Committee. 

Union representatives from the two Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) components (the National Component and the Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU), the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE), the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) and the Association of Canadian Financial Officers (ACFO) will appoint their own members for the Committee.

Management will be represented by Senior Managers (Assistant Deputy Ministers, etc.) representing the different business lines of HRSDC. There will be no sub-delegation of Management representation. Under special circumstances, alternates may sit in the absence of designated members; however, Co-Chairs will advise their counterpart when such will be the case.

Unions will be represented by national-level Union executives, staff or alternates appointed from within each bargaining unit, representative of the five groups that represent the employee population of HRSDC. It is understood that Union representatives present at the Committee meetings have full authority to speak on behalf of their Union and the members that they represent.

By mutual agreement of the Co-Chairs, additional persons may attend meetings as observers or for the purpose of providing a presentation to the Committee.

NLMCC MEMBERSHIP

Unions and Management will appoint their own representatives to the Committee.

Union Co-Chair: National President of the CEIU

Management Co-Chair: Deputy Minister (DM) of HRSDC

Management Vice Co-Chair: Senior Associate DM and Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Service Canada

Union Members: Representatives (maximum of two) from each of the five Unions representing employees of HRSDC:

  • Association of Canadian Financial Officers (ACFO)
  • Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE)
  • Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU) – PSAC
  • National Component – Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)
  • Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC)

Management Members:

  • DM of HRSDC (or designate)
  • Senior Associate DM of HRSDC and COO for Service Canada (or designate)
  • DM of Labour Program (or designate)
  • Chief Financial Officer (CFOB)
  • ADM, Human Resources Services Branch (HRSB)
  • Chief Information Officer (IITB)
  • Associate ADM, Skills and Employment Branch (SEB)
  • Associate ADM, Strategic Policy and Research Branch (SPRB)
  • ADM, Program Operations Branch (POB)
  • ADM, Public Affairs and Stakeholder Relations Branch (PASRB)
  • ADM, Learning Branch (LB)
  • Senior ADM, Income Security and Social Development Branch (ISSDB)
  • Senior ADM, Service Management Branch (SMB) – Service Canada
  • ADM, Processing and Payment Services (PPS) – Service Canada
  • ADM, Integrity Services (IS) – Service Canada
  • ADM, Citizen Service (CS) – Service Canada
  • ADM, Labour, and Head of Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service – Labour Program
  • ADM, Compliance, Operations and Program Development – Labour Program

Human Resources:

  • Director General, HR Centres of Expertise (HRSB)
  • Director, Corporate Labour Relations (HRSB)

FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS

At least twice per year or more frequently at the call of the Co-Chairs, be they formal or informal.

LOCATION AND TIME OF MEETINGS

Meetings will be held during regular working hours on the employer’s premises, at a date and time determined by mutual agreement of the Co-Chairs. Videoconference or teleconference arrangements will be made for representatives unable to attend the session in person.

SECRETARIAT SUPPORT

Secretariat support will be provided by Management. The Secretariat will prepare and distribute the agenda, distribute meeting materials and supporting documents, record minutes, arrange for translation and post/distribute the minutes (in both official languages) as approved by the Co-Chairs. Every effort will be made to provide the meeting agenda (and supporting documentation if available) at a minimum four business days in advance of the meeting.

COMMITTEE PROCEDURES

  • The meetings will be chaired by the Management Co-Chair and the Union Co-Chair on a rotational basis, and conducted in accordance with the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) Policy on Official Languages.

  • Committee Members who submit agenda items to the Secretariat will also provide explanatory notes and pertinent documentation. The final agenda for the meeting will be approved by the Co-Chairs and distributed in advance of each meeting, along with any background material. The agenda and all related documentation will be produced in both official languages in accordance with the TBS Policy on Official Languages. Items may subsequently be added to the agenda with mutual consent of the Co-Chairs.

  • The Committee will deal with issues of its choosing as well as those referred to it by the Regional Union-Management Consultation Committee (RUMCC). Human resources related topics should be referred to and addressed by the Human Resources Union-Management Consultation Committee (HRUMCC).

  • The Committee may appoint joint sub-committees, as necessary, to assist in carrying out its functions. These sub-committees may be established in accordance with the co-development principles as outlined in the Public Service Labour Relations Act (PSLRA). All sub-committees will report back to the HRSDC - NLMCC.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Open dialogue will be conducted in a respectful and professional manner without fear of reprisal. Each party recognizes the vital role of the other and is committed to invest the time and effort to encourage the sharing of information in this forum. Committee Members will adhere to the principles of respect, trust, honesty, openness and partnership when interacting with one another.

CONSULTATION

  • Consultation is a constructive exercise to promote understanding and problem solving between Management and the employee representatives. This means sharing information and seeking opinions and advice from those affected by the decision.

  • Consultation must be real. It must be done in the early stages, at the inception of the idea. It must be done before ideas are set in individual’s minds and before implementation plans are started. Both parties must be part of the planning, be partners in developing options and in analyzing the situation, assessing advantages and disadvantages and recommending specific actions.

  • Consultation is predicated on the willingness to listen to the other and a determination to find mutually acceptable solutions to problems identified.

  • Consultation does not remove Management’s right to manage. It does not diminish the authority of either party or restrict the ability to make decisions and take required actions.

  • Consultation means Management values the insight and opinions of their staff and of their staff’s chosen representatives. Any exchange of views, which leads to a more informed decision, is productive for all parties.