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As a quasi-judicial statutory tribunal, the Board is independent of the government of the day. It is responsible to Parliament through a designated minister who is not a member of the Treasury Board. The designated minister is currently the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages.
The designated minister is responsible under the PSLRA for tabling the Board's Annual Report before Parliament each year and for signing documents required under the Financial Administration Act. The minister is also the line of communication with the Governor in Council for the purposes of making appointments to the Board.
* Section 53(1) of the PSLRA provides for the establishment of an advisory board responsible for the providing advice to the Chairperson with respect to compensation analysis and research services.
** The PSLRB has no direct involvement in the operations of the National Joint Council.
*** The number of Board Members is determined by the Governor in Council. Members may be appointed on a full-time or part-time basis.
Under an agreement with the Yukon government, the Board also administers the collective bargaining and grievance adjudication systems required by the Yukon Education Labour Relations Act and the Yukon Public Service Labour Relations Act. When performing those functions funded by the Yukon government, the Board acts as the Yukon Teachers Labour Relations Board and the Yukon Public Service Labour Relations Board, respectively.
As required by the PSLRA, the Board provides physical and administrative support services to the National Joint Council (NJC), an independent consultative body of employer and employee representatives. The NJC exists to facilitate consultation on, and the co-development of, policies and terms of employment that do not lend themselves to unit-by-unit bargaining. The Board houses the NJC but plays no direct role in its operation.
Under a three-year Memorandum of Agreement that started in 2005-2006, the Board provides the Public Service Staffing Tribunal with corporate services in the area of information technology, finance, compensation and library services.
The members of the Board are responsible for administering the PSLRA by conducting hearings throughout Canada and rendering decisions. They are appointed by the Governor in Council for terms of no longer than five years. They may be re-appointed any number of times.
The Board is made up of the Chairperson, up to three Vice-Chairpersons and additional full- and part-time members as required. The Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons and full-time Board members meet monthly to discuss questions of general interest to the operations of the Board and to determine matters related to policy.
Under the Board's governance structure, the Chairperson is the Board’s Chief Executive Officer and has overall responsibility for managing the Board. Each Vice-Chairperson has been delegated functional responsibility for one of the three components of the Board’s mandate–adjudication, mediation, and compensation analysis and research.
The Executive Committee is responsible for managing the resources allocated to the Board and for providing strategic direction and oversight to the management of the Board. It is composed of the Chairperson, the three Vice-Chairpersons, the Executive Director of the Board, and the directors of Registry Operations and Policy, Dispute Resolution Services, Compensation Analysis and Research, Corporate Services and Finance.
The Executive Director and General Counsel of the Board assists the Chairperson in the exercise of his functions and, subject to his direction, directs and supervises the day-to-day operations of the Board, the management of the Board’s internal affairs, and the work of persons employed by the Board.
The Board has put in place key elements to ensure good governance, management and accountability. These include an annual strategic plan that takes into account operational priorities, resources, key risks faced by the organization and expectations of key stakeholders, along with a Management Resources and Results Structure that supports well-defined and long-term program activity, a Results-based Management and Accountability Framework and a risk-based internal audit plan. The organization regularly updates these plans and monitors and reports its progress in achieving goals set out in them.
As a federal quasi-judicial tribunal operating in the area of labour relations, the Public Service Labour Relations Board is aligned to the “Government Affairs” Outcome area as set out in the government of Canada’s “whole of government framework.” The strategic outcome and program activity of the Board contribute to the smooth operation of the Government of Canada.
The Board projected $17.924 million in expenditures in its 2006-2007 Report on Plans and Priorities based upon the following funding:
The Board did not spend all of the funds allocated to it in the 2006-2007 budget and reprofiled an amount of $4.7 million to fiscal year 2007-2008 to ensure adequate funding to continue with its developmental work in the area of compensation surveys. Although the Board realized important progress to further strengthen its capacity to conduct compensation analysis and research, it did not deliver compensation data at the end of 2006-2007, as originally anticipated. It first needed to consult the parties on their compensation information requirements, negotiate cooperative or partnership agreements with provincial governments, staff positions, establish contractual arrangements with suppliers and implement the appropriate technology to manage the data. Considerable work was done in all these areas in the year under review but it did not incur the anticipated expenditures, hence resulting in lapsed appropriations in the Board’s operating budget. Lower than anticipated expenditures in the project to redesign the case management system and delays in staffing actions also contributed to the lapsed appropriations. It is important to note that the Board’s total authorities include $1.1 million for National Joint Council activities.
This section provides a summary of the Board’s financial performance. The tables included in this section show a comparison of four amounts: Main Estimates, Planned Spending, Total Authorities, and Actual. “Main Estimates” is the amount included in the Government’s 2006-2007 Main Estimates. “Planned Spending” is the amount included in the Board’s 2006-2007 Report on Plans and Priorities and indicates amounts planned at the beginning of the year. “Total Authorities” includes Main, Supplementary, and other Estimate amounts approved by Parliament and Treasury Board Secretariat. “Actual” shows what was actually spent.
The following financial tables apply to the Public Service Labour Relations Board:
This table offers a comparison of the Main Estimates, Planned Spending, Total Authorities, and Actual Spending for 2006-2007. It also provides historical figures for actual spending.
2004‑2005 Actual | 2005‑2006 Actual | 2006-2007 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Main Estimates | Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual | |||
Public Service Labour Relations Board | 8,956.9 | 9,549.2 | 17,924.0 | 17,924.0 | 18,173.0 | 10,407.3 |
Less: Non-respendable revenue | – | (0.1) | – | – | – | (30.5) |
Plus: Cost of services received without charge | 2,110.1 | 2,165.0 | – | 2,267.0 | 2,376.2 | 2,376.2 |
Net cost of the Board | 11,067.0 | 11,714.1 | 17,924.0 | 20,191.0 | 20,549.2 | 12,753.0 |
Full-Time Equivalents | 65 | 79 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 85 |
This table explains the way Parliament votes resources to the Board, including voted appropriations and statutory authorities.
Vote or Statutory Item | 2006-2007 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Main Estimates | Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual | ||
100 | Program expenditures | 17,073.0 | 17,073.0 | 17,179.0 | 9,382.8 |
(S) | Contribution to Employee Benefit Plan | 851.0 | 851.0 | 993.5 | 993.5 |
(S) | Crown Assets Surplus | – | – | 0.5 | 0.5 |
Total for the Board | 17,924.0 | 17,924.0 | 18,173.0 | 10,376.8 |
Note: Planned Spending is the amount included in the Board’s 2006-07 Reports on Plans and Priorities and indicates amounts planned at the beginning of the year.
2006-2007 | |
---|---|
Accommodation provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada | 1,940.6 |
Contributions covering employers’ share of employees’ insurance premiums and expenditures paid by Treasury Board of Canada | 435.6 |
Total 2006-2007 Services received without charge | 2,376.2 |
The Board follows the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) Travel Directive, Rates and Allowances, and the TBS Special Travel Authorities, with restrictions on the amount that can be claimed by Governor-in-Council (GIC) appointees for meals and accommodations.
These Financial Statements are prepared in accordance with accrual accounting principles. The unaudited supplementary information presented in the financial tables of this report is prepared on a modified cash basis of accounting in order to be consistent with appropriations-based reporting. Note 3 of the financial statements reconciles these two accounting methods.
Responsibility for the integrity and objectivity of the accompanying financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2007, and all information contained in this report rests with Board management. These statements have been prepared by management in accordance with Treasury Board accounting policies which are consistent with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles for the public sector, using management's best estimates and judgments where appropriate and gives due consideration to materiality.
Management is responsible for the integrity and objectivity of the information in these financial statements. To fulfill its accounting and reporting responsibilities, management maintains a set of accounts that provides a centralized record of the department’s financial transactions. Financial information submitted to the Public Accounts of Canada and included in the Board's Departmental Performance Report is consistent with these financial statements.
Management maintains a system of financial management and internal control designed to provide reasonable assurance that financial information is reliable, that assets are safeguarded and that transactions are in accordance with the Financial Administration Act, are executed in accordance with prescribed regulations, Board policies and statutory requirements, within Parliamentary authorities and are properly recorded to maintain accountability of Government funds. Management also seeks to ensure the objectivity and integrity of data in its financial statements by careful selection, training and development of qualified staff, by organizational arrangements that provide appropriate divisions of responsibility, and by communication programs aimed at ensuring that regulations, policies, standards and managerial authorities are understood throughout the Board.
The financial statements of the Board have not been audited.
2007 | 2006 | |
---|---|---|
OPERATING EXPENSES | ||
Salaries and employee benefits | 7,632,167 | 7,236,384 |
Accommodation | 1,940,601 | 1,711,274 |
Professional and special services | 1,446,666 | 1,232,290 |
Transportation and telecommunications | 576,643 | 604,352 |
Communication | 322,834 | 98,879 |
Rentals | 274,847 | 277,743 |
Acquisition of machinery and equipment | 253,510 | 314,462 |
Utilities, materials and supplies | 177,317 | 208,687 |
Amortization of tangible capital assets | 124,434 | 93,598 |
Repairs and maintenance | 23,230 | 136,688 |
Other operating expenses | 617 | 168 |
Total Expenses | 12,772,864 | 11,914,526 |
REVENUES | ||
Miscellaneous Revenues | 30,549 | 82 |
Total Revenues | 30,549 | 82 |
Net Cost of Operations | 12,742,315 | 11,914,444 |
The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.
2007 | 2006 | |
---|---|---|
ASSETS | ||
Financial assets | ||
Receivables from other federal government departments and agencies | 104,660 | 406,887 |
Advances | 1,000 | 1,000 |
Total financial assets | 105,660 | 407,887 |
Non-financial assets | ||
Tangible Capital Assets (Note 4) | 290,882 | 225,473 |
Total non-financial assets | 290,882 | 225,473 |
TOTAL | 396,542 | 633,360 |
LIABILITIES | ||
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | ||
Federal government departments and agencies | 239,539 | 7,331 |
Others | 1,043,457 | 749,560 |
Vacation pay and compensatory leave | 279,489 | 259,830 |
Employee severance benefits (Note 6) | 1,287,119 | 1,205,824 |
2,849,604 | 2,222,545 | |
EQUITY OF CANADA | (2,453,062) | (1,589,185) |
TOTAL | 396,542 | 633,360 |
Contingent liabilities (note 2(h))
The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.
2007 | 2006 | |
---|---|---|
Equity of Canada, beginning of year | (1,589,185) | (2,088,820) |
Net cost of operations | (12,742,315) | (11,914,444) |
Current year appropriations used (Note 3) | 10,376,817 | 9,549,246 |
Change in net position in the Consolidated Revenue Fund (Note 3) | (828,332) | 701,068 |
Revenue not available for spending | (30,549) | (82) |
Refund of previous year expenditures | (15,674) | (1,123) |
Services provided without charge by other government departments (Note 6) | 2,376,175 | 2,164,970 |
Equity of Canada, end of year | (2,453,062) | (1,589,185) |
The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.
Due to rounding, figures may not add to totals shown.
2007 | 2006 | |
---|---|---|
Operating Activities | ||
Net Cost of Operations | 12,742,315 | 11,914,444 |
Non-cash items: | ||
Amortization of tangible capital assets | (124,434) | (93,598) |
Services provided without charge by other government departments (Note 6) |
(2,376,175) | (2,164,970) |
Variations in Statement of Financial position: | ||
Increase (decrease) in accounts receivable and advances | (302,227) | 208,032 |
(Increase) decrease in liabilities | (627,059) | 299,154 |
Cash used by operating activities | 9,312,420 | 10,163,062 |
Capital Investment Activities | ||
Acquisitions of tangible capital assets | 189,842 | 86,047 |
Cash used by capital investment activities | 189,842 | 86,047 |
Financing Activities | ||
Net cash provided by Government of Canada | (9,502,262) | (10,249,109) |
The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.
The mandate of the Public Service Labour Relations Board (the Board), established in 2005 by the enactment of the Public Service Labour Relations Act and successor to the former Public Service Staff Relations Board established in 1967, is to effectively and efficiently administer the systems of collective bargaining and grievance adjudication established under the Public Service Labour Relations Act and the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act, as well as certain provisions of Part II of the Canada Labour Code concerning occupational safety and health applicable to employees in the Public Service. The Board also administers the Yukon Public Service Labour Relations Act and the Yukon Education Labour Relations Act.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Treasury Board accounting policies which are consistent with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles for the public sector.
Significant accounting policies are as follows:
Asset Class | Amortization Period |
---|---|
Furniture and equipment | 5 years |
Informatics hardware and software | 3 years |
The Board receives its funding through annual Parliamentary appropriations. Items recognized in the statement of operations and the statement of financial position in one year may be funded through Parliamentary appropriations in prior, current or future years. Accordingly, the Board has different net results of operations for the year on a government funding basis than on an accrual accounting basis. The differences are reconciled in the following tables:
2007 | 2006 | |
---|---|---|
Net cost of operations | 12,742,315 | 11,914,444 |
Adjustments for items affecting net cost of operations but not affecting appropriations: | ||
Add (Less): | ||
Services provided without charge | (2,376,175) | (2,164,970) |
Increase in employee severance benefit liability | (81,295) | (171,842) |
Amortization of tangible capital assets | (124,434) | (93,598) |
Revenue not available for spending | 30,549 | 82 |
Increase in vacation pay and compensatory leave liability | (19,659) | (22,040) |
Refunds of prior years' expenditures | 15,674 | 1,123 |
10,186,975 | 9,463,199 | |
Adjustments for items not affecting net cost of operations but affecting appropriations | ||
Add (Less): | ||
Acquisition of tangible capital assets | 189,842 | 86,047 |
Current year appropriations used | 10,376,817 | 9,549,246 |
2007 | 2006 | |
---|---|---|
Vote 100 — Operating expenditures | 17,073,000 | 9,269,000 |
Transfer from Treasury Board - Vote 15 | 106,000 | - |
Contributions to employee benefit plan | 993,528 | 998,975 |
Disposal of surplus of Crown assets | 472 | 142 |
Less: | ||
Appropriations available for future years | - | (67) |
Lapsed appropriations: Operating | (7,796,183) | (718,804) |
Current year appropriations used | 10,376,817 | 9,549,246 |
2007 | 2006 | |
---|---|---|
Net cash provided by Government | 9,502,262 | 10,249,109 |
Revenue not available for spending | 30,549 | 82 |
Refunds of prior years' expenditures | 15,674 | 1,123 |
Change in net position in the Consolidated Revenue Fund | ||
Variation in accounts receivable and advances | 302,227 | (208,032) |
Variation in accounts payable and accrued liabilities | 526,105 | (493,036) |
828,332 | (701,068) | |
Current year appropriations used | 10,376,817 | 9,549,246 |
Cost | Accumulated amortization |
2007 | 2006 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Capital asset class | Opening balance | Acquisitions | Closing Balance | Opening balance | Amorti-zation | Closing Balance | Net book value | Net book value | ||
Informatics Hardware and Software | 895,978 | 189,842 | 1,085,820 | 684,203 | 118,682 | 802,885 | 282,935 | 211,774 | ||
Furniture and equipment | 84,605 | - | 84,605 | 70,906 | 5,752 | 76,658 | 7,947 | 13,699 | ||
Total | 980,583 | 189,842 | 1,170,425 | 755,109 | 124,434 | 879,543 | 290,882 | 225,473 |
(a) Pension benefits: The Board's employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan, which is sponsored and administered by the Government of Canada. Pension benefits accrue up to a maximum period of 35 years at a rate of 2 percent per year of pensionable service, times the average of the best five consecutive years of earnings. The benefits are integrated with Canada/Quebec Pension Plans benefits and they are indexed to inflation.
Both the employees and the Board contribute to the cost of the Plan. The 2006-07 expense amounts to $279,091 ($240,665 in 2005-06), which represents approximately 2.2 times (2.6 times in 2005-06) the contributions by employees.
The Board's responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficiencies are recognized in the financial statements of the Government of Canada, as the Plan's sponsor.
(b) Severance benefits: The Board provides severance benefits to its employees based on eligibility, years of service and final salary. These severance benefits are not pre-funded. Benefits will be paid from future appropriations. Information about the severance benefits, measured as at March 31, is as follows:
Employee benefits (in dollars) | 2007 | 2006 |
---|---|---|
Accrued benefit obligation, beginning of year | 1,205,824 | 1,033,982 |
Expense for the year | 279,091 | 240,665 |
Benefits paid during the year | (197,796) | (68,823) |
Accrued benefit obligation, end of year | 1,287,119 | 1,205,824 |
The Board is related as a result of common ownership to all Government of Canada departments, agencies, and Crown corporations. The Board enters into transactions with these entities in the normal course of business and on normal trade terms. Also, during the year, the Board received services which were obtained without charge from other Government departments as presented in part (a).
Services provided without charge (in dollars) | 2007 | 2006 |
---|---|---|
Accommodation | 1,940,601 | 1,711,274 |
Treasury Board's contribution to the health and dental insurance plans | 435,574 | 447,669 |
Legal services | 6,027 | |
Total | 2,376,175 | 2,164,970 |
The Government has structured some of its administrative activities for efficiency and cost-effectiveness purposes so that one department performs these on behalf of all without charge. The costs of these services, which include payroll and cheque issuance services provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada, are not included as an expense in the Board’s Statement of Operations.
Carried over | Rec'd in 2006-07 | Total | Closed in 2006-07 (includes cases settled, withdrawn and decided) | Carried forward to 2007-081 | Decisions/ Orders2 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grievances | 3960 | 1251 | 5211 | 2219 | 2992 | 94 | |
Complaints | |||||||
Unfair labour practices | 76 | 50 | 126 | 37 | 89 | 12 | |
Canada Labour Code cases | 25 | 5 | 30 | 12 | 18 | 1 | |
Applications | |||||||
Certifications | 9 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 2 | |
Revocations of certification | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
Determination of successor rights | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
Determination of management and confidential positions | 133 | 273 | 406 | 342 | 64 | 149 | |
Designation of essential positions | 6 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | |
Review of Board decisions | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
Requests for extension of time | 22 | 107 | 129 | 6 | 123 | 2 | |
Other (including filing Board’s orders) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Total Cases | 4235 | 1693 | 5928 | 2636 | 3292 | 262 |
Notes:
Decisions rendered1 | Applications | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number | Withdrawn | Dismissed | Allowed | Pending2 | Appeals pending3 | ||
YEAR 1 (April 1, 2002, to March 31, 2003) |
101 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
YEAR 2 (April 1, 2003, to March 31, 2004) |
108 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
YEAR 3 (April 1, 2004, to March 31, 2005) |
189 | 19 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
YEAR 4 (April 1, 2005, to March 31, 2006) |
173 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
YEAR 5 (April 1, 2006, to March 31, 2007) |
116 | 25 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
TOTAL | 687 | 84 | 21 | 32 | 10 | 21 | 0 |
Note: The figures for the last four fiscal years are not final, as not all the judicial review applications filed in those years have made their way through the Court system.
Arbitration Boards | ||
Carried over from previous year | 3 | |
Received in 2006-2007 | 9 | |
Total cases | 12 | |
Settlements | 1 | |
Arbitral awards | 7 | |
Carried forward to 2007-2008 | 4 | |
Requests for Mediator | ||
Carried over from previous year | 2 | |
Received in 2006-2007 | 5 | |
Total cases | 7 | |
Settlements | 4 | |
Mediators’ reports | 2 | |
Carried forward to 2007-2008 | 1 | |
Conciliation Boards / Public Interest Commissions | ||
Carried over from previous year | 2 | |
Received in 2006-2007 | 0 | |
Total cases | 2 | |
Settlements | 2 | |
Conciliation board reports | 0 | |
Carried forward to 2007-2008 | 0 |
Mailing address: | Public Service Labour Relations Board P.O. Box 1525, Station B Ottawa, Canada K1P 5V2 |
Telephone: | 613-990-1800 |
Fax - General: | 613-990-1849 |
Fax - Registry Operations and Policy: | 613-990-3927 |
Fax - Dispute Resolution Services: | 613-990-6685 |
Website: | www.pslrb-crtfp.gc.ca |
Email address: | Mail.courrier@pslrb-crtfp.gc.ca |