PEA Interest Arbitration Under Article 32.10 – Salary for Government Lawyers

Dear PEA members,

We’re pleased to report that the salary interest arbitration under Article 32.10 has officially concluded, with the final hearing dates held on June 2 and 3, 2025. After months of research, evidence gathering, and testimony preparation, we are confident in the strength and clarity of the case the Union presented.

As a reminder, interest arbitration is a rare but powerful provision in the PEA collective agreement that allows an independent arbitrator to set salary when a new classification joins the bargaining unit and no agreement on compensation can be reached. We now await a decision from Arbitrator Jim Dorsey, expected in July. Sincere thanks to all members who contributed to this process, especially those serving on the Government Lawyers Subchapter Executive and Transition Committee.

Implementation Issues Award – OSS and Vacation Carryover

On May 29, 2025, Arbitrator Dorsey issued an award addressing two implementation issues arising from the Transition Agreement: eligibility for retroactive OSS and vacation carryover limits. Read the Award.

Under the Transition Agreement, members who elected to receive their OSS entitlements as a cash payment were expecting payment by the end of June 2025. The Employer has since communicated to members that, pursuant to the Implementation Issues Award, all payments will now be made by the end of December. We are hopeful this is a miscommunication. The Union’s position remains that the December deadline applies only to members whose eligibility was previously in dispute, and that regular full-time employees whose entitlement was clear should receive their payment by the original June 2025 timeline, as set out in the Transition Agreement. Read the Agreement.

We will continue to engage with the Employer to ensure timely and accurate implementation and will keep members informed as this unfolds.

Melissa Moroz
Executive Director

Laura Jeffreys
Labour Relations Officer