A demonstration against the Phoenix pay system organized by the Public Service Alliance of Canada union. iPolitics/Matthew Usherwood

The largest federal union is ramping up pressure on the Trudeau government to pay damages to Canada’s public servants, while new polling shows employees are giving up career opportunities, suffering mental stress and facing financial hardship because of Phoenix foul-ups with their pay.

A survey by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) found 82 per cent of its members have somehow been affected by Phoenix. Of those, 18 per cent reported great hardship; 76 per cent claimed mental health impacts and half made career choices — such as refusing transfers, promotions or acting positions — to avoid botching their pay.

“Phoenix has clearly had a devastating effect on the mental health and well-being of federal public service workers,” said PSAC President Robyn Benson.

“Employees deserve compensation for the stress and anguish Phoenix has caused for more than two years, as well as the time they have spent dealing with their pay problems.”

Benson said the survey, which comes on the heels of the 2017 Public Service Employees Survey, provides evidence for unions’ demands for damages to compensate bureaucrats for two years of Phoenix bungles.

Union and government officials have been quietly negotiating for 14 months. The federal budget signalled their willingness to negotiate “to address the real mental and emotional stress and unacceptable financial impacts on public servants.”

Benson, who leaves as PSAC president within a month, feels a settlement is close.

“It was put in the budget so I believe they are going to negotiate something with all the unions,” she said.

“It’s not as close as I would like because … I would like it finalized before I leave … but I am hopeful and optimistic.”

Benson splits blame between the former Conservative government, which launched Phoenix and laid off 700 compensation advisers to save money, and the Liberals for pulling the switch over the objections of unions.

If the government doesn’t compensate its employees, unions will be forced “to do what they have to do.”

“The surveys clearly articulate that our members are under stress and angst and their mental health has been affected. No ifs and or buts about it – and they are putting their careers on hold, which to me is just wrong,” said Benson.

The surveys revealed few surprises, but they flesh out the kind and extent of hardship people are suffering — information unions need in coming up with a damage settlement.

PSAC’s online survey, conducted by Environics, was answered by 2,035 of its members in February at the time of Phoenix’s second anniversary. It included a broad sampling of public servants from all regions and departments.

The survey found almost everyone knows someone, whether a friend, family or colleague who have faced Phoenix problems.

About 92 per cent of those who had a problem say they were stressed or anxious; 31 per cent reported “a lot of stress and anxiety;” 32 per cent had “some” stress and 29 per cent had “a bit of stress.” Only eight per cent reported no stress at all.

And 76 per cent felt that Phoenix was having a ‘negative’ impact on their mental health. That ranged from 23 per cent who said it was “major negative effect” to 54 per cent who felt they faced “some” negative impact.

Those with Phoenix problems also felt it negatively affected their personal lives and ability to work in varying degrees.

The Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) questioned workers about stress and found pay and compensation were the highest rated stress factors. About 34 per cent said pay was a predominant cause of stress, topping the 32 per cent who cited not enough people to do the work and 26 per cent who blamed a heavy workload.

Also, one in five described their work-related stress as high or very high and 29 per cent say they “feel emotionally drained” at the end of the day.

The PSES survey also found public servants were spending hours or days of their own time trying to resolve Phoenix pay issues. Nearly half spent up to nine hours while 14 per cent lost more than 40 hours trying to fix their pay cheques.

Benson said the PSAC survey confirmed what unions long suspected but had little evidence – people putting their careers on hold while Phoenix is being sorted out.

Employees long complained about the delays in transfers or promotions, waiting months for their pay cheques to catch up with the move. Unions argued a growing number were refusing to take new positons, move to another department or even take parental leave for fear a change that could botching their pay.

The survey found 25 per cent of respondents said they put off transfers or delay new job opportunities. A similar proportion avoided asking for leave; 20 per cent refused acting assignments and six per cent delayed retirement.

“How ridiculous is that,” said Benson. “No one wants to do anything that would disrupt their pay so the best and brightest are being stymied because the government went ahead with Phoenix.”

The type of problems people reported varied but getting overpaid; underpaid or not paid at all at some point topped the list. More than half did not receive entitlements they were owed; 40 per cent were underpaid for one or more pay period; 31 per cent were overpaid and 22 per cent were not paid at all for one or more pay periods.

Benson refused to reveal the amount of damages requested or how employees should be otherwise compensated – in time, money or a combination of both. A sub-committee of the joint Union Management Consultation Committee is leading the talks.

It’s unclear whether the two sides are looking at a one-size-fits all approach to damages or a solution targeted at those who faced financial hardship or ruin. Benson noted, however, that the longer Phoenix drags on, the more people will be affected.

Part of the battle is in the court of public opinion. Many Canadians have sympathy with public servants not getting paid properly, but it’s unclear how much damage taxpayers are willing to foot for a fiasco that has already cost more than $1 billion.

Unions are also waging a battle for damages on the legal front at the Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board, which is sorting through complaints and piles of grievances.

In a separate case, a Quebec law firm unsuccessfully tried to launch a class action suit of federal employees against the government for damages. The Public Sector Labour Relations Act prevents unionized public servants from suing the government because they can file grievances for redress.

The court rejected the law firm’s argument that the Phoenix debacle was so unusual that the legislation should be disregarded. Non-unionized employees, however, can launch a class action suit.

The government, which is obligated to pay employee, has repeatedly apologized for the pay crisis and never disputed the stress and upheaval Phoenix had caused. A big problem is negotiating a settlement is it is unclear how long the problem will drag on before the fickle Phoenix is fixed.

BY THE NUMBERS

PSAC survey

82 per cent of PSAC members pay affected by Phoenix

18 per cent report great hardship

76 per cent said ‘negative’ impacts to their mental health

50 per cent affected said it has shaped their work choices; 25 per cent delayed transfers or pursuing new opportunities and 24 per cent didn’t take leave

Public Service Employee Survey 2017

66 per cent said the pay affected by Phoenix

22 per cent reported missing pay

34 per cent are underpaid

18 per cent are overpaid

93 per cent spent hours or days trying to fix their pay

14 per cent spent more than 40 hours resolving pay