L’analyse des conventions collectives de la fonction publique fédérale : une expérience Analysis of Federal Public Service Collective Agreements : An Experiment

Résumé

L'auteur examine quelques-unes des possibilités et limites de l'analyse des conventions collectives de nature statistique. Il se penche ensuite sur les caractéristiques générales des analyses de conventions collectives pour enfin présenter les particularités de l'expérience en cours concernant l'analyse des conventions collectives de la Fonction publique fédérale.

Abstract

Collective agreements analyses aim at presenting, usually in a statistical form, a systematic picture of benefits and working conditions which are found in collective agreements of a given sector. Individuals involved in the collective bargaining process who are using the data contained in contract analyses publications should observe caution when drawing conclusions with the data. It is important to note that labour contracts do not necessarily contain all agreements concluded by the parties; furthermore, the breakdown of their content into categories of clauses makes more difficult the interpretation of the benefits and working conditions as far as the proper content of the collective agreement isconcerned. All users of the data should also be aware that the systematicand concise form of presentation of the information requires decisions from theanalyst, which can determine to a certain extent the contents of the tables.

Publications usually report on the number and percent of agreements containingindividual provisions and the number and percent of employees covered by these agreements. Contracts are chosen according to varying sampling criteria. While some analyses are comprehensive studies of provisions found in agreements, others cover a choice of provisions sometimes selected after consultation with the parties to collective bargaining. The updating of these studies is desirable in order to maintain their usefulness.

The need for precise and actual information on the contents of collective agreements in the Federal Public Service induced the Pay Research Bureau to undertake the analysis of several provisions in Federal Public Service collective agreements. All agreements were analysed and the analysis was designed to reflect the context of the Federal Public Service. Here are the salient features of the study: the first part is a statistical analysis of several clauses which indicates the variations of these clauses contained in the agreements; most agreements are identified with a proper abbreviation; part two of the analysis gives the wording of several clauses grouped in different sections and compares the wording of these clauses within each section; again, the agreements in which the clauses are to be found are listed below each clause. A list of units analysed precedes the analysis, giving for each bargaining unit the category, the employer, the bargaining agent, the number of employees and the term of the agreement analysed in the document. Most bargaining units in the list are identified with a proper abbreviation.

The analysis of Federal Public Service collective agreements will improve with time. Its usefulness is constantly maintained by quarterly updating on the basis of new agreements signed in the Federal Public Service and made available to the Pay Research Bureau.