PSAC members protest Phoenix pay system, Judy Foote in St. John's

Public service employees and union executivesgatheredin St. John's onThursday to speak out against the troubled Phoenix pay system and demand a fix from Public Services and Procurement Minister Judy Foote, who oversees the system.

• Bonuses tied to keeping Phoenix payroll system on schedule, performance targets

About 30 per cent of the federal government's workforce hashad issues with getting paidsince Phoenix was introduced in February about 80,000 people in all. Many of those employees have missedpay periods and areunable to manage financially.

"Our members need their pay on pay day. Everyone works to get paid: It's a basicprinciple," ChrisAylward, vice-president of thePublic Service Alliance of Canada, tolda news conference at the Delta Hotel in St. John's on Thursday morning.

"This is a prime example of what happens when you over-rely on technology and try to replace humans with technology. It simply doesn't work."

• N.L. coast guard hit hardest by flawed Phoenix payroll system, PSAC says

The press conference proceeded a public rally at noon at Harbourside Park in the city's downtown, where Alywardlobbied a crowd of protesters,callingPhoenix "a national disgrace" and calling outFoote.

"You gotta start answering the questions, Minister Foote, and you better start answering them tomorrow," he shouted.

At the newsconference,Aylward said the head of PSAC, Robyn Benson,and Footeare set to meet Friday morning to discuss the Phoenix problems, a sitdown the union has been asking for for two months,and PSAC'smessage for her is simple: "We need Phoenix fixed...until you fix Phoenix, then maybe people should be handwriting paycheques."

Aylward promised Thursday's events will spark a ripple effect of union protests across the country.

'We have no money coming in'

One Canadian coast guard crew ship member told the news conferencehe recently missed two pay periods.

"Iwas at sea, 700 miles offshore. our internet connection is dismal to say the least at sea," said Bill Ryan, a member of the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees.

Ryan said it took two days to simply download forms to apply for tide-over pay, and then was forced to wait until he returned to port to file them.

"Ishouldn't have to deal with family at home that are worried to death becausewe have no money coming in," he said.

"Apat on the back saying, 'Thanks for coming to work, we'll pay you whenever,' isn't going to cut it."

Oct. 31 deadline 'a trick'?

The federal government has said it can iron out the bugs in the Phoenix pay system by Oct. 31.

Chris Aylward said PSAC doesn't know why the government picked that date "is it a trick, or a treat?" and said he's worried problems could easily last into 2017 if the entire system isn't taken offline for anoverhaul.

When it's ready, Aylward said, it should be trialtested onMPs and other top-level officials.

"Because then if there's a problem, you'll bloody well get it fixed," he said.

Aylward said PSAC has filed anapplication in Federal Court to explore legal recourses for members who has suffered financial hardship due to Phoenix.