#Chris Fortier

[ag-updates-and-archives]

THE SOUND OF ANIMALS FIGHTING MAKE A LEGENDARY RETURN TO THE WILTERN IN LA

Check out the full gallery here

There’s nothing quite like rolling up to The Wiltern on a cloudy Los Angeles evening for a few hours of hardcore. Maybe it’s the art-deco interior, or the tiered viewing areas or the red curtains draped off to the side that sets the stage so well for energetic music - it rewards intensity and showmanship. You can get sucked into a sonic labyrinth and wander until the walls and ceiling start to resemble some long-forgotten circus grounds. And what might have once felt anachronistic outside before the snack bar entrance can quickly start to seem very much like the here and now.

Not that emo is anachronistic in the slightest. The resurgence of many favorite early 2000’s mainstays could come off as a flirtation with newcomers hopping on a trend, or old hands pedaling legend status. But in the grand tradition of emo, screamo, pop punk, and the ilk- the focus Wednesday night was firmly set on acceptance, vulnerability, and ritual catharsis through music. The grand tenets of which continuously ring true throughout decades. And we had to wait close to an actual decade for some of what was witnessed throughout the evening, more on that anon.

Record Setter kicked off the night and did an excellent job of setting the stage for what was to come with an explosive sound bouncing effortlessly between heavy-hitting screamo and chilling post-rock melodies. Concrete castles took the torch and carried it further with a high-energy set, building up to anthemic guitar-heavy beat drops and pop-inspired vocal melodies.

Hail the Sun lived up to their well-cemented history as a killer live band with a riotous post-hardcore performance. High-octane musicianship and stage presence mix exquisitely well on each song, with frontman Donovan Melero a whirling dervish of a mic stand, cable, and long hair. Halfway through their set Melero switched to playing drums (while continuing on vocals of course). Legend.

TSOAF or The Sound of Animals Fighting. What a performance. There’s always been something about the term supergroup that invites side-eye. As if music could be somehow calculated to some sum of the parts equation. But when it works, it really works. Each member on stage has a well-documented history in music bringing unique flair and creativity. And the chemical mixture indeed goes boom.

The stage was lit by 16 (I think) glowing pillars, calling forth some epic seance to commune with the spirit of a once-thought-dead band. TSOAF was performing their first recorded material in 14 years, on their first tour in 9 years. And with a powerful lineup, fronted by the inimitable Anthony Green - now feted and properly celebrated as the incredible performer that he is.  

Each song brought something new and interesting to the show.  Sometimes soft and dynamic, here a screaming crescendo, there a polyrhythmic duel between the rhythm section. There was a book read out onstage, live painter Norton Wisdom painted his interpretations of the evening in the back (an interesting watch in real time). Green swung around a weird glowing orb that somehow paired perfectly with the rest of the aesthetic. Guitar solos with wah, helium-high vocals, hugs and laughter, and acrobatics. And through it all not a false note.

When the supergroup goes right it goes so right because not only do you get musical creativity and talent, but seasoned performers bringing unique experiences all grafted onto each other in a Frankenstein’s monster of perfect execution. Like the aforementioned circus sucking the anachronism from the room, Wednesday gave us a clockwork of moving parts so smooth that in the moment we lost ourselves amidst the merrymaking and let the grand performers give us a hint of something magical.

[miguelpellitero]

FICTION at THE CROSS LONDON 2004

Slam feat. Billie Ray Martin - Bright Lights Fading (Slam Mix) / Michael Lanning feat. Charity Havens - Bound for Ascension / Woven ‎ Solder Me (Seed Mix 1) / John Creamer & Stephan K - Forget the world (Main mix) / Sultan & The Greek Rezin (Fiction vocal edit) / Matt Busch with Aphasia - Faith (Chab Audio Treatment Remix) / Matthew Dekay feat. Norman Soares - Move yo’ / Matthew Dekay - Space mountain Tablet / Murat Uncuoglu - Azize / NYLX feat Lula Grelhada - Goosebumps (Lula-Pella) / Monkey Island - Feel Strange (Iberican beats) / Filterheadz - Yimanya (Original Mix) / Moshic - Dynamic Link / Tone Depth & Soul Tan - Broken (feat. Stephanie Vezina) [Original mix] / Rasoul - Oh Baby (Chus & Ceballos Iberican Mix) / Portishead - Roads (Sultan & Tonedepth Remix) / E.T.I. & The Waller St. Boys - Cosmic Cons (Paolo Mojo Remix) / Chris Fortier - Whatevereritis / John Graham & Rowan Blades - Real (Vocal Mix) / Subsky & Yunus - Erotic Sumo / unknown

Compiled and recorded in May 2004.

[jotem]

All I Got (Chris Fortier 20yr Dub) - Fade

Fade’den All I Got (Chris Fortier 20yr Dub) https://www.shazam.com/track/297000567/all-i-got-chris-fortier-20yr-dub

[newsbites]

Striking public service workers are growing more frustrated.

In an update Wednesday outside Parliament Hill, National president Chris Aylward said their bargaining team learned Tuesday night that government won’t move from their position on wages.

He’s calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to settle the dispute.

“He can either get involved personally, and help settle this dispute, or he can turn his back on the workers who are striking, predominantly women who are making 45-60-thousand dollars a year,” said Aylward.

He added that if Trudeau turns his back, he’ll turn his back on every single worker in the country.

Earlier today, Treasury Board president Mona Fortier told reporters that they’re still at the table, but the offers from the union are unreasonable.

It’s the eighth day of the strike, as over 155,000 public service workers seek better pay and to work from home more often.

[atlanticcanada]

PSAC workers return to picket lines for day 6 of strike action

More than 150,000 federal workers will return to the picket lines in Ottawa and across Canada today, after weekend contract talks failed to produce a new deal to end one of the largest strikes in Canadian history.

It is day six of the strike by Public Service Alliance of Canada members working in Treasury Board and at the Canada Revenue Agency, which is affecting several government services including passport and immigration applications and tax returns.

The PSAC website shows picket lines will be set up at several locations in the Ottawa-Gatineau area on Monday, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.:

Treasury Board headquarters at 90 Elgin Street

The Prime Minister's Office on Wellington Street (picket 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Tunney's Pasture

Treasury Board President Mona Fortier's office on Montreal Road

The Canada Post building on Heron Road

Liberal MP Marie-France Lalonde's office on Centrum Boulevard

Liberal MP Greg Fergus riding office on Promenade du Portage in Gatineau

Liberal MP Steve McKinnon's office on Boul. de l'hopital in Gatineau

Pickets will also be set up at other locations across Canada. The Canadian Press reported the union plans to ramp up its strike by moving picket lines to strategic locations such as ports. 

There were no picket lines set up in Ottawa and across the country over the weekend.

Negotiators for the union and Treasury Board returned to the bargaining table over the weekend as the two sides pointed the finger of blame at the other for poor communication and the slow pace of contract talks. 

"I'm hopeful that we're going to be able to get a deal," Chris Aylward, PSAC national president, told CTV News Channel on Sunday.

"I'm still hopeful that a deal is achievable and that we're going to get our members back to work. We're apart on a couple of the key issues but we're going to continue working at it."

Aylward has said the main issues in the negotiations are wages, hybrid work arrangements and job security in relation to layoffs.

In a letter to union members Sunday evening, Aylward reported "some progress" in contract talks over the weekend, "but we're not there yet."

"I can report that at the Treasury Board common issues table, we made some headway on remote work language, and both sides have moved in order to get closer to a resolution on wage increases," Aylward wrote.

"At the CRA bargaining table, talks continue but without a new mandate from the employer, things haven’t moved much further. 

"So we’re not at the finish line yet, but I know that we can get to a fair deal for all 155,000 PSAC members thanks to the strong strike mandate you’ve delivered and the incredible solidarity you’ve shown from coast to coast to coast."

Aylward's letter ended, "see you on the picket lines on Monday!"

PSAC has asked for a 4.5 per cent raise in each year of a new three-year contract, while Treasury Board has offered a nine per cent raise over three years.

On Saturday, Aylward called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to get involved in the talks, because PSAC had not heard back from the Treasury Board after presenting a "comprehensive package" two days prior.

Treasury Board President Mona Fortier responded with a statement on Twitter, saying the union was "unreachable" when the government tried to meet on Friday.

“We've been in mediation for three weeks, we've been at the table for three weeks,” Fortier told CTV’s Question Period with Vassy Kapelos on Sunday. “There have been ups and downs, there has been kicking and screaming, but the important thing right now is that we are focused, and we have a deal that is good for public servants, a fair one, and that is reasonable for Canadians, and that's what we're trying to focus on right now.”

Aylward confirmed to the Canadian Press the government presented a revised contract proposal on Saturday, and the union responded the same day.

Aylward told CTV News on Sunday that the federal government needs to start taking the negotiations "seriously."

"That's why it's called negotiations, there has to be compromises, of course, on both sides and we're seeing that," Aylward said. "I remain hopeful that we can get to a deal, but the government has to come back to the table, certainly, with a mandate that's in line with what we're seeking, especially in respect to wages and trying to ensure that our members stay somewhat in line with the rate of inflation."

With files from CTV News Parliamentary Bureau Writer Spencer Van Dyk and The Canadian Press

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/t6a1fpr

[kayla1993-world]

Public-service strike: Union 'fed up with the pace of talks, asks Trudeau for help

The head of the Public Service Alliance of Canada held a news conference to blast Treasury Board to a revised contract offer and called on the prime minister to help hasten the pace of contract talks.

But the office of Treasury Board President Mona Fortier fired back an hour later, saying efforts to meet with the union went unanswered on a Saturday afternoon meeting was canceled nine minutes after being arranged.

The president, Chris Aylward, said he was still responding to new proposals tabled on Thursday evening office acknowledged the new offer but challenged the timeline.

It said the union was “unreachable at the common issues table” all day on Friday out again through a mediator on Saturday with plans to put forward a revised offer at 1 p.m. but accused the union of thwarting those plans.

“The union took three hours to respond to the request, initially accepting the meeting at 12:31pm and then at 12:40pm advised they were no longer available at that time,” the read our negotiators and our offer waited, Mr. Aylward chose instead to go on television to complain he had not received it.”

For his part, Aylward focused most of his criticisms on Fortier during update screams of the incompetence of Mona Fortier and her team,” Aylward told reporters outside an Ottawa hotel prime minister has done nothing to move these negotiations along members are fed up.”

Fortier's office also accused the union of inflexibility, a trait it said was evident in the offer, but noted both sides returned to the table after the news conference.

Aylward said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should take a role in the negotiations and exert his influence to ensure the talks progress more quickly.

Trudeau said last week the government believes in collective bargaining, adding there have been advances at the bargaining table that acknowledged the importance of supporting those working in the public service, given the rising cost of inflation.

100,000 union members walked off the job Wednesday as contract talks broke down after months of offered encouragement to union members on the picket lines.

“Stay strong,” he said will stay here until we get the fair deal members to deserve union has said almost a third of all federal public servants are involved in the job action.

Salaries have been top of mind at the table, with the union pushing for annual raises of 4.5 percent over the next three years and has offered the nine percent raise over three years on the recommendation of the third-party Public Interest Commission.

Aylward said the union will strike for as long as it has a limited strike fund may be difficult to accomplish as its most recently available financial is about $43 million at the end of 2021. It is $75 per day in base strike pay to the picket line.

Aylward said concerned about money running out, saying the union has other funding but declining to federal labor board issued a decision saying there was “significant concern” about the recent strike vote because of a low turnout and irregularities. The committee found the union failed to properly alert members that it had shortened by eight days, moving the deadline from April 19 to April 11.

Only about 35 percent of the bargaining unit, or 38,207 people, cast a ballot - and 80 percent favored a strike mandate labor board decided against overturning the vote, finding it was unlikely there would have been a different result even if the union had been more forthcoming with its members.

Aylward has said it was regrettable that union members say they didn't get a fair chance to participate, noting strike votes were publicized by email, social media, digital ads, and word of mouth.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada is the largest federal public service union, representing 230,000 workers strike affects about 155,000 union members, including 35,000 with the Canada Revenue Agency. It has caused widespread disruptions to a variety of government services and threatens to bring the personal tax filing season to a halt.

[fridaythe13ththeseries]

Demon Hunter

Episode Recap #55: Demon Hunter Original Airdate: October 14, 1989

Starring: Louise Robey as Micki Foster Steve Monarque as Johnny Ventura (as Steven Monarque) Chris Wiggins as Jack Marshak

Guest cast: Dale Wilson as Faron Cassidy Allison Mang as Bonnie Cassidy David Orth as Vance Cassidy David Stratton as Travis Cassidy Jacques Fortier as Ahriman

Written by Jim Henshaw Directed by Armand Mastroianni

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We open right into the show this week, a van driving at night, with a man and a woman tracking someone via computer and an on screen time stamp telling us it is 11:00pm. We then see a couple of men in a field with some sort of detector tracking device. One relates codes to another, saying he's found their prey. Travis doesn't see the creature, even though Bonnie says he's almost on top of him. Travis runs as something chases him, then attacks, throwing him onto a farm thresher. Vance, Bonnie and Faron Cassidy all arrive too late. Travis is dead.

Cut to the opening, with Steven Monarque listed after Robey and before Chris Wiggins. John D. LeMay is really gone.

Now we are at Curious Goods, it is 11:06pm, Jack is sitting with the lights flickering. Micki says she checked the fuse box. She tells Jack to "just sign it" and he does. They toast to him now being her partner in the store, since Ryan is gone. She tells Jack that Ryan will always be part of her, but just in case, she wants the store in good hands. Jack reluctantly agrees. He then opens a box that arrived from a museum. The museum is answering their mailer. They bought no items from Lewis, but sent them an item that was donated to them in his name. It is an Enochian dagger, from a demon worshipper.

The Cassidy family load Travis into the van, and the dad, Faron, thinks back to him and his boys going after someone or some group that took Bonnie, his daughter. In the present, Vance gets the dad to go with him. We then hear the creature growl.

In the van, the dad says they have to find the creature and avenge Travis. A spot of high evil energy keeps showing on the radar. The dad tells Bonnie to keep working at it and takes Vance out to hunt.

At the store, the lights continue to flicker. Jack is telling Micki what he knows about the demon lore involved with the dagger. A human sacrifice would ressurrect the demon. The caller then sends the demon out to commit tasks for him. They take the dagger into the vault, the power goes out, Jack accidentally cuts himself with it and drops it. Micki lights a match and they see Jack's blood absorb into the vault floor and vanish.

Back at the farm, Faron and Vance continue to hunt the demon, who they believe knows they are there, too. Another memory, of Faron and his sons bursting in on the demonic cult that kidnapped Bonnie. A big fight ensued, and they found Bonnie and snapped her out of the cult's hold on her. Faron then went wild, shooting and killing all of the cult members as his daughter screamed.

11:18pm, Johnny is at home listening to the game and working on a model ship. Micki calls him for help, but their call is broken off. Johnny rushes out.

In the van, Bonnie listens to the others as she works the computer and radar. The men seem to close in on the demon, but Bonnie says interference is blocking her. Faron remembers talking to her after the cult, she says the demon was sent to stop him from killing cult members and their demons. She cries but her father comforts her.

Johnny arrives at the darkened store, calling out. He finds them in the basement with a lantern, trying to figure out why the blood vanished. Johnny gets a hammer, and sees more of Jack's blood vanish on the floor. All the clocks and watches have stopped, as well. Jack taps with the hammer, looking for a hollow sound on the floor. With a crowbar, he gets to work.

At the farm, the men close in as the demon lurks.

Jack pulls up a floorboard with Johnny's help and they find a big space beneath the floor of the vault. Jack looks around and says it is a church of necromancy, where demons are raised from Hell.

Bonnie continues searching with the radar as father and son search the barn and find traces of blood.

In the underground church, the trio explores, Johnny saying there are many tunnels connecting, and Jack says they'll get cement down in the morning to seal off the passageways. Johnny is skeptical that real demons were conjured, but Jack finds demonic contracts the church must have written to raise demons. Jack then figures out why Lewis built the vault in the first place: to hold any uncontrollable demons the church conjured. Jack says only the person who called forth the demon could help it escape. Micki says they need to break whatever contract was written, and Jack says the only way is to kill the caller with the dagger used in the sacrifice. Micki notices more symbols and apparently fresh blood on the doorway arch.

Faron and Vance continue through buildings and passageways searching for the demon.

Johnny finds more blood on the walls, dripping down from all around. Jack tells Johnny to stand guard here so Micki and him can go up and try and decipher the scrolls and parchments he's gathered. Johnny isn't thrilled.

The other men still hunt through old buildings, their demon-Geiger counter still alerting them to the creature. It breaks through the floor to attack and Faron opens fire. Bonnie hears and speeds off to join them. The demon tries to pull Vance through the floor. Faron tries to pull him back, but the monster is stronger. Vance falls, and tries to battle the creature. The monster tosses the man up through the floor and Faron finds him, dead. Bonnie sees the creature and joins her father, who is enraged at his second loss of the night.

At 11:33, Faron and Bonnie are driving the van towards the strange energy force. Bonnie says it is going back to where it was made, then tells her father they should have let the cult have her and he wouldn't have lost both his sons. He dismisses her plea to let the demon go, but her father won't hear of it.

Somewhere, the wounded demon pulls at the knife Vance stabbed it with.

Jack and Micki scour the documents, Micki said the scrolls are signed with the current date. Jack said the demonic scrolls are dated to when they are due, and that's tonight, with the full moon. Jack says that explains the power fluctuations they have been experiencing. The demon is returning.

Johnny finds more blood on the church floor and hears ghostly moans. In the blood, he sees a face, and Jack says souls are gathering. The cult called forth the demon because someone was killing their members and they wanted vengeance. Jack says if the demon kills all it was sent for by midnight, the cult members will be resurrected. Micki wonders if the vault can keep it out, but Jack says the caller will have to return, too, and Micki says that might be someone they can stop. Jack says the symbol on the contract will be somewhere on the caller's body. Just then, a gun cocks behind them.

Outside of Curious Goods, the demon arrives.

Back under the vault, Faron and Bonnie have arrived, setting detonators to blow so they can kill the demon. Faron continues to hold the gun on Jack and crew, believing them to be part of the demonic cult. Bonnie says to kill them now, but Faron wants to stop from scaring the demon away and will kill them after it is dead.

The demon gets closer and closer to the store.

Jack realizes Faron and family were the ones attacking the cult and tries to convince him they are on the same side. Faron doesn't buy it, because he found them in this satanic church. Micki says they just found this tonight, but they don't buy it. Jack tries to show them the demonic contract, but Bonnie snatches it and says it must be one of their prayer books. Micki appeals to them, but Faron isn't listening. He says they loaded the tunnels with TNT. They leave them under the vault, and then Johnny wants to go into the vault to use a cursed antique to help. Jack says no way, they won't use any of those items.

Micki looks around at the faces moaning on the floor. Jack says they are waiting for the demon to finish its tasks. Suddenly a hand reaches up through the floor.

In the store, Faron and Bonnie continue to set up TNT to blow the whole place up. Bonnie goes upstairs. She slips into Micki's room, rubbing her neck. She opens the windows to the outside.

Down below, Jack, Micki and Johnny try to figure out how to stop the caller and in turn, the demon. Johnny again goes toward the vault for a cursed item.

It is now 11:48pm, Johnny gets the floor open and they go into the vault above.

Bonnie is looking at a book as the demon comes in the window. She shows the creature the mark on her chest, letting it know that she is its caller.

Johnny finds the dagger and they head upstairs. Faron is looking around the store, unaware his daughter let the demon in.

Micki says they don't know which to use the dagger on, but Johnny hopes they get lucky the first time.

Faron's counter goes off, he wonders what took Bonnie so long. He tells her to go check on the others downstairs and he heads up as the counter clicks faster. Gun in hand, he searches and is suddenly attacked by the demon, calling out to his daughter as he shoots wildly into the dark. The demon is hit and falls out the window.

Johnny goes to head into the store, but Jack takes the dagger from him.

Faron comes down into the store and sees the demon outside the front door. One of the bombs goes off.

At the vault, Micki and Jack hold the doors open as Johnny struggles with Bonnie, who shoots her gun wildly, then drops it. Micki quickly picks it up, telling Bonnie to freeze. Upstairs, the demon advances on Faron, who runs off.

Micki notices the mark on Bonnie's chest. Faron comes down, then the demon slowly follows. Jack tells everyone to get in the vault, and shuts it behind them. The demon works to get inside. Faron says there has to be a way to stop it, and Jack tells him "or someone" as Micki continues to hold the gun on Bonnie. She gives Faron the gun to prove they are on his side, and Bonnie tells him to kill them. Micki says the demon is there because of Bonnie, and finally she comes clean to her father, admitting she was never kidnapped, unleased the demon and has been hampering his hunt all along. Faron doesn't know what to believe. She said she did all this to protect the cult and tonight can ressurrect those he killed.

Johnny grabs the dagger to stab her, but Faron stops him and the dagger falls. Bonnie opens the vault, and calls to the demon. Faron tosses a grenade, sending the demon to the room below the vault, and Johnny as well. Micki and Bonnie struggle, Johnny fights off the demon, but is losing badly. Micki and Jack watch as Bonnie and her father struggle, then stop. The demon moans and lets Johnny go, and we see Bonnie fall. Her father stabbed her with the dagger. The demon falls into a hole in the floor, apparently to Hell. Faron is distraught, holding the bloody dagger as his last child dies.

Next day, Jack carves the same spell into fresh cement on the church floor as was used on the vault above to keep the cursed antiques safe. Johnny says the dagger can be the first item in his expanded vault, and Jack comments it was used once more than he'd have liked, but sometimes things happen for the best. Johnny wonders if there could have been another way, Micki says maybe if Faron had seen his daughter for who she was sooner. Jack ends with a saying about blind fanaticism.

My thoughts:

Wow. Okay. Lots to unpack here. Definitely see we are in new territory with the show now beginning with a "cold open", as in opening right into the show with the first scene and then the credits after. And LeMay is out of the credits and Monarque is in. I remember watching that the first time and feeling that last bit of the possibility of Ryan being her going away. He is gone.

One thing about this episode I also remember from the first viewing is how dark it is! Back then in '89 on my little TV, it was extremely hard at points to figure out what was going on. Now, it is somewhat clearer, but still not great. When Johnny picked up the dagger at one point I was unsure just what he had picked up.

I liked the little aftermath of Ryan being gone dealt with between Jack and Micki. Smart to keep the future of the store safe, with the stakes at hand. And good to hear them talk about Ryan and not just pretend he was never a part of their lives.

The time stamps on screen counting closer and closer to midnight I get, but all of this happened within one hour? Including them driving all over, going from the farm to Curious Goods, and also putting TNT in all the tunnels? And why wouldn't Bonnie have dissuaded her father from that, if her goal was to resurrect the cult in that chamber? Makes no sense.

The demon acted scared for parts of the hunt. Why was he hiding from the brother? It was a freaking demon! And when it was approaching the store, what would the neighbors have thought?

I liked Johnny's eagerness to use a cursed item to help them, it shows his relative newness to their task, and a bit of innocence. Also liked Jack's steadfast refusal, but then acknowledging that it was needed. But this would have played better if it was a random antique. He himself had said earlier the only way to stop this was to kill the caller with the dagger used. So, why so reluctant other than to have conflict with Johnny?

Micki has come a long way from the start of the show. Here, she's taken charge of making sure the store is safe, is missing Ryan but moving on, and is quick to snatch up the gun and hold it on Bonnie. She's grown so much.

Chaotic episode, a bid muddled, but an okay step into season three. And so much more vault space! Now they have room for things like the mulcher, the magic box and the trephinator!

Next week: Crippled Inside

[college-girl199328]

Most federal public servants will be obligated to report to the office up to three days a week as of March 31, a move applauded by Ottawa businesses and the city but staunchly opposed by unions, who say they are considering "all options" to fight the order. The new directive, presented by the head of the Treasury Board Secretariat, Graham Flack, and the government’s chief human resources officer, Christine Donoghue, will apply to all of the "core public administration," but is "strongly recommended" for the two dozen arm’s-length agencies, such as the Canada Revenue Agency.

It states that departments will have until March 31 to put in place the new directive, which orders deputy heads to implement a "minimum requirement of 2-3 days per week in the workplace," or 40 to 60 percent of an employee’s regular schedule. The directive allows for a host of exemptions, such as for employees already hired on a work-from-home basis before the COVID-19 pandemic, Indigenous public servants working in their communities, or employees who are working over 125 km from their designated worksite (as long as they have approval from their assistant deputy minister).

An explanatory document notes managers can use unnamed "administrative actions" to ensure "compliance." The blanket policy is a stark change from the government’s previous "no one-size-fits-all approach" to hybrid working, which was repeatedly touted by government officials as well as President of the Treasury Board Mona Fortier as recently as August.

During a press conference Thursday, Fortier said the government was "re-imagining" the workplace to foster "collaboration, team spirit, innovation, and a culture of belonging." She also said it would create "fairness and equity" among departments, which to date have implemented a patchwork of hybrid or work-from-home policies.

What she could not say was what data or science the directive was based on, despite repeated questions from reporters. She instead noted, "conversations" between department heads after "experimentation" in departments that implemented various hybrid work policies over the past six months. She also would not say how much of the savings she had touted for working from home would be lost by public servants’ mandatory return to the office.

To those concerned that the government is summoning employees back to work as hospitals across the country are overloaded by a viral triumvirate of COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Fortier said workers are encouraged to wear a mask, wash their hands, and maintain recommended distances from each other. "We’re following public health guidelines," she insisted. The announcement was swiftly and strongly denounced by the heads of the largest federal public service unions, who vowed that "all options" were on the table to oppose the new directive.

"Our members are furious over this," Public Service Alliance of Canada national president Chris Aylward, who represents 165,000 public servants, said in an interview. "Imposing a mandatory return to the office is an egregious violation of collective bargaining rights" in light of ongoing collective agreement negotiations, he added. He noted that a survey conducted last week showed 90 percent of PSAC members working from home wanted to continue doing so, and 83 percent were ready to take "job action," such as a "walk out" or a "work-to-rule."

The president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), Jennifer Carr, called the new directive "punitive" and "poorly thought out," particularly at a time when hospitals across the country are overwhelmed. "Today’s announcement is the total opposite of what the Treasury Board has been promising: a hybrid-by-design approach that takes into account the unique circumstances of federal public servants." "They have completely ignored the design part and have instead chosen to bulldoze through a bad plan that sets themselves up for an unnecessary fight," Carr said.

But others, such as Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, applauded Fortier’s move, calling it a boon for downtown businesses and much-needed clarity for the city and public transit planners. “I’m happy to see that news,” Sutcliffe told The National Post. “Having clarity about what the work situation is going to be going forward is really important for our community and for local businesses, so they know what to expect going forward.”

"In the long run, it will be good for the city that more people will be using public transit and that more people will be coming downtown," he added. The City of Ottawa and various business associations in the capital have also called for months for public servants to be compelled to return to offices in downtown Ottawa and Gatineau, Que., after over two years of COVID-19.

On Oct. 31, an open letter signed by 32 business associations called on the government to bring public servants back to the office "as rapidly as possible." "The federal government is not only a major employer in cities and communities across Canada, but in many places, it is the anchor employer." "As businesses in these communities assess their long-term viability given the pandemic’s damaging effects on downtown centers, restoring normal economic activity requires the federal government to act now," reads the letter.

[wokxchange]

Yuga Labs - Radical Ownership for Web3

Yuga Labs – Radical Ownership for Web3

Chris Fortier is VP of Product for Yuga Labs, working across the entire Yuga Labs ecosystem including Bored Ape Yacht Club, Otherside, CryptoPunks, Meebits, and more. Source link

[bitrss-news]

#Crypto #News:

Yuga Labs - Radical Ownership for Web3 Chris Fortier is VP of Product for Yuga Labs, working across the entire Yuga Labs ecosystem including Bored Ape Yacht Club, Otherside, CryptoPunks, Meebits, and more. https://t.co/JVdCH6OIjt

— BitRss News (@RssBit) Nov 29, 2022

[ourjacky]

(Chris Fortier) HUM UN PURE REGALE OH OUIIIIII  !!

[paulftompkins]

Spontaneanation Ep 198 has the return of our good pal Open Mike Eagle and improvisors Ally Beardsley, Chris Grace & Jacquis Neal! 

 Listen where you listen!

[jotem]

All I Got (Chris Fortier 20yr Dub) - Fade

Fade’den All I Got (Chris Fortier 20yr Dub) https://www.shazam.com/track/297000567/all-i-got-chris-fortier-20yr-dub

[atlanticcanada]

No deal at union deadline; federal workers hit the picket lines as talks continue

Negotiations are expected to continue despite thousands of members with Canada's largest federal public-service union walking off the job this morning at 12:01 a.m. ET.

A late Tuesday news release from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat says the government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada are still at odds when it comes to key contract issues for both sides. The bargaining groups involve some 155,000 federal public servants, including 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency workers.

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With picket lines expected to be set up this morning at some 250 plus locations, the union is calling the strike action one of the largest in Canadian history. National President Chris Aylward said during a brief news conference in Ottawa on Tuesday night that despite the move, union officials are still hopeful and the goal is to get a tentative agreement.

A handful of federal ministers, including Mona Fortier, president of the Treasury Board, are expected to address the media later today and provide an update on how the bargaining is going.

Wage increases have been top of mind at the table, with the union pushing for annual raises of 4.5 per cent over the next three years. It says the increases are necessary to keep pace with inflation and the cost of living. The Treasury Board says it offered the union a nine per cent raise over three years on Sunday, on the recommendation of the third-party Public Interest Commission.

Since the strike involves nearly one-third of all federal public servants, both the union and the government have warned of disruptions, including what could amount to a complete halt of the tax season. Other concerns include slowdowns at the border and disruptions to EI, immigration and passport applications.

Initial negotiations began in June 2021, with the union looking for a new contract. The union declared an impasse in May 2022 and both parties filed labour complaints. Mediated contract negotiations began in early April of this year and continued through the weekend in what the union described as the government's last chance to reach a deal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 19, 2023

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/jNEUBoR

[kayla1993-world]

Hundreds of federal workers are picketing in downtown Hamilton as part of one of the largest strikes in Canada in decades. On Wednesday morning, the workers, mostly from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) union, marched up and down Bay Street North. They held signs calling for wage increases. On Wednesday morning, the workers, mostly from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) union, marched up and down Bay Street North while holding signs calling for wage increases. About 1,800 union members work out of the federal office in Hamilton, across from the FirstOntario Centre CRA employee and co-chief steward of the Union of Taxation Employees Hamilton Local, which falls under the PSAC umbrella, to keep up with the rising cost of living. "It means I don't buy as much meat, which means I can't pay our entire gas bill this winter," Farr said of feeling nickeled and dimed when it comes to these negotiations; demonstrations involving about 155,000 federal public servants were also taking place across the country. Chris Aylward, PSAC's national president, told CBC's Power and Politics that "workers are fed up and frustrated watching these mega-corporations make record profits while they sit back and everybody wants to repress the worker's wages issue we are really having with the government, which is on record as saying they believe in workers and try to repress wages on your own employees." The PSAC's previous agreements with the federal government expired in 2021, and they haven't reached a new deal since the main sticking point is a wage increase demanded at 4.5 percent for 2021, 2022, and 2023, which Treasury Board President Mona Fortier called "unrealistic" at a news conference on Wednesday. "We've put a good offer on the table that benefits workers and is fair to taxpayers," Fortier said of continuing to work remotely after the government demanded they return to the office for a few days a week. CRA call center officer Gina Degner is acting president of the local chapter of the Union of Taxation Employees. She said Hamilton members are "in full support" of the strike. "Hamilton is a union town," Degner said, "and our members who have been interested in a fair contract shouldn't have to go on strike for our voices to be heard, and we are here to make a difference for all workers everywhere." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday that the government made an offer Monday but the PSAC didn't respond to it. "Right now, they need to get back to the table because they haven't been over the past number of hours," Trudeau told reporters.