The ACFO Labour Relations Team is highly skilled and experienced.  No one understands the workplace rights and interests of the FI community better than we do.

Our team has grown to fiveLabour Relations Advisors and a Director of Labour Relations to meet increasing demands.  In addition to our staff compliment, ACFO maintains a network of highly qualified labour relations consultants specializing in classification, pay equity and harassment. At ACFO's National Office, you will also find a dedicated staff of administration, communications and financial specialists. 

ACFO also benefits from a network of volunteer departmental representatives who act as the eyes and ears of your Association in departments in the NCR and throughout the regions.

Over the course of their career in the federal government, nearly all FI's will take advantage of ACFO's labour relations services.  In 2011, ACFO assisted 620 members with work-related issues.  This represents 13.5 percent of the FI community that have relied on ACFO's labour relations services this year alone. 

ACFO membership has its privileges and benefits.  Members get excellent value for their money from ACFO's labour relations advisors.  In a non-unionized workplace, such as in the private sector, Financial Officers have to turn to a labour lawyer for comparable representation.  Even a minor workplace conflict would cost an employee thousands of dollars in legal fees.  A complicated matter would result in legal fees in the tens of thousands of dollars.

As examples, ACFO's labour relations advisors defended a member from a frivolous harassment case in which the investigation lasted over two years.  The member was eventually cleared of all allegations.  ACFO has also fought an enduring battle to defend Financial Officers at a large department from years of abuse and mismanagement. 

We are professionals representing professionals and we get results.  Our team has an excellent success rate and the results to prove it.  Of the 625 cases closed in 2011, 96% were resolved in favour of the member.

More quietly, ACFO labour relations advisors have worked with members to resolve workplace conflicts and restore work relationships using informal conflict management and mediation.  On a daily basis, ACFO's labour relations advisors respond to members' questions about your Collective Agreements, classification issues and workplace rights.

In addition to representing our members, ACFO's labour relations team provides collective bargaining services, corporate legal support, legal research, pay equity and pension litigation support.  We are also part of the team of representatives who participate in labour-management consultation with the employer. 

Your labour relations team cares about the FI community.  We are trained in labour relations issues that affect the FI community because we only represent FIs. 

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact ACFO Director of Labour Relations, Scott Chamberlain, at 613-728-0695 ext 225.