Short-term workers short-changed by glitch-plagued government pay system

Students andother temporary workers employed in the federal public service say they've been enduringpayday headaches for more than a year, predating recent problems with the government's new automated payroll system.

The government rolled out thenew paysystem, called Phoenix,last winter. It's come under criticismrecently by workers and unions for either failing to pay bureaucrats properly, or not paying them at all.

But for many short-term employees, as well as workers on parental leave, the glitches are old news.

• Problems continue to plague public service pay system

CBC has talked to employees from Health Canada, the Department of National Defence, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Global Affairs Canada,where some workers said there have been problems since this time last year.

"The problem is actually much bigger than Phoenix and is an issue contract employees without union representation have been dealing with long before Phoenix," said one term worker who asked not to be named for fear of not having her contract renewed.

Student paid only after 16-week contract ended

Many universitystudents are recruited to work in federal departments for the spring and summer or on co-op placements. One student said she had not been paid in 16 weeks. Another student who worked for the Department of National Defence last summer told CBChe didn't get paid until long after his contract had ended.

I agree that 16 weeks was not acceptable.-BrigitteFortin, Public Services and Procurement Canada

"I agree that 16 weeks was not acceptable," saidBrigitteFortin, assistant deputy minister of accounting, banking and compensation at Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Fortinsaid the Phoenix system was implemented to streamline and update a 40-year-old pay system.

"The old pay system was very manual ... and cumbersome.It takes some time for people to learn the new system and get accustomed to the new processes, but over time we'll definitely see improvements," Fortinsaid.

"In terms of casuals, students, all those people being hired, workers at Parks Canada ...the fact the pay centre has a turnaround time of 24 hours for the new system we believe this summer will definitely see an improvement."

Department ignored warning signs, union says

The head of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees, Emmanuelle Tremblay, said students and term workers employees who oftenaren't represented by unions have been "the worst victims."

"I still feel that Public Services and Procurement didn't listen to a lot of warning signs from the unions to wait for the rollout for the second wave, to give the people in Miramichi time to breathea little and to absorb the number of new files they've been transferred. I think this is just them just wanting to rush through," said Tremblay.