Here are some typical questions and answers regarding the NOTIP.

If you still have questions about NOTIP, please send them to us.

1. What has prompted this review?
2. Why now?
3. What process is being followed?
4. What criteria are being used?
5. Is the status quo being considered?
6. Hasn't the decision already been made?
7. Will I be consulted?
8. What will happen to my position, my classification, my job?
9. What will happen if my job is reclassified lower than it is today?
10. Does Ministerial Delegation of Authority have any influence on the classification process?
11. Is there a staffing freeze in place until the organizational review is completed?
12. Will the reorganization address the salary discrepancy between the AO and TI categories?
13. Where can I get more information on this subject?
14. Does a person occupying a TI position have to report to another position of the same classification? Does the the same logic apply to the AO-CAI group?

1. What has prompted this review?

Externally, implementing Safety Management Systems (SMS) in aviation organizations will require specialists in all disciplines of the Civil Aviation program to interact with our safety partners in the aviation community through multi-disciplinary work teams. Even though our current structure provides for a certain level of interaction, there is a need to increase this level and it is believed that, on this aspect, Civil Aviation can improve. Internally, Civil Aviation is responding to the Government's modern management agenda, Results for Canadians , by putting in place an integrated management system (IMS).

As this future direction becomes a reality, the Civil Aviation program must be reassessed to consider ways to best meet our vision and mission. To plan for this future, it is necessary today to take a closer look at how the organization is structured to deliver the program.

2. Why now?

The Civil Aviation structure was last reviewed in the early 1990's, which resulted the implementation of a new structure in 1995. It is reasonable, prudent and responsible for managers and staff to question whether that structure is appropriate for the next 10 to 15 years.

Part and parcel of the implementation of IMS is a confirmation by the organization of its capacity to continually improve, reviewing its functioning and ensuring that functions and their relationships including responsibilities and authorities are well defined. Management has to be willing to challenge all aspects of the Civil Aviation Program including the organizational structure and determine whether it is the "best". This review must be done on a periodic basis to ensure the structure to enable and support the program is the best structure for the foreseeable future.

3. What process is being followed?

Historically, organizational studies were conducted by undertaking a number of interviews with key senior management personnel. Based on these interviews, consultants would then conduct their analysis and develop a report with recommendations. Another approach is a consultative one whereby various methodologies are used to include senior management and staff in the review and analysis of the organization.

This is the approach selected for the Civil Aviation Organizational Review and Design Study designed to develop an acceptable organization model while at the same time minimize the negative impact of change . This process has been selected since it allows for input by staff into the process, provides management with a process that allows time to assess and understand the options, and to obtain further input from staff to assist in the decision-making process.

4. What criteria are being used?

Organizational criteria represent key successes that the organization would like to achieve. The following criteria are being used to assess the various scenarios/options:

• Supports the long-term safety mission and service line model of Civil Aviation.
  
  
• Promotes and supports Safety Management System (SMS) / Integrated Management System (IMS).
  
  
• Promotes consistency across programs and regions.
  
  
• Promotes clear lines of authority, responsibility and accountability.
  
  
• Promotes the building of competencies and knowledge transfer necessary for the long-term strategic directions of Civil Aviation.
  
  
• Minimizes barriers to career paths.
  
  
• Provides an appropriate span of control.
  
  
• Is responsive to changing needs and priorities.
  
  

5. Is the status quo being considered?

The status quo is a consideration. Part of the review process is a validation of activities (RDIMS # 647020) currently conducted by Civil Aviation. The end result may be an organizational structure that does not look very different from the current one.

6. Hasn't the decision already been made?

No decisions have been made yet. The organization is being reviewed to understand how it is now and how it could be in the future.

7. Will I be consulted?

The review exercise began with a notional model of a new organization to stimulate discussion. Each subsequent round of discussions has produced new options or refined the options under discussion. Workshops and consultations were held in Headquarters and the Regions with staff. These have proven invaluable for the building of ideas, and in creating an understanding and awareness of the options available. It is expected that further consultations leading to transition plans, taking into account the comments received from all parties, will also be considered.

8. What will happen to my position, my classification, my job?

Civil Aviation is moving towards finding more effective and efficient ways to use the personnel available in the future to maintain, improve and monitor the safety framework to permit the highest level of safety performance possible in the industry. Coincidentally, future demographics also indicate that the current safety framework with its emphasis on safety oversight at the transactional and day-to-day operating levels may not be sustainable due to the limited and varying labour market availability of technical personnel in the industry in the future. This can translate into a shortage of qualified personnel available to oversee the current system from the regulatory perspective. This combined with future budgetary constraints are driving forces behind this review.

However, this is not an exercise in downsizing but one of reviewing the relevance of the current structure and improving it to meet our commitments. A secondary project will be conducted to evaluate the current job functions in Civil Aviation to determine how they would be influenced by the implementation of SMS in the industry. More details about this project will be available at a later date.

9. What will happen if my job is reclassified lower than it is today?

Regardless of a downward reclassification an incumbent employee shall retain for all purposes the former group and level. The salary and benefits of the incumbent will be protected until the position is vacated.

10. Does Ministerial Delegation of Authority have any influence on the classification process?

Once the organizational structure has been established, and the relevant work descriptions have been written and evaluated in terms of the appropriate classification standard, then management determines what level of delegation should be attached to what positions, based on its placement in the organization and the occupational group and level. There is not a direct linkage between delegations and the classification level.

11. Is there a staffing freeze in place until the organizational review is completed?

Senior managers have been asked to be aware of the potential impacts of their day-to-day activities and make prudent decisions. The process of justification has been elevated in Civil Aviation and staffing processes have been improved to ensure the judicious use of resources. This is not necessarily dependent on the results of the organization review, but rather a consequence of external budgetary pressures.

12. Will the reorganization address the salary discrepancy between the AO and TI categories?

Salaries are negotiated between the Treasury Board Secretariat and the Public Service Union that represents the particular operational groups. There have been some strong attempts to address the difference in salary structures between the AO and the TI classification.

• Co-development initiative undertaken in 2003 to address AO/TI Classification matters.
• Informal Consultation with Public Service Human Resource Management Agency of Canada (PSHRMAC) in Spring 2004 regarding classification reform.
• Spring 2005, interest based discussion with Canadian Federal Pilots Association (CFPA), Union of Canadian Transport Employees (UCTE) and TC's management 
• Fall 2006, meeting of Assistant Deputy Minister of Safety & Security, DGCA, TCHR officials and PSHRMAC officials to seek support on classification reform. These initiatives were not successful.

13. Where can I get more information on this subject?

Please click here for a list of contacts.

14. Does a person occupying a TI position have to report to another position of the same classification? Does the the same logic apply to the AO-CAI group?

People occupying TI positions can report to people occupying a different classification, just as AO-CAIs.

In the Classification system, the allocation of a particular position to an occupational group is done by reviewing the responsibilities of the position and relating those responsibilities to the group definitions described in the classification standards. The allocation of a work description to an occupational group is done by using the definitions, inclusions, and exclusions provided in the specific Classification Standard.

While both the TI and AO Classification Standards refer to supervising any of the activities listed in the inclusions, there is no reference in either standard that states that the positions supervised must be in the same occupational group (i.e. AO report to AO, TI report to TI etc.).