Author Archives: Admin Staff

FB Bargaining Team Tables Demands

This past week (Tuesday July 8th through July 10th) our FB Bargaining Team met with Treasury Board/CBSA and exchanged proposals. We made it clear to the employer that our goals for this round of bargaining are to bring wages and working conditions in line with the broader law enforcement community, to fix problems in the workplace, and to ensure that PSAC/CIU members working at CBSA are afforded new rights and protections in the context of a hostile management culture at CBSA.

Some of the areas that we have made proposals on include:

• A commitment from Treasury Board and CBSA to support an early retirement regime comparable to other federal law enforcement agencies.

• New, substantial protections in the context of discipline.

• Increased premiums for shift workers.

• Access to Telework arrangements.

• New allowances.

Our team will be making proposals concerning Arming and CDT, Hours of Work, Job Security and Wages once the employer provides payroll and demographic data requested by our team. We will also be conducting a survey on compensation in the broader law enforcement community in Canada. We return to the bargaining table September 9, 2014.

Bad faith bargaining complaint filed over sick leave communications

On Monday, the PSAC filed a bad faith bargaining complaint over recent Treasury Board/CBSA communications concerning our sick leave. In negotiations, Treasury Board indicated that the government wishes to move to a short-term disability plan, however the employer did not table any sick leave proposals. At the outset of bargaining, our team made it clear that we are seeking improvements in this round of bargaining, not steps backwards.

For more information on our bargaining team, on the complaint filed, and for a copy of the
package of proposals that we tabled and those of the employer, please visit the FB bargaining section of the PSAC website.

We will be sure to provide updates as things progress.

Name Tag Fight : CIU Wins At OHS Tribunal, CBSA Appeal Rejected

In December 2012, many Border Services Officers (BSO) across Canada exercised their right to refuse dangerous work. These BSOs alleged that CBSA’s new, ill-conceived name tag policy forcing them to wear ID tags showing their names placed them at a higher risk of being harassed, threatened or injured by persons who may be angered as a result of enforcement actions taken against them.

A Health & Safety Officer (HSO) from Labour Programs, Employment and Social Development Canada, investigated the work refusals and, while finding “no danger”, issued a direction ordering CBSA to take preventative measures to address assessed hazards associated with the implementation of the new name tag policy into various workplaces nationwide.

CBSA, in its typically arrogant ways, decided to ignore the HSO direction, and appealed it to the Occupational Safety and Health Tribunal.

The Tribunal hearings occurred the week of December 12, 2013. After nearly 8 months of waiting, the Tribunal issued an excellent decision … favouring BSO safety and reminding CBSA that it has to do a better job protecting its employees.

The decision quashes CBSA’s appeal and confirms the direction issued by a HSO.

CIU applauds its members for exercising their rights, thanks the PSAC, and expresses its gratitude to the HSO and to the Tribunal for supporting BSO safety.

We are now examining the decision and assessing all options for next steps.

Note: The decision will be posted & distributed once the French version is available after translation.

CIU delegates at the PSAC Prairies Convention

CIU National President Jean-Pierre Fortin and CIU delegates attended the 6th PSAC-Prairies Triennial Convention, which was held in Saskatoon on June 27, 28 and 29.  Sister Marianne Hladun was reelected Regional Executive Vice-President. Brother Sam Akinsanya (Trade) was elected the Racially Visible Representative and Timothy Hunt (Prairie Region Campus) was re-elected as the GLBT Representative for the Prairie Region.