Author Archives: Jayson Roy

Announcing the 2024 CIU brand update: New logo, new colours, same drive forward

After months of design work, the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) is proud to finally unveil its bold new logo and colours, which will serve to better reflect the organization we’ve become as we continue to grow and move forward.

A history of change

Our union’s image has undergone several changes over its long history, dating back to the days of the Customs and Excise Officers’ Association (CEOA), the union’s predecessor, formed in 1919. Throughout the years, this image has slowly evolved. The union’s colours and name changed in the mid-1960s when the Customs Excise Union Douanes Accise (CEUDA) was established as part of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC). In 2008, reflecting the changing nature of the union, CEUDA became CIU. Beyond the name change, the logo was modernized, becoming the classic CIU-SDI emblem used for the past decade and a half.

Evolving as a union

In recent years, we’ve received significant feedback from members who felt that aspects of our classic brand were becoming outdated. CIU’s leadership agreed that as the union continues to evolve, so should our image, to better represent both our organization and its members. And evolve our union certainly has:

We’ve grown into a vibrant labour organization representing a diverse range of committed Border Services personnel who fulfill crucial law enforcement and non-law enforcement duties, from the frontline to much needed support divisions.

We’ve won important labour victories — our past FB bargaining rounds, notably in 2021 and recently in 2024, have been nothing short of spectacular thanks to equally impressive mobilization, advancing our members’ working conditions like few others have.

Through steadfast advocacy and lobbying, we’ve made our voice heard at the highest levels of political representation, shedding light on CBSA’s troubling practices, and pushing for much needed change, such as pension reform.

Our national labour relations team continues to grow, allowing for more effective and efficient representation. With more Labour Relations Officers than ever before, we’ve been able to win more cases and better support our members as they push back against managerial overreach and abuse.

Our national communication staff has also been expanded, increasing our capacity to cultivate crucial links with key allies and actors, and strengthening our ability to fight for and listen to our members.

Across the country, Branch leadership and local representatives are more active and more dedicated than ever.

Looking to the future, we have exciting new projects planned (amongst others, a new website and union store are currently in the works!).

Brand refresh: Same name, new image

It is with this evolution and with members’ feedback in mind that the National Board of Directors (NBoD), on the recommendation of its Standing Membership Engagement Committee, voted in September 2022 to entrust the CIU National Executive to oversee the ‘brand refresh’ of the union. The Committee — and the Board — felt that the union would strongly benefit from such a refresh to better represent its members and the duties they perform, and to address equity considerations.

Now, in August 2024, we are proud to present the new image of our union.

The name remains the same — ‘Customs and Immigration Union’— but our logo and colours have once again evolved.

As mandated by the NBoD, this modern logo and colour scheme update our image to address issues of representation and relevance. Emphasis is put on the different border streams while maintaining the link to our membership’s crucial role as Canada’s first line of defence.

Designed by CIU’s unionized staff, it is 100% union made.

Logo elements

1: Light blue and dark grey on a white background emphasize our members’ role in a novel and more progressive way, moving away from the more traditional red, white and blue colouring. This new symbol seeks to address equity concerns. The lighter blue is also a nod to our old uniforms, creating a strong link between old and new, past and present.

2: The middle break emphasizes the idea of the border, with the imagery representing both a doorway to the country and the border obelisks present along the Canada-U.S. border. It further symbolizes what happens within our borders, such as inland enforcement and non-uniform operations.

3: The split, uniquely stylized maple leaf maintains a link to our members’ duty towards the country and our previous logo, while creating distance from the employer and the federal government.

4: The typeface is modern and clean. It stands strong and upright. It is bold without being overbearing. It is compact, representing our solidarity with each other.

5: The top light blue line represents air mode.

6: The middle dark grey line represents land and rail modes.

7: The bottom light blue line represents maritime mode.

8: The three lines combined together emphasize movement toward the country and its borders and conveys the idea of a road to a port of entry.

9: The round, outward curve is shaped like a stylized globe, representing the world outside of our borders.

Condensed version

A condensed version of the logo has also been created to facilitate the logo’s use in places where the full version is not necessary.

Brand guidelines

The logo (full and condensed) can be used in full colour in the following colour combinations only:

The logo can also be used in full white, full ‘CIU blue’, full ‘CIU charcoal’, or full black, as needed.

For single-colour versions, white on a blue background is to be favoured.

All other colour combinations are to be avoided.

All graphical elements of the logo must always be included. The typographical elements can be omitted depending on use.

Colours

We refer to the new official CIU colours as ‘CIU Blue’ and ‘CIU Charcoal’.

CIU Blue

Pantone 2201 C

hex #00aed6

RGB 0,174, 214

CMYK 100 19 0 16

CIU Charcoal

Pantone P 172-15 C

hex #4d4d4d

RGB 77, 77, 77

CMYK 63, 56, 50, 44

Typography

The new typeface is Bebas Neue, in bold. The alternate typeface (not used in the logo) is Avenir Next LT.

Implementation

This initial announcement serves as the official launch of our new logo, which will now be in use on all our major platforms — website, social media, etc. Over the next few months, we will continue to update other existing material with the new logo. While this transition takes place, you may still spot the old logo here and there. That’s normal — the union has a lot of printed and digital material that will need to be updated!

Usage requirements

While use of the CIU logo is encouraged for typical purposes (on union-run pages, union billboards, union material, mobilization, etc.) CIU Branches that wish to use the logo as part of more novel projects (swag, etc.) should consult with the National Office to ensure the logo usage respects brand guidelines. Similarly, members should reach out to their Branch Presidents prior to using the logo for anything that deviates from typical use.

DeSousa: It’s not about one day. It’s about the next ten years and beyond.

The following op-ed by PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa was published by The Hill Times on August 6, 2024.

We are at a pivotal moment in shaping the future of this country. The shift towards remote work has ignited a potential revolution in Canada’s workforce and public service. But if the government doesn’t change its shortsighted approach, we’re in danger of missing this golden opportunity.

The question in front of us isn’t just about where we work, but how we work, why we work, and what we’re working towards. We need to ask ourselves: what do we want this country to look like ten years from now? And what kind of public service will make that vision a reality?

Canada’s public service workers have a global reputation for excellence. The UK-based Institute for Government has consistently ranked our public service among the world’s most effective. This is thanks in large part to the dedication, competence, and vision of thousands of workers across the country. Workers who take immense pride in serving Canadians.

Unfortunately, instead of harnessing the collective wisdom and experience of our public service workforce, the government is making unilateral decisions and failing to engage with us around the future of our public service. This actively undermines our ability to deliver the kinds of services and programs that are envied around the world. Public service workers, and the people and businesses we serve, deserve better.

Rather than fighting to be treated with basic respect, we could be collaborating on building the public service of tomorrow. One that seamlessly integrates cutting-edge technology while maintaining the human touch that Canadians value. One that is a leader in innovation – not just in Canada, but on the global stage.

To build a better future, we need forward-thinking policies and a team effort. The government should be working with us on things like reducing costly outsourcing, enhancing service delivery, and creating a motivated, diverse workforce made up of talented workers from every corner of our vast country.

We need to invest in continuous learning and the development for our workforce, ensuring they are equipped to navigate the challenges of an AI-driven world. We must reimagine our organizational structures to be more agile and able to respond to changing needs. And critically, we need to foster a culture that values and empowers our public service, recognizing that their well-being and motivation are key to delivering excellent services and programs.

Remote work also creates new economic and social opportunities. The think tank l’Institut de recherche et d’information socioéconomiques reports that for every dollar spent in the public sector, as much as $1.28 is injected into our economy. Just think about the benefits this could bring to cash-strapped smaller or remote and Indigenous communities.

Workers spread out across the country will also make our public service more inclusive and accessible. This means a public service that’s more representative of Canada’s diverse population.

Canadians are ready to embrace a new future of work. Seven in 10 say they’re in favour of employees having the flexibility to work from home, according to a recent Abacus poll.

Forcing employees into a random office one more day a week to spend their days in Zoom meetings won’t prepare our workplaces for coming technological advances. It won’t help transform buildings into much-needed affordable housing. And it won’t build the Canada of the future.

The outlook for Canada’s public service is bright. But reaching our potential requires a genuine partnership between the government and its employees. We are ready to bring our expertise, our dedication, and our innovative ideas to the table. We challenge the government to match our commitment, stop imposing arbitrary edicts and start engaging in meaningful dialogue.

Let’s choose the kind of change that brings the most benefits to our people and communities. Together, we can forge a public service that not only meets the needs of today, but leads the way into tomorrow.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Have your say on informal conflict management systems at work

During the last round of negotiations, the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Treasury Board negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding to create a Joint Committee which would take an inventory of the trainings related to employment equity, diversity and inclusion and review the existing informal conflict management systems (ICMS) available to federal public service employees.

We have prepared this survey specifically to better understand the experiences and needs of PSAC members about ICMS in the federal public service. Members who would like to answer have until August 9, 2024.

By sharing your honest feedback, you’ll help the Joint Committee understand the effectiveness and shortcomings of the current system.

Answer the Survey

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Passing of Matt Kozlowski

It is with sorrow that we share the deeply regrettable loss of Matt Kozlowski, a dedicated CBSA officer from Fort Frances, ON, who passed on July 28, 2024, following an illness. A devoted father of three, Matt was also loved and respected by his fellow officers and will be missed by all. We would like to express our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. Beyond leaving a void that cannot be filled, his passing highlights the need for the employer to put in place better, more compassionate support structures to assist employees facing hardships and difficult life circumstances. For more information on how to help support Matt’s family, please contact Caroline Walker, CIU Northern Ontario Branch President.

Victory: CBSA to start providing first aid allowance to eligible BSOs

In February 2022, thanks to the hard work of the CIU labour representation team and after continued pressure on CBSA by CIU members, the National Joint Council (NJC) Executive Committee upheld grievances from CIU members asking to be paid the First Aid Allowance, moving forward.

Now, following steadfast advocacy by CIU, CBSA has announced that the Agency was ready to start providing the first aid allowance to all eligible Border Services Officers (BSOs).

An important step forward

This represents a significant victory for our union and our members. The intent of the NJC’s directive on First Aid to the General Public – Allowance for Employees is to pay employees required to be available to render first aid to the general public. BSOs have always been and continue to be readily available to provide first aid to those in need. They do so because they are trained peace officers who care for the well-being of those transiting through our borders. While they are expected to provide first aid, they are not expected to provide advanced medical response or treatment like first responders. They therefore fall squarely within the scope of the NJC’s directive on first aid to the general public.

CIU is glad to see that despite CBSA’s initial arguments, the Agency has accepted the NJC’s decision and has been working to implement it.

Who is eligible?

As per recent communications from CBSA:

In order to qualify for the first aid allowance, you must be a BSO and:

be formally required by the agency to be available on a regular basis to provide first aid to the general public in addition to your regular duties

work at a location where there is a lack of readily available emergency medical treatment facilities in the immediate area (within a radius of 10 kilometres)

be required to undertake and complete first aid training (StJohn Ambulance Standard Certificate) at the expense of the agency and maintain this level of first aid capability

We invite all members to review the list of CBSA work locations eligible for the first aid allowance, available on Apollo. If your work location is not included in the list provided by CBSA, and if you think it meets the criteria listed above (namely located 10 km or further from emergency medical treatment facilities), please contact your Branch President.

How to receive the allowance?

BSOs must apply to start receiving the allowance. As per CBSA, “payment of the first aid allowance will be bi-weekly, backdated to February 1, 2022.” To apply, please fill out and submit the Form for Payment of the First Aid Allowance (provided by CBSA on Apollo) to CBSA Compensation Services, along with the relevant first aid certificate (note that expired certificates may be accepted). The form will need to be signed by your immediate supervisor.

Are non-BSOs (FB-03s) eligible?

If you are not a Border Services Officer, but work at an eligible location, are expected to render first aid to the general public, and have a first aid certificate, you should contact your Branch President along with CBSA Compensation Services.

What to do if you change work location

Important: Members who are currently assigned to a work location that meets the criteria listed to qualify for the first aid allowance and who move to a different work location which does not meet said criteria should notify CBSA Compensation Services of the change to avoid overpayment.

If you are unsure if you are eligible for the first aid allowance following a change in work location — or in general — please contact the CBSA Compensation Services and/or your Branch President.