Members of the FB bargaining team are visiting worksites and holding membership meetings across the country.
This is your opportunity to meet the bargaining team, hear a bargaining update, and get materials so you can show your support during this round of bargaining.
Dates, times and locations are available on the PSAC website. This will be updated as more information becomes available.
The second anniversary of our historic mobilization on August 6, 2021, is fast approaching. This momentous day for our union is a time for celebration and solidarity, and presents all CIU members with the opportunity to reflect on our joint achievements and victories. As bargaining and the fight for a fair contract ramps up for the FB group in the wake of the recent Treasury Board strike, it is also the occasion to come together and consider how to best build on the foundations we’ve laid.
To mark the day, your Branch may be planning activities (on or around August 6), so make sure to check with your Branch President for more details.
This year, we’re also making it easier for CIU members to show the employer they remember August 6 and are ready to fight for their rights when the time comes. T-shirts with a special commemorative message are currently being distributed to CIU Branches across the country, and will be available (while quantities last) as a gift to any member who wish to display their pride in this important victory. Talk to your Branch President for more information.
PSAC National President, Chris Aylward, congratulates the new members of the federal cabinet on their appointments earlier this week.
“Today I extend an invitation to all ministers, whether in a new role, new to cabinet or returning, to work with us to build and protect the public services in this country,” said Aylward. “Public sector workers are your employees. They are proud to be the members of your team who deliver public services to Canada and therefore bring the changes you make, forward possible.”
Over the coming weeks, PSAC will reach out to new ministers to establish a positive and productive working relationship going forward.
“I will be reaching out to ministers, beginning with the new President of the Treasury Board, Anita Anand,” said Aylward. “Several PSAC federal government bargaining units, including FBs who work for Canada Border Services Agency, Canadian Food Inspection Agency workers and other federal government employees, are still at the table or will begin negotiations in the near future. We are hopeful that we can establish open communication and clear constructive dialogue going forward.”
PSAC will also be bringing the ongoing matters of the Black and Indigenous Class Action lawsuits and stalled pension entitlement changes for firefighters and border officers to President Anand.
We’ll be looking to incoming PSPC Minister, Jean-Yves Duclos, to work with us to finally end the Phoenix pay system debacle, to returning Labour Minister, Seamus O’Regan, to bring in the long-awaited anti-scab legislation and to incoming Minister of Crown-Indigenous Affairs, Gary Anandasangaree, to implement all recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
“We see this cabinet shuffle as an opportunity for the government and the union to improve working conditions and social justice for all in Canada,” concluded Aylward.
This article was first posted on the PSAC website.
CIU National President Mark Weber sent the following memorandum to the CIU National Board of Directors on July 20, 2023, on behalf of the National Executive.
Members of the National Board of Directors,
The question of Branch membership allocation was recently brought to the attention of the CIU National Executive, in the context of members who physically work in a given geographical area under the jurisdiction of one Branch, but who report to an office located in a different geographical area under the jurisdiction of another Branch. After careful consideration of the matter, the CIU National Executive would like to offer the following additional guidance to clarify existing allocation rules.
The National Executive found that the question of Branch membership allocation mainly revolves around CIU Branch Rule 5.3 and CIU By-Law 7.5(2), which state:
The question of where the work is performed, and therefore what constitutes the “place of work”, is central in allocating Branch membership. For most members, Branch allocation is straightforward, as they physically work in the same geographical area as the office they report to, often in the exact same location, and under the jurisdiction of the same union Branch.
However, where a member physically works in a given geographical area but reports to an office located in another geographical area, as per Branch Rule 5.3 the place of work must be considered to be where the member physically performs work, and not where they report to. In this case, the member should be allocated to the union Branch which has jurisdiction over the geographical area of the member’s physical place of work, both for representation and remittance of union dues.
This principle applies no matter the work arrangement. The determining factor in membership allocation is the physical location where work is being performed, not the location of the CBSA office/manager the member reports to. In cases where a member has a telework or hybrid work arrangement, Branch membership allocation is determined based on where the member physically works. If the member works from a CBSA office some of the time, the Branch representing that CBSA office is the branch that member belongs to. If the member works from home 100% of the time, the branch representing the nearest CBSA office where the member would report to is the branch that member belongs to. On the rare occasion where a member who works from home lives in an area serviced by one Branch, and the nearest physical CBSA office where the member would be expected to come into work is serviced by a different Branch, membership allocation will be based on the location of the CBSA office/satellite office.
Under a telework arrangement, Bill lives in Southern British Columbia but reports to a CBSA office located in Toronto. Twice a week, Bill has to go to a physical CBSA workplace to perform some of his work. He does so at the nearest CBSA office, also located in Southern BC. Even though Bill ultimately reports to an office located in Toronto, he is a member of the Branch which has jurisdiction over the area where the work is being physically performed. In this case, this would be the CIU BC Southern Branch, and not the CIU Toronto Branch, as Bill lives and works in Southern British Columbia.
It is important to note that the above is not a novel interpretation and echoes the principles set in a 2005 decision by then CEUDA National President Ron Moran.
Members who are on assignment or on secondment for more than six months should be allocated to the CIU Branch servicing the location of the assignment or secondment, according to the same principles outlined above. In order to simplify the allocation process and to avoid unnecessary complications, Branch membership re-allocation will not be required for assignments or secondments under six months.
It is worth noting that the importance of assigning a member to the Branch servicing the area where a member physically works is not purely academic and has tangible, practical implications. From the point of view of union-related activities, it makes little sense for a member physically residing and working in City A to be allocated to a Branch whose jurisdiction is in City B, where both cities are hours apart, even if the member’s manager is in City B. The member residing in City A would attend rallies, picket lines and other union activities taking place in City A, overseen by the Branch whose jurisdiction is in City A. It is the Branch whose jurisdiction is in City A that would help the member should they require assistance. In the event of a strike, it is the same Branch that would pay their strike pay top-up. Why then should they be a member of another Branch, in City B or elsewhere?
In light of the above, it is likely that Branch Presidents will want to review their local membership list. The CIU National Executive invites Branch Presidents to work together to ensure members are assigned to the proper Branch, based on the principles outlined previously. Any necessary change should be communicated to membership@ciu-sdi.ca. Should you have any questions, please contact the National Vice-President assigned to your Branch.
In solidarity, and on behalf the CIU National Executive,
Mark Weber
National President
PDF version of documents:
On July 1, 2023, the federal government implemented a transfer of the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) provider from Sun Life to Canada Life, resulting in changes for more than 1 million federal public service workers, retirees and their dependents. This change was initiated and operationalized by the employer, and it is the Employer’s obligation to make the transition as seamless as possible.
PSAC is aware of some challenges associated with enrollment into the new plan and has since been told that Canada Life has added additional staff in response to the spike in call volume, and we will continue to pressure the government to improve the process for members.
If you have not yet completed your positive enrolment and have incurred expenses, they can still be claimed, however, reimbursement will not proceed until the enrollment process is complete.
To qualify, members have to fill out their positive enrolment in one of two ways: online or by mail:
Once your enrolment is processed, members will receive a confirmation letter and a PSHCP benefit card.
This article was first posted on the PSAC website.
