Author Archives: Pierre St-Jacques

PSAC-CIU members ratify new agreement with CBSA

PSAC-CIU members in the Border Services (FB) bargaining unit have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the tentative agreement with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The FB group represents over 8,500 CBSA employees who have been on the front lines of the pandemic since day one, protecting our borders and keeping Canadians safe.

The new contract is a four-year agreement from 2018-2022 with a total increase in wages of over 8%. The deal includes better protections against excessive discipline in the workplace, a commitment to tackle workplace culture problems, and improvements to leave and other allowances. It also addresses the long-standing issue of meal period compensation for uniformed officers.

“This agreement is a testament to the incredible hard work and dedication of our bargaining team who worked around the clock to reach a deal,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC national president. “We also couldn’t have done it without the tremendous support and solidarity of our members.”

“Finally – after three years of negotiations – we’ve resolved longstanding issues that will go a long way towards making CBSA a better, safer place to work for our members,” said Mark Weber, CIU national president. “Every action our members took on, and leading up to, our August 6 day of action made this possible. We can all be proud of what we achieved together.”

Next Steps

In the coming weeks, PSAC will meet with Treasury Board and CBSA representatives to sign the new collective agreement. Apart from wage increases, which are retroactive, new contract terms come into effect on the date of signing.

CBSA has 180 days from the date of signing the new collective agreement to implement the new pay rates, provide retro pay for the time elapsed since the expiry of the previous agreement, and provide $500 to all FB members as a penalty for extended implementation timelines.

PSAC-CIU will update FB members when once the collective agreement is signed. Please keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to get the latest news. If you have any other questions, please contact your CIU branch president or your PSAC regional office.

This article has also been posted on the PSAC website.

Public service workers shouldn’t be disciplined over vaccination requirements

This week, national political party leaders have made concerning statements about disciplining or terminating federal public service workers who choose not to be vaccinated as part of the government’s vaccine mandate proposal.

PSAC supports vaccination requirements for federal workers to ensure the safety of our members in their workplaces, and to protect our communities, but using discipline and termination to enforce them is unacceptable.

PSAC has been in in consultation with the federal government on their vaccination proposal, and our position is clear: employees with a valid medical reason for being unvaccinated, or for reasons protected by human rights legislation, must be offered a formal accommodation under the law.

In addition, if there are workers who are unable or unwilling to be vaccinated, the government must temporarily reassign those employees to other duties where possible, or allow for alternate work arrangements such as remote work.

Where required, other measures should be explored, including regular screening and rapid testing.

PSAC will continue to play an active role in consultations as the federal government develops its vaccination requirements plan. We will do our utmost to ensure the safety our members while protecting their rights in the workplace – including their right to privacy.

This article has also been posted on the PSAC website.

PSAC statement on vaccination requirements for federal public service workers

On August 13, the federal government announced it will require COVID-19 vaccinations for all federal public service workers by early fall.

The government also expects that Crown corporations and other federally regulated employers will require vaccinations for their employees by the end of October.

As Canada enters a fourth wave of the pandemic, it’s more important than ever for Canadians to do everything they can to protect each other and slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.

Science has shown us that vaccinations – alongside other measures like masking and physical distancing – are the most effective ways to fight COVID-19 and keep each other safe.

PSAC supports measures to increase vaccination rates, including vaccination requirements for federal public service workers to protect our members, their colleagues, and our communities.

Governments and employers have an obligation to ensure our workplaces are safe for public service workers and Canadians everywhere.

Although we support the goals of the government’s proposal, it’s critical that any eventual plan put forward by the government that would collect or verify the vaccination or medical status of our members respects their legal right to privacy. The government must also provide accommodations for workers who cannot be vaccinated for reasons protected under human rights legislation.

We expect the government to continue consulting with unions on the implementation of their vaccination requirements to safeguard our members’ right to privacy and ensure that their human rights are respected.

This article has also been posted on the PSAC website.

FB group: Next steps to ratify the tentative agreement

The FB bargaining team secured a tentative agreement with CBSA and Treasury Board August 6 that makes CBSA a better, safer place to work. The agreement was possible because of the dedication and perseverance of the FB bargaining team and members across the country who took work-to-rule action to send a clear message to the government.

Now that we have a tentative agreement, there are a few more steps to take before the new collective agreement can take effect.

Ratification kit

A full explanation of the new agreement, and a copy of the new language, is currently being finalized and will be distributed to members shortly.

PSAC-CIU’s bargaining team unanimously recommends ratification of the new agreement.

Ratification votes

PSAC-CIU will provide short, 10-minute mandatory virtual presentations to go through the details of the new tentative agreement, followed by an opportunity for FB members to ask questions. After the presentation, members will be able to cast their ballot.

The PSAC Constitution requires all members attend an information session before they vote for a new collective agreement.

The meeting schedule is being organized and will be announced in the next few weeks. Meetings will be held virtually and offered in both official languages.

If you have any questions, please contact your branch president or your PSAC regional office.

This article has also been posted on the PSAC website.

A watershed moment for our union

A message to the membership from the new CIU National President, Mark Weber.

Sisters and Brothers,

As your new National President, my first few weeks have been almost exclusively dedicated to supporting the efforts of our bargaining team. I had the pleasure of attending rallies in Windsor, Fort Erie, Lansdowne, Cornwall, Prescott and Toronto. Never have I seen greater solidarity than what you’ve shown these past few weeks. Whether attending demos, wearing your swag, volunteering, or contacting your MPs, you made it clear to our employer that we will no longer be disrespected.

Our August 6 Work to Rule campaign was a watershed moment for our great Union. Across the country, members came together and showed how powerful we really are when we act as one. Without you, we would not now have a tentative agreement to vote on. You’ve made this happen and I am so proud to represent you. The actions you took on August 6 will not be forgotten. With the next round of bargaining just around the corner, the employer will never again question our ability to mobilize.

I hope you will join me in offering my thanks to our bargaining team. They worked for years to get this agreement and, in the end, made gains that CIU had been seeking for a long time.

You will get more details about the tentative agreement in the coming weeks and will have an opportunity to ask questions of the bargaining team at your ratification meetings.

Thank you all for the amazing display of solidarity, and never forget what we accomplished together on August 6.

In solidarity,

Mark Weber
National President
Customs and Immigration Union