Category Archives: bargaining

Get ready to take action: FB members vote 96% in favour of strike action

The ballots have been counted, and you’ve given our union an overwhelming strike mandate to take job action and show this employer we mean business.

This comes as no surprise. You’ve been without a collective agreement since 2022. Your wages have stalled, and the cost-of-living has risen, yet the Canada Border Services Agency and Treasury Board still aren’t prepared to negotiate a fair agreement, and continue to demand concessions at the bargaining table.

You’ve shown your resolve, and your employer is now fully aware that you’re prepared to do whatever it takes to fight for a fair collective agreement that secures fair wages in line with other law enforcement and public safety workers across the country, flexible telework options, stronger job security, protections against contracting out, and equitable 25-and-out retirement benefits.

Taking job action is always a last resort, but the results of the vote – 96% in favour – show that you’re prepared to take action to demand a fair contract.

Together, we have a lot of power. Our strike in 2021 brought commercial cross-border traffic nearly to a standstill, causing chaos at ports of entry across the country.

Unless they want to see that happen again, Treasury Board and CBSA better be prepared to come to the table with an offer that addresses our key issues.

Our FB bargaining team is committed to reaching a fair contract that protects our members and makes CBSA a better place to work. We have made it clear to the Trudeau Liberal government that our negotiations must be a top priority, and the window to avert a strike is closing quickly.

Mediation sessions are scheduled to begin on June 3, and we expect the Public Interest Commission report to be released shortly before that. We will be in a legal strike position seven days after the report is released – meaning we should be prepared to take job action in June if a deal isn’t reached.

Contact your Branch President or PSAC regional office to find out how you can join mobilization activities to keep the pressure up on the employer and this government.

Please make sure you keep your contact information up to date and watch for more information as we move forward.

Together we can – and we will – win the fair collective agreement that you deserve.

Always in solidarity,

Chris Aylward
PSAC national president

Mark Weber
Customs and Immigration Union national president

This article was originally posted on the PSAC website.

Workers at CBSA vote overwhelmingly in favour of strike action, border disruptions possible over summer

More than 9,000 members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada working for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) have secured an overwhelming strike mandate which could lead to significant disruptions to the flow of goods, services and people at Canadian ports of entry a as the busy summer season approaches.

Members voted 96% in favour of taking job action during strike votes held April 10 to May 23, 2024.

“Taking job action is always a last resort, but this strong strike mandate underscores that our members are prepared do what it takes to secure a fair contract,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC National President. “Unless they want a repeat of 2021, Treasury Board and CBSA must be prepared to come to the table with a fair offer that addresses our key issues.”

Job action by CBSA personnel in 2021 nearly brought commercial cross-border traffic to a standstill, causing major delays at airports and borders across the country and a marathon 36-hour bargaining session to reach an agreement.

PSAC-Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) members at CBSA include border services officers at airports, land entry points, marine ports, and commercial ports of entry, inland enforcement officers, intelligence officers, investigators, trade officers, and non-uniformed headquarters staff.

Workers have been without a contract for over two years, yet Treasury Board and CBSA are still not prepared to negotiate an agreement that protects workers, and continue to demand concessions at the bargaining table.

Key issues in this round of bargaining include fair wages that are aligned with other law enforcement agencies across the country, flexible telework and remote work options, equitable retirement benefits and stronger protections around discipline, technological change and hours of work.

“Our members’ response to this vote has been unprecedented – we extended the voting period to meet the overwhelming demand from workers,” said Mark Weber, CIU National President. “We’re sending a clear message to the employer: we’re prepared to fight for fair wages, equitable retirement and to make CBSA a better place to work.”

Possible strike action in June

Both parties last met at a Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearing April 22. The Commission’s report is expected to be released before mediation sessions scheduled to begin June 3 to seek a resolution to the bargaining impasse. PSAC-CIU will be in a legal strike position following the release of the report.

“We’re committed to reaching a fair contract that protects workers and improves working conditions for our members,” said Aylward. “As summer travel season nears, we hope the Trudeau Liberal government is making these negotiations a top priority. The window to avert a strike is closing quickly.”

CBSA personnel deserve fair wages that are aligned with other law enforcement agencies across the country and an equitable retirement regime.

This article was originally posted on the PSAC website.

PA, EB, TC, SV bargaining: Have your say in the next round of negotiations

PSAC is getting ready for the next round of bargaining for the Program and Administrative Services (PA), Technical Services (TC), Operational Services (SV), and Education and Library Science (EB) groups. As the first step in this process, we need to hear from you.

What would you like to see in your next collective agreement? This is your opportunity to share your ideas with us. Your participation is crucial to our strength as a union.

Send us your proposals

What makes a good bargaining proposal?

We are accepting input until November 15, 2024.

Your component and PSAC will review all proposals and bring them to the next bargaining conference where delegates from locals across the country will prioritize them for negotiations. Talks for the next contracts are expected to begin early next year.

The current collective agreements expire on the following dates:

PA: June 20, 2025
TC: June 21, 2025
SV: August 4, 2025
EB: June 30, 2025

Be sure to keep your contact information up to date to receive all the latest updates.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

FB bargaining: Strike vote extended to May 23 due to overwhelming response

FB group members have been attending strike vote sessions in unprecedented numbers. To ensure all members have an opportunity to vote, PSAC-CIU has added two more national strike vote sessions.

Tuesday, May 21: 10:00 a.m. ET in English
Thursday, May 23: 12:00 noon ET in French

The voting period closes May 23 at 10:00 p.m. ET.

It’s not too late. Show the employer you mean business.

A strong strike vote sends a signal to Treasury Board and Canada Border Services Agency that you’re prepared to fight for a new collective agreement that includes fair wages, access to telework for non-uniformed members, stronger job protections, protections from contracting out, and equitable retirement benefits.

It also shows the employer that you are firmly behind your bargaining team and prepared to take job action to reach a fair deal. This gives the bargaining team even more leverage at the upcoming mediation sessions in June. It will help them win a good contract and push back against CBSA’s concessions.

All members who have not yet voted are strongly encouraged to attend one of these sessions.

How to vote

Voting credentials have been sent to your personal, non-work email or by mail to your home address if we don’t have a personal email on file. You will need these credentials to register for a strike vote session and cast your ballot. If you do not have your voting information, contact your PSAC regional office.

How to register to vote

To ensure maximum participation, please share this information with coworkers who may not have voted yet.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

$2,500 lump sum payments: Some Treasury Board and agency members experiencing issues

During the last round of negotiations with Treasury Board, PSAC secured a $2,500 pensionable lump sum payment applicable to all members of the EB, PA, SV, and TC bargaining units employed at the time the agreement was signed.

Since then, PSAC has negotiated the same one-time lump sum payment for all members working for Canada Revenue Agency, Parks Canada, Royal Canadian Mint, Canadian Food Inspection Agency and other federal agencies.

It has come to our attention that this payment has been clawed back for some members who were receiving Employment Insurance (EI) benefits at the time when they received the lump sum. This most notably applies to seasonal employees and those who were on parental leave. It may also apply to members who were on leave without pay due to illness or injury and who were receiving EI sickness benefits.

Misinterpretation of the payment

This claw back occurred for some members because Employment and Social Development Canada interpreted the lump sum payment as additional income during the periods when these members were receiving EI benefits.

PSAC’s legal counsel has confirmed this interpretation is not in line with the terms of our collective agreements, which specify that recipients are entitled to the lump sum for the performance of regular duties and responsibilities for periods when they were actively employed, not when they were on leave.

Recently, a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees successfully challenged this interpretation.

The decision of the Social Security Tribunal of Canada found that “the true nature of the employer’s payment … was for services performed before she began her maternity leave and claimed Employment Insurance.” It also ruled that “the Canada Employment Insurance Commission incorrectly identified this money as a signing bonus and allocated it to a week during the [member’s] EI claim.”

What to do if you’ve already been impacted by this

If you have been affected by this issue, it’s crucial to submit a Request for Reconsideration of an Employment Insurance (EI) decision. In Section 3 of the form “Reason for Request for Reconsideration,” please use the following information:

The $2,500 payment was not a ratification bonus. The payment was for performance of duties before I went on leave and started collecting EI benefits. When money is paid for performance of services, the money should be allocated under s. 36(4) of the EI Regulations to the period before my leave began.

There is a time limit of 30 days to request a reconsideration. However, EI allows extensions under certain circumstances. If it’s already been 30 days since you received this decision, you can request an extension by saying you were gathering information about what the payment was for from your union. If you receive a denial on the reconsideration, you have 30 days to appeal to the Tribunal.

Please contact PSAC if you encounter any issues with the appeal process or if you’re uncertain about how to proceed. We are here to assist you through this process and to ensure that your rights are fully respected.

Note for members who have received EI benefits

Some members may not have been notified of this situation yet. If you were receiving EI benefits at the time your collective agreement was ratified or in the months before the lump sum payment was issued, you still may be contacted in the future for repayment.

Review your EI statements, monitor your account, and follow the steps above if you receive the request for repayment.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.