Author Archives: Pierre St-Jacques

FB bargaining: PSAC serves notice to bargain, prepares for bargaining conference

PSAC has taken the first step to begin the next round of negotiations for more than 8,500 PSAC-CIU members in the FB group by serving Treasury Board with notice to bargain.

After issuing an input call for bargaining demands, the union received over 1,000 proposals from PSAC-CIU members working for the Canada Border Servies Agency (CBSA). Next month, members from every Customs and Immigration Union branch across Canada will meet in person at our national bargaining conference in Ottawa, from March 31 to April 2, to elect a bargaining team and discuss priorities for a new round of bargaining. Our initial bargaining dates will be determined soon after.

The unprecedented mobilization by FB members during our last round of bargaining was critical in securing important gains — including better protections against excessive discipline, a streamlined grievance process, and additional improvements in line with what other Canadian law enforcement agencies provide. PSAC-CIU is committed to continuing to build on these gains.

Throughout the pandemic, PSAC-CIU members at CBSA have gone above and beyond to serve Canadians and protect our borders. It’s time for the employer to recognize that dedication and hard work by making the CBSA a better and safer place to work.

Stay in touch

Please be sure to keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to receive all the latest updates as we negotiate your next contract.

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

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Ongoing protests against bilateral vaccine mandate: Letter to CTA President Laskowski

CIU National President Mark Weber sent the following letter to Stephen Laskowski, President of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, on February 3, 2022.

Dear President Laskowski,

It is with great interest that I have been reading the recent statements issued by the Canadian Trucking Alliance in response to the ongoing protests against mandatory vaccination for truck drivers and other essential workers crossing the Canada-U.S. border.

Last August 6, when members of the Customs and Immigration Union undertook their work-to-rule strike action as part of contract negotiations, the overwhelming majority of truck drivers demonstrated patience and consideration towards Border Officers, speaking to the professionalism of your membership. In the last few weeks, the feedback from our members on the frontline has also been unequivocal: Since the implementation of the mandatory vaccination policy for cross-border travel in late January 2022, interactions between Border Officers and truck drivers entering Canada have continued to be positive.

As the CTA noted in its communications, most truck drivers are vaccinated and are complying with COVID-19 related regulations. With CBSA personnel and truck drivers interacting on a daily basis across Canada, I am greatly appreciative of the fact that our respective memberships have been doing their part to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved in maintaining the flow of commercial goods entering the country.

While the right to protest is an undeniable strength of our democracy, it is certainly unfortunate to see that some individuals have elected to voice their irritation with current regulations in a way that casts a shadow on the rest of the truck driving profession. I am certain that Canadians everywhere know that these actions are not representative of your members in general. Acts of intolerance cannot be condoned or ignored, and I am glad to see the CTA taking a strong position against such behaviour.

In closing, I wish to thank your members for working the front line throughout the pandemic, and offer my full support to you and your organization in these challenging times. In line with what you yourself have stated, only by working together toward a common goal can we hope to mitigate the effect of the ongoing pandemic. In that spirit,

Best regards,

Mark Weber
National President
Customs and Immigration Union

Click here for the PDF version.

Trafficking of illegal firearms: CIU National President highlights important gaps, calls for increased reliance on border officers

On Tuesday, February 1, 2022, the National President of the Customs and Immigration Union, Mark Weber, testified in front of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security as part of their study on gun control and illegal arms trafficking, highlighting the union’s concerns regarding Canada’s ability to curb smuggling activities.

Border Officers must be allowed to operate between ports of entry

In his opening statement, National President Weber brought to the Committee’s attention three areas of particular importance: Long-standing and widespread understaffing at CBSA, important operational gaps impacting highway, marine, and rail modes of operation, and the pressing need for increased reliance on the unique expertise of CBSA personnel, including between ports of entry.

“If the Government of Canada is serious in addressing the problem of illegal firearms smuggled across the border, the mandate of border officers must be expanded so as to assist in patrolling between crossings” said Weber to the Committee, criticizing the current inability of CBSA officers to operate outside ports of entry. “It is a well-known fact that the border between Canada and our neighbours to the south is the longest undefended border in the world. While this is certainly a testament to the good relations between our two countries, it also comes with its own unique security challenges. To mitigate these, we invite the Government of Canada to empower its CBSA officers to further help curb smuggling activities into Canada from land or sea routes, including between ports of entry.”

Outdated and insufficient infrastructure

During the three-hour long session, the CIU National President also highlighted issues affecting most modes of operation, including outdated or insufficient infrastructure, pointing to rail operations as a particularly glaring example, amongst others: “The reality is that our current operational abilities in the rail field are virtually non-existent: Canada has zero examination capabilities directly at the border, due in part to geographical issues, inadequate tools, and political decisions not to force rail carriers to supply the necessary facilities. In other words: There is an almost 0% chance that any illegal weapon entering the country via rail will ever be found.”

National President Weber’s message was clear: CBSA needs to not only address the pressing staffing issues that compound important operational gaps, but it should also further rely on the unique expertise of its officers when it comes to policy decisions. “Too often will management take a course of action that either does not take into account, or blatantly disregards, the reality in the field. We believe that this could be corrected through meaningful consultation with, and effective involvement of, our members.”

A recording of the Committee proceedings can be viewed here.

Black History Month: Fighting anti-Black racism in the workplace

Black History Month is a time to honour and celebrate Black people’s past and present accomplishments, their contributions to Canadian society, and their ongoing struggle for equity. This is a time to reflect on the strength and resiliency of people of African and Caribbean descent in Canada, while committing to fight against systemic discrimination and racism in our communities.

From creating one of Canada’s first trade-labour schools in 1842, to launching a class action lawsuit challenging racism in Canada’s public service today, Black workers and labour activists were instrumental in shaping the Canadian labour movement from which we continue to benefit.

Workers’ rights and workplaces in Canada have been greatly advanced through their courage and perseverance, and Black History Month is a time to recognize and give thanks for their leadership and those victories.

Click here to continue reading this article on the PSAC website.

REMINDER: FB bargaining conference: Members of equity groups, women and young workers encouraged to apply

PSAC-CIU members who self-identify in one of the groups listed below are encouraged to apply to attend the FB National Bargaining Conference before the February 4 deadline.

Eligible groups:

Indigenous
Racially visible
LGBTQ2+
Member with disability
Woman
Young worker (aged 35 or younger)

Bargaining conferences bring together members to discuss and prioritize the issues that will be negotiated during the upcoming round of collective bargaining. Participation of all groups is critical to ensure important equity issues are represented at the bargaining table.

How to apply

As established in Regulation 15, Section 3.3.3, delegates chosen to attend the bargaining conference must:

be members of the bargaining unit;
be dedicated union activists, engaged in union activities and committed to union principles, including social justice and human rights.

Please submit your application via the PSAC website before February 4 at 11:59 EST to be considered.

Note: Applying does not guarantee a delegate seat at the bargaining conference.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.