The Customs and Immigration Union wishes to echo in the strongest of terms the concerns voiced by Paul Boucher, President of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference: The August 24 decision by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to allow the federal government to force an end to job action for striking rail sector workers and to impose binding arbitration between the parties sets a dangerous precedent for the Canadian labour movement and the rights of workers.

By preferring to protect the economic interests of large employers, the federal government has taken a clear stance against those who Canadians rely on everyday to drive the economy safely and securely: The workers themselves.  Worse, by failing to support rail workers, the government also sends a clear signal to the industry sector as a whole that safety plays second fiddle to corporate economic concerns.

This is a dangerous precedent indeed, and Canadians should take note.

Time and again, unions have demonstrated how essential the rights to organize, mobilize, and strike are as part of a fair and just society. It is through these actions that workers can push back against employers who wish to erode working conditions and safety rules alike. CIU members themselves are well-acquainted with the importance of union mobilization as part of the negotiation process, and the recent decision to strip rail sector workers of those rights is simply shameful.

We applaud the Teamsters for remaining uncowed and for seeking to appeal the ruling, and we are proud to stand with them.

In solidarity,

Mark Weber
CIU National President

Original letter sent by mail from CIU National Mark Weber to Paul Boucher, President of the TCRC, on August 21, 2024.

Dear Brother Boucher,

By threatening to lockout workers should agreements with the Teamsters not be reached at the bargaining table by August 22, both CN and CPKC are resorting to the preferred tactic of employers who would bully rather than bargain.

That rail operators would seek concessions from workers that would result in greater fatigue-related safety risks lays bare their blatant disregard for the well-being of their employees, for the safety and security of Canadians, and for our supply chain as a whole. By aggressively pushing for a lockout instead of continuing to bargain, they only confirm that profits matter above all else, regardless of consequences.

CPKC’s actions, which also aim to unilaterally change the terms of collective agreements, are particularly egregious. Your union is to be applauded for defending the rights of your members and issuing a strike notice in response.

Border services and rail operations are intrinsically linked as part of cross-border activities, and our respective members are well acquainted with each other. In the past — most recently earlier this spring when CIU was on the verge of a strike — Teamsters and the TCRC made clear their support for our members.

By way of this letter and on behalf of the CIU membership, I wish to return that offer of support to the TCRC. An injury to one is an injury to all, and the Customs and Immigration Union will be proud to assist you in any way we can until agreements are reached. I invite you to contact me should you require any assistance.

In solidarity,

Mark Weber
CIU National President

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Original letter sent by mail from CIU National Mark Weber to Shawn Fain, President of the UAW, on August 14, 2024.

Dear President Fain,

The decision by the UAW to counter Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s shameless attempt to intimidate American workers is to be applauded in the strongest terms. It should serve as a rallying call and inspiration for the entire labour movement in the face of mounting adversity on the part of conservative, far-right elements across the globe.

In Canada and the United States, right wing political parties brand themselves as friends of workers while seeking to erode their very rights. Their policies weaken the working class and attack the foundations of organized labour, from the fundamental freedom of association to the right to strike.

Throughout the past century, unions have faced aggression from those who wish to see their rights curtailed. Time and again, organized labour has upheld and expanded the rights of workers. We now face the threat of national conservatism, which aims to roll back the clock to a time when workers’ rights were yet to be won.

It is unsurprising that this latest attack would come from a billionaire and his politician crony, and the UAW’s pushback against this illegal display is timely. The Customs and Immigration Union stands in support of our fellow union members of the UAW. Your actions are needed now more than ever. Only when organized labour stays silent do those who would oppress workers succeed.

In solidarity,

Mark Weber
National President, Customs and Immigration Union

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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.