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Workers at Canada Border Services Agency ratify tentative agreement for more than 9,000 workers
Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) members working at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) have voted overwhelmingly in favour of ratifying their tentative agreement, with 91% of ballots cast in favour of the new contract. A nationwide ratification vote took place June 20 through July 4.
Over 9,000 workers at the CBSA won a wage increase that exceeds recent increases to other Canadian law enforcement agencies, enhanced protections relative to technological changes, and better provisions for shift scheduling and leave.
The four-year collective agreement expires on June 20, 2026.
“Today, we celebrate our members who showed unwavering commitment and solidarity to reach the best possible contract for workers,” said PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa. “This is a well-deserved victory for our members at CBSA who safeguard our nation’s borders and ensure the safety and security of all Canadians.”
“I’m proud of the solidarity our members have shown over that past two years of negotiations,” said Mark Weber, CIU National President. “We would not have achieved this agreement without the strength and support shown by thousands of members across the country who took action to support our bargaining team.”
Next Steps
In the coming weeks, PSAC will meet with Treasury Board and CBSA representatives to sign the new contract. All non-monetary terms of the collective agreement will come into effect immediately after signing.
Treasury Board and CBSA have 180 days from the date of signing the new collective agreement to raise the pay according to the new rates and provide retroactive pay for the time elapsed since the expiry of the previous contract.
This article was first posted on the PSAC website.
Navigating the Phoenix adjudication process under the 2020 damages agreement
Starting June 24, a new adjudication process is available for both current and former Treasury Board employees affected by the 2020 Phoenix pay system damages agreement. This process was negotiated by PSAC and is designed to resolve disputes quickly and efficiently if your claim for severe impacts has been denied.
There are two main pathways to handle disputes:
- Accelerated adjudication: This faster process allows for a decision within 40 working days. Both parties must agree on a statement of facts before moving ahead with accelerated adjudication, which is administered by the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (FPSLREB). The entire process has been outlined in the FPSLREB’s procedural guide.
- Formal adjudication: This longer hearing process is designed for complex cases where facts are disputed or more evidence is needed. It involves gathering evidence and testimonies, and a decision can take several months. Grievances that proceed to formal adjudication follow the FPSLREB’s usual adjudication procedures.
If your claim is approved, fully or partially, you will receive a decision letter with a release form that you must sign and return within 90 days to receive your payment. Employees can contact the Phoenix Claims Office with any questions about the decision letter.
Disagreeing with a decision
If you disagree with the decision on your claim, contact PSAC (choose “Phoenix – Appeal a severe impact claim” from the dropdown menu) to explore your options. We can guide you on the next steps and can refer your claim to the FPSLREB, depending on the specifics of your case. Under the Phoenix pay system damages agreement, only PSAC can refer a claim to adjudication before the FPSLREB.
For members covered under the 2019 Phoenix pay system damages agreement, a similar process is already available.
Push for ongoing Phoenix damages
PSAC also continues to call on Treasury Board to begin negotiating an extension of the Phoenix general damages agreements and the severe damages claims process to compensate workers until they are paid properly and on time – every time.
There are currently 424,000 transactions ready to be processed by the Public Service Pay Centre with a growing Phoenix backlog that is leading to frustration and hardship for federal public service workers waiting for their issues to be resolved.
This article was first posted on the PSAC website.
Employment Opportunity: Labour Relations Officer (Permanent position) (Extended)
The Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) is seeking to hire a full-time bilingual Labour Relations Officer (Band 11, French imperative) with extensive experience to be staffed on a full-time indeterminate basis.
Applications will be received until close of business on July 19, 2024 (5:00 p.m. EDT). Please see the full posting here (PDF) for more information about the position, the associated duties and requirements, and on how to apply.
FB Ratification votes to be held June 20 to July 4
Ratification votes for PSAC-CIU members working at the Canada Border Services Agency will begin June 20 and end July 4 at 12 p.m. ET.
In order for FB members to receive their new rates of pay, retroactive pay, and lump sum payment, the new agreement must first be ratified. To ensure this ratification process is done as quickly as possible, PSAC will be conducting an online ratification process.
The ratification vote will be conducted using the same online voting platform used for strike votes earlier this year.
- Review the ratification kit
- View the tentative agreement and ratification vote FAQ
How to vote
PSAC will be holding mandatory virtual information sessions, and you can vote at any time after attending a session up until the voting deadline July 4 at 12 p.m. ET.
Ensure you are a Member in Good Standing. If you are on an extended leave (parental, disability, etc.), you can request to maintain good status while on leave prior to the vote.
Check your email: All FB group members will have received an email from communications@psac-afpc.vote on June 14 with the link to PSAC’s voting platform and the credentials needed to log in. If we only have your home address on file, your voting credentials will have been mailed to you.
If you did not receive an email on June 14, check your junk mail or other folders in your personal email account. If you’ve checked those folders and still don’t have the email, or if we don’t have your personal email on file, you can fill out a PSAC membership form to update your contact information.
Once you submit the online membership form, PSAC will issue your voting credentials to you as soon as possible.
Participate in a mandatory information session: Upon receipt of your login credentials, please proceed to register for voting sessions using the online voting platform link.
Submit your vote: Once you attend a mandatory information session, you will then be provided with a link to vote. Following the information session, you can vote immediately or stay on to participate in a live Q&A session with members of the FB bargaining team.
Vote session dates and times
Register for one of the following mandatory information sessions:
Sessions in English
- Thursday, June 20, 7:30 p.m. ET in English
- Friday, June 21, 2:00 p.m. ET in English
- Sunday, June 23, 7:00 p.m. ET in English
- Monday, June 24, 10:00 p.m. ET in English
- Tuesday, June 25, 10:00 a.m. ET in English
- Wednesday, June 26, 6:30 p.m. ET in English
- Thursday, June 27, 7:30 p.m. ET in English
- Friday, June 28, 10:00 a.m. ET in English
- Tuesday, July 2, 5:00 p.m. ET in English
- Wednesday, July 3, 10:00 p.m. ET in English
Sessions in French
- Friday, June 21, 9:00 a.m. ET in French
- Tuesday, June 25 5:00 p.m. ET in French
- Wednesday, June 26, 8:00 p.m. ET in French
- Friday, June 28, 1:00 p.m. ET in French
- Tuesday, July 2, 9:30 a.m. ET in French
Register here
This article was first posted on the PSAC website.
“25-and-out” pension reform announcement: A remarkable victory for public safety and law enforcement workers
The announcement by the federal government regarding new pension legislation, earlier today, constitutes a victory of historic proportions for public safety and law enforcement workers across the country, including CIU’s own FB members. I would like to join PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa in highlighting the importance of this announcement for PSAC and CIU members.
Once passed, this legislative reform will allow our members to retire with dignity after 25 years of service. Let me be clear: This represents a monumental leap for CBSA personnel. Our union has long advocated for pension reform that would see our members treated in the same way as other law enforcement officers, and CIU wholeheartedly commends the federal government for committing to this much needed reform that recognizes the demanding nature of the work performed by our members.
I know many of you will have questions regarding the implementation of these changes, and we will be keeping a close eye on the legislative process as the government works on adopting the required modifications. We will make sure to update you as things progress.
Thank you and in solidarity,
Mark Weber
CIU National President
FB ratification kit now available: A message from the CIU National President
On June 11, 2024, the PSAC-CIU bargaining team for the FB group secured a tentative agreement for over 9,000 members at CBSA. This agreement represents the culmination of nearly two years of intense work at the bargaining table and brings to our members outstanding gains in several areas, notably on the wage front. The ratification kit is now available, and I invite all our members to see the full details of the tentative agreement.
The dedication of our FB bargaining team to obtaining the best deal for our members leaves the FB group in a markedly stronger position. The resulting tentative agreement is a resounding success for all our members, without whom this victory would not have been possible. Once again, it is through your support and solidarity that our team was able to secure the improvements you all so decidedly deserve.
Over the next few weeks, members will have the opportunity to attend ratification sessions and vote on the agreement. Further details will be announced in the coming days.
The FB bargaining team unanimously recommends ratification of the tentative agreement, and I could not be prouder of adding my voice to this recommendation. This tentative agreement is the latest in a long line of victories, illustrating once more what we as a union can accomplish together.
Thank you and in solidarity,
Mark Weber
CIU National President
Summary of FB tentative agreement
After more than two years without a contract and a tremendous display of solidarity from FB members across the country, PSAC and the Customs and Immigration Union have reached a tentative agreement for more than 9,000 Canada Border Services Agency workers.
The agreement provides wage increases that greatly exceed those provided across the broader law enforcement community in Canada, stronger workplace protections, and improvements for both uniformed and non-uniformed members at CBSA. A full copy of the new language is available in the ratification kit.
update: the new rates of pay are now available.
The FB bargaining team unanimously recommends ratification of the tentative agreement.
Highlights of the tentative agreement
Duration
The four-year agreement will expire on June 20, 2026.
Wages increases that exceed other major Canadian law enforcement agencies
PSAC negotiated wage increases totaling 14.8% over four years – representing a compounded increase of 15.73% – retroactive to June 2022. These wage increases greatly exceed increases provided across the broader law enforcement community in Canada – including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – for the years of the agreement.
Effective June 21, 2022 – 3.5% + 1.25% for a total compounded increase of 4.8%
Effective June 21, 2023 – 3% + 2.8% for a total compounded increase of 5.9%
Effective June 21, 2024 – 2% + 0.25% for a total compounded increase of 2.255%
Effective June 21, 2025 – 2%
One-time lump-sum payment
PSAC secured a pensionable $2,500 one-time lump sum payment for all employees in the bargaining unit upon the date of signing. The pensionable lump sum payment will be applicable to all members of the bargaining unit employed at the time of signing the agreement. For members approaching retirement, the pensionable lump sum payment will contribute to their average salary for their best five years of service and increase their overall pension payments in retirement.
Other monetary gains
A 12.5% increase in shift and weekend premium – from $2.00 to $2.25 an hour. Our shift and weekend premiums are now the highest in the federal law enforcement community, and greatly exceed other major law enforcement organizations such as the OPP and Sûreté du Québec.
Members in Intelligence, Investigations and Inland Enforcement will be reimbursed up to $500 a year for the purchase of plain clothes.
A new annual Hearings Officer allowance of $500.
A new pensionable, annual $1000 allowance for non-uniform employees.
The employer must now reimburse employees for the cost of medical certificates up to $35.
Leave improvements
Employees will now be able to access four weeks of vacation leave after seven years of employment instead of eight years of employment.
Improvements regarding travelling time, including a reduction from 40 nights to 20 nights to access an additional day of leave.
Expanded access to Family-Related Responsibility and Bereavement Leave.
Protections around technological changes
The new agreement provides clear mechanisms for meaningful discussion with the union on any proposed technological changes in the workplace and includes new protections in the context of the introduction of new systems and software.
Discipline
For the first time, we have secured new language in the agreement that ensures employees have access to union representation in all disciplinary, administrative and investigative meetings conducted by CBSA management – including Professional Standards Investigations. The agreement also contains new language that ensures an appropriate effort will be made to conduct investigations within a reasonable amount of time. Lengthy, drawn-out investigations have been a longstanding issue for FB members at CBSA.
Hours of work and Variable Shift Scheduling Agreements
We successfully pushed back against employer concessions around hours of work and Variable Shift Scheduling Agreements (VSSAs). The union has retained the ability to negotiate VSSAs at the local level and protected union members’ right to vote on local VSSAs.
The new agreement contains language that establishes a new committee mandated to discuss line bidding by seniority that builds on the existing language in the collective agreement. We also defended members’ rights to access Leave Without Pay for Care of Family without reference to operational requirements.
Implementation
If the collective agreement implementation period goes beyond 180 days and when the outstanding amount owed is greater than $500, the employer will pay a $200 lump sum per member.
Telework
The FB bargaining team secured an agreement in line with Treasury Board collective agreements in a letter of agreement that requires managers to assess remote work requests individually, not by group, and provide written responses that will allow members and PSAC to hold the employer accountable to equitable and fair decision-making on remote work.
That means employee rights around remote work arrangements will be protected through a grievance process, and grievances that are not settled prior to the final step of the grievance process can be referred to a new joint union-management panel for review in each department to address issues related to the employer’s application of the remote work directive in the workplace.
In addition to the letter signed between PSAC and Treasury Board, the President of CBSA has, in tandem with negotiations, committed in writing to establish a national joint CIU-CBSA committee to engage in consultation concerning the hybrid work model at CBSA. The committee has committed to meet immediately, well before Spember2024
PSAC and Treasury Board have also agreed to create a joint committee to review and update the telework policy for the government last updated in 2020 – before the pandemic began.
Next steps
FB group members will be invited to participate in online ratification votes will be shared as soon as possible. Details about the ratification vote process will be shared in the coming days. Our bargaining team is unanimously recommending a YES vote.
To ensure that you receive all updates and can participate in the ratification process, please update your contact information.
Attachments:
2024-06-13_fb_border_services_-_ratification_kit.pdf
This article was first posted on the PSAC website.
Tentative agreement reached for more than 9,000 workers at Canada Border Services Agency, summary available
After nearly two years of without a contract, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) have reached tentative agreements with Treasury Board and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for over 9,000 members of the FB bargaining unit.
The four-year agreement – spanning from June 2022 to June 2026 – includes a total compounded wage increase of 15.7%, highlighting the value of the work done by FB unit members and exceeding recent wage increases provided in other Canadian law enforcement agencies. Additionally, the agreement features enhanced protections relative to technological changes, and better provisions for shift scheduling and leave.
Full details of tentative agreement
“Our bargaining team worked around the clock to secure the best contract for our members, and this tentative agreement is a testament to their incredible hard work and dedication,” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC National President. “This is a well-deserved victory for our members at CBSA who safeguard our nation’s borders and ensure the safety and security of all Canadians.”
The agreement, reached after nine days of around-the-clock negotiations, avoids potential job action at Canada’s borders.
“I’m proud of the solidarity our members have shown over the past two years of negotiations,” said Mark Weber, CIU National President. “Our bargaining team couldn’t have won this agreement without the support of thousands of members across the country who supported their efforts.”
The FB bargaining team is unanimously recommending ratification of the tentative agreement. An online vote will take place in the coming weeks.
This article was first posted on the PSAC website.
PSAC celebrates equitable pension reform for thousands of frontline workers
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) applauds the federal government’s announcement of new pension reform legislation today, which will provide equitable retirement benefits for thousands of frontline public safety and law enforcement workers across the country.
This landmark legislation marks a significant victory for our members who have been advocating for fair pension treatment for more than a decade.
“It’s National Public Service Week, and I can’t think of better news to deliver to the federal workers who keep us safe every single day,” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC National President. “After years of being treated like second-class workers, this legislation will offer a dignified retirement to thousands of frontline workers.”
PSAC members expected to be covered by the legislation include frontline border services staff, Coast Guard search and rescue technicians, Parks Canada wildland firefighters, Department of National Defence firefighters on military bases, and correctional officers, paramedics and firefighters working for the three territorial governments.
These frontline workers play a crucial role ensuring the safety and well-being of Canadians across the country; protecting our borders, fighting devastating wildfires and delivering vital emergency services in remote communities.
“Nearly a decade of hard work and advocacy by our members has finally paid off,” said DeSousa. “Now, these dedicated frontline workers will no longer be forced to work five years longer before they can retire, just like other public safety workers across the country.”
Most public safety and law enforcement workers in Canada already benefit from early retirement options, including most firefighters, air traffic controllers, RCMP constables, and operational employees at Correctional Services Canada.
This equitable pension reform will allow more public safety workers to retire with dignity after 25 years of service without penalties.
“We’ll be reviewing this legislation carefully and pushing the government to adopt these changes swiftly to provide frontline workers with fair retirement benefits as soon as possible,” said DeSousa.
This article was first posted on the PSAC website.