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What you need to know about the telework joint panel process for federal workers

As part of our collective agreements for federal workers, PSAC negotiated a letter of agreement (LOA) on telework to protect workers from arbitrary decisions about remote work. The LOA was designed to ensure that managers assess each remote work request individually, rather than as a group. It also required managers to provide written responses, helping PSAC hold the employer accountable for fair and equitable decision-making.

However, the federal government violated this agreement by unilaterally imposing a rigid one-size-fits-none mandate, forcing workers back to the office three days a week.

PSAC is actively fighting back against this backwards mandate through legal challenges and a joint campaign with other public service unions to defend your rights. Because if the government can so easily break this agreement, what’s stopping them from undermining the rights of other groups? Our collective strength is the key to protecting all workers from the erosion of hard-fought gains.

Progress on joint review panels

Despite these obstacles, PSAC has been working closely with components and federal government departments to establish joint union-management review panels. These panels provide a fair, case-by-case review process for resolving grievances related to remote work.

If your telework request relates to a request for accommodation, it will not be reviewed by the joint panel, as accommodation requests should follow the appropriate duty-to-accommodate procedures.

So far, panels have been set up for over 100,000 members, including in major departments and agencies such as Employment and Social Development Canada, National Defence, and the Canada Revenue Agency. Work is ongoing to establish panels across all remaining departments to ensure every member has access to this resolution process.

How the process works

The joint review panels are an alternative dispute resolution mechanism for members whose telework requests have been denied. They offer recourse for grievances that have not been resolved at earlier stages, giving members an opportunity to have their cases reviewed by a joint panel of union and employer representatives.

Here’s how it works: 

  • Start with your telework request: Submit your new or revised telework request and await the written decision from your manager.
  • File a grievance: If your telework request has been denied, we encourage you to file a grievance and follow the established grievance process under the collective agreement.The point of filing grievances is to hold the employer accountable. When we’re bargaining for the next round, these grievances will provide concrete examples of the way our members have been impacted.Remember, you should seek support from your union when submitting a grievance. Contact your local and/or component for support from a steward or labour relations officer before proceeding.

    Find more information about filing a grievance in our Frequently Asked Questions: Telework.

  • Access the joint panel: If no settlement is reached prior to the final step of the grievance procedure, you have the option to refer the grievance to the joint review panel. The process varies by department, so you’ll need to contact your component for support as they will understand the terms of reference and process that applies to you.The joint review panel will review the submissions presented by the parties and make a non-binding recommendation to the Deputy Head or their delegate who holds the final level decision in the grievance procedure.

Next steps

PSAC will continue to keep you updated on the status of the joint panels and next steps in our fight to protect your right to fair and flexible work arrangements.

  • Sign the petition: Demand the repeal of the three-day in-office mandate.
  • Take our survey: Share how the mandate impacts your work and life.
  • File a grievance: Hold the government accountable for violating the telework agreement.
  • Read our FAQs: Get answers to your most pressing questions about telework and the government’s mandate.
  • Use our digital tools: Show solidarity with virtual backgrounds, social media images, and #RemoteWorks posters.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Stop illegal firearms: NDP commits to rehire 1,100-plus border officers

CIU members, including National President Mark Weber, joined federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh on October 17, as the NPD announced a commitment to rehire 1,100 border officers in an effort to stop the flow of illegal firearms into the country.

“The men and women of the CIU can stop guns from entering this country. But because of Conservative cuts, ports of entry are chronically understaffed,” said Singh at the press conference in Toronto on Thursday. “The NDP will fight for 1,100 new border officers to be urgently hired and trained to replace the jobs Conservatives cut. If the Liberals continue to let people down, an NDP government will rehire those 1,100 border officers immediately and keep hiring and keep training.”

Read the NDP’s announcement here

Thanking Singh for his commitment to properly staff the border and support frontline border personnel, the CIU National President was clear: The reality at CBSA is bleak.  “Many of our members face exhaustion due to sustained understaffing” explained Weber. “Things desperately need to change at CBSA if we want to get serious about stopping illegal firearms: more frontline border personnel, expanded abilities for our border officers to patrol between ports of entry, improved training facilities, reliable tools that don’t break down, and even benefits in line with other law enforcement agencies to help with the workforce renewal.”

Mark Weber highlighted the positive commitment from the federal government to introduce pension reform for frontline personnel this fall, including border officers, which should help the Agency retain dedicated personnel and have a beneficial impact on the long-term. “That’s a first step” said Weber, “and there’s so much more work that needs to be done”, emphasizing the need for the Agency to stop relying on automated technology that only serves to make our border less secure, and hire officers to find the dangerous goods that threaten our communities.

Watch the full press conference on CPAC

“CBSA officers get in this line of work because they want to keep Canadians safe, and they deserve to be given every tool they need to be successful,” concluded Weber. “What we’re hearing today from the NDP is exactly the kind of support that we need.”

Bill C-20: CBSA personnel must be able to report problematic conduct from managers

Addressing the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs on Monday, October 7, CIU National President Mark Weber flagged outstanding issues with Bill C-20, which would create a new Public Complaints and Review Commission (PCRC) for both the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency.

This is the second time the CIU National President addresses a parliamentary committee regarding the bill. Mark Weber previously appeared as a witness in front of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in June 2023 on the same subject. Thanks to CIU’s testimony and to recommendations from that Committee, the final version of the bill adopted by the House of Commons featured notable improvements, including around union involvement.

Reporting problematic behaviour from managers

Still, as the CIU National President pointed out to the Senate Standing Committee tasked with reviewing the bill, important questions remain. “The Agency is well-known amongst its employees for letting gross abuse by management run unchecked, and it is difficult for CBSA employees to see complaints about managers go addressed through existing channels” explained Mark Weber, highlighting that “CBSA managers often promote the very atmosphere that allows bad behaviour to flourish.” To help address this, it is important for Bill C-20 to include clear language around an employee’s right to report problematic conduct from managers, ensuring that CIU members can avail themselves of the recourses offered by the PCRC.

Concerns around time limits

The National President also brought forth pressing concerns around time limits, as complaints to the PCRC could be made up to two years after an incident allegedly occurred. “Some [of our members] are dealing with hundreds of travellers a day. Imagine a complaint coming in about a five-second interaction that happened 18 months ago. The odds of having an ability to recollect or know what happened are close to zero. That is not fair for the accuser or the accused,” said Weber to the Committee.

Further expanding on the issue around time limits, Mark Weber also added that “you need specific timelines in terms of when an investigation comes to a resolution. For every step, timelines need to be included. Right now, it looks like these investigations could go on for years with no real, clear deadlines as to when a decision has to be made.”

CIU submitted a brief to the Committee detailing the union’s concerns and recommendations. Read it here.

Pension legislation also needs to be updated

During his opening statement, the CIU National President also restated the need to overhaul legislation around early pension eligibility for CBSA personnel before C-20 is enacted, so that the benefits our members have access to are consistent with the additional oversight proposed by C-20. “CBSA law enforcement personnel are at a disadvantage compared to their peers working for other similar agencies,” explained Mark Weber. “They must work longer before retirement, often becoming sick or injured on the job, or unable to meet the physical demands of their work.”

The inconsistency between C-20 and existing pension eligibility is something that the National President had flagged to the House of Commons Public Safety Committee in June 2023. CIU was encouraged in June of 2024 when the government announced that legislation enabling such changes would be tabled this fall.

“We’re looking forward to these changes in the very near future” said Weber on Monday, emphasizing “how important it is that these occur before C-20 is enacted.”

See selected clips below. A full recording of the Committee proceedings can be viewed here (with interpretation language options).

 

 

 

 

 

World Day for Decent Work: workers deserve peace and democracy

PSAC logo SCFP
PSAC logo SCFP

PSAC joins the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in calling for peace and democracy this World Day for Decent Work, 7 October, as authoritarianism and escalating military conflicts devastate workers’ lives worldwide.

Trade unions reaffirm their stance: without peace, there can be no social justice, and without social justice, peace cannot last.

Military confrontations in almost every region of the world are worsening, leading to widespread loss of life, livelihoods and rights. Working people are on the frontline of this growing crisis, facing daily injustices and oppression.

  • Since 2021, Myanmar’s military dictatorship has violently repressed workers and their families, stripping them of basic rights. The people of Myanmar are demanding democracy, starting with the recognition of the National Unity Government.
  • Since 2022, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has caused unimaginable human suffering and cost thousands of lives. The global trade union movement continues to call for peace and the restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty.
  • In Palestine and Israel, the worsening conflict has killed and displaced thousands. Trade unions demand an immediate ceasefire, the release of the hostages and all those detained without due legal process, the safe return of all workers trapped by the conflict, increased humanitarian aid and a lasting two-state solution.

Luc Triangle, General Secretary of the ITUC, said: “Governments are failing to resolve conflicts through diplomacy, while workers and their unions continue to engage in peaceful negotiations. Workers must be involved in the peace and reconstruction processes if they are to succeed and create the necessary conditions for lasting peace and stability.

“We need a complete change of priorities away from strategic competition, violence and confrontation to common security, negotiation and peace. Rising military expenditure is diverting critical resources away from social priorities. Over US$91 billion was spent on nuclear weapons alone in 2023; ten billion more than in 2022. World military expenditure totals US$2.5 trillion.

“Imagine the benefits to people everywhere if this money was invested in decent work, education, healthcare, and the transition to a green economy? With this money we could deliver the New Social Contract. We need to start investing in peace, not war. Disarmament is a question of justice and is key to building a peaceful world with shared prosperity.”

This World Day for Decent Work, workers demand peace and democracy.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

FB bargaining: Update on wage increases, retroactivity and lump sum payment

Banner-FB-Bannière
Banner-FB-Bannière

As part of the new collective agreement achieved earlier this year for members working at Canada Border Services Agency, PSAC negotiated wage increases totalling 14.8% over four years, which greatly exceeded increases provided across the broader law enforcement community in Canada – including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – for the years of the agreement. The agreement also includes a $2,500 pensionable lump-sum payment.

Wage adjustments and retroactivity will be reflected on members’ pay on October 9, 2024. The employer has not informed PSAC exactly when the $2,500 lump-sum payment will be issued. Our union will continue to press CBSA and PSPC to issue the payment in a timely manner.

The new collective agreement for members in the FB bargaining unit was signed on August 8, 2024. The employer has 180 days to action payments following the signing of the collective agreements. All non-monetary terms of the collective agreement took effect immediately upon signing.

  • See our FAQ for full details about eligibility for the lump sum payment.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

PSAC honours National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by raising the Survivors’ Flag

On September 24, PSAC leaders, members, and staff—guided by Tina Vincent, Knowledge Keeper from Kitigan Zibi—gathered to raise the Survivors’ Flag, acknowledging and honoring residential school survivors and all the lives and communities impacted by the residential and day school systems in Canada. The flag, representing Indigenous resilience and strength, serves as a powerful symbol of remembrance and advocacy.

“This flag will remain flown at our national headquarters as a symbol of PSAC’s continuous commitment to Indigenous communities and in solidarity with their fight for self-autonomy, reconciliation and justice.” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC national president. “I want to thank PSAC’s National Indigenous People’s circle, and our First Nation, Métis and Inuit activists who have encouraged PSAC to take these important steps towards achieving truth and reconciliation as a union.”

Residential schools were government-sanctioned institutions that forcibly removed Indigenous children from their families, aiming to strip them of their language, culture, and identity. This led to generations of profound trauma that continues to impact Indigenous communities today. The act of raising the Survivors’ Flag is an acknowledgment of this painful history and a symbolic commitment to solidarity with survivors and their families.

By raising the Survivors’ Flag, we not only remind ourselves of the injustices of the past, but also commit to ensuring these injustices are not forgotten. Public awareness and education are key components in addressing the intergenerational trauma caused by residential schools. Our union honors the strength of survivors and reinforces the ongoing need for accountability, justice, and a genuine commitment to repairing relationships with Indigenous communities.

Recognizing the deep-rooted trauma and systemic violence that Indigenous communities have faced for generations is a crucial step toward Reconciliation. True Reconciliation requires more than recognizing the past; it involves actively working to heal the ongoing harm caused by colonialism, racism, and the marginalization of Indigenous peoples.

Together, we must take concrete steps toward reconciliation by acknowledging both historical and ongoing injustices and committing to actions that support healing, justice, and the restoration of Indigenous rights and cultures.

Learn more 

  • Find out more about the flag’s imagery and creation and read about the significance of the flag.
  • Check-out these additional resources to use on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and after to learn, reflect, and consider how you can take meaningful action towards Reconciliation.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

“No training, no consultation on CARM”: CIU National President addresses House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade

On September 25, CIU National President Mark Weber addressed the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade (CIIT) to discuss the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management System (CARM), highlighting several issues, including a severe lack of consultation, glaringly insufficient training, and a complete disregard for both stakeholders and staff affected by the new platform.

Weber’s testimony in front of CIIT followed the submission of a brief by CIU last April on the many problems associated with CARM’s implementation – a brief which one MP referred to as “scathing”. When asked how the union felt today regarding CARM, Weber answered: “Confused and worried would best describe the atmosphere amongst our membership”, pointing to the “very little training” that had been delivered to CBSA personnel regarding the new platform set to be launched on October 21 – despite CARM’s launch having already been delayed.

The lack of consultation and in-house involvement in the development of CARM is also a grave concern. “I really believe this should have been developed in house” said Weber of the platform produced by third-party firm Deloitte, “I think the expertise is there.”

“You need to talk to the people who use it every day,” explained Mark Weber to committee members about CARM. “Those frontline officers have not been consulted at all. It’s again like we saw with ArriveCAN, with other apps and ideas that CBSA has had. The people who use it are not consulted and don’t have any involvement in its development whatsoever.”

“The dog ate my homework”

Weber further touched on CBSA using FB strike votes as an excuse for CARM’s failure to launch in the spring. “I’m trying to be measured in my words, but there are some questions about integrity here.” Referring to the Agency’s lack of accountability, the CIU National President didn’t mince words: “That’s the federal agency equivalent of the dog ate my homework to be honest. Our members were furious when they read that. That had no bearing whatsoever on them launching CARM. They still aren’t ready.”

The union’s overarching message to the committee is clear: CBSA and the federal government must learn from the ArriveCAN and Phoenix debacles and seize this opportunity to change course. “The launch must be delayed once again until the people who are working at the border, who are going to be able to assist […] importers have an idea how to use the system. We cannot replicate what happened with ArriveCAN” concluded Weber.

See selected clips below. A full recording of the Committee proceedings can be viewed here (with interpretation language options).

PSAC renews call for Indigenous languages allowance amid federal inaction in the North

PSAC logo SCFP
PSAC logo SCFP

The recently released report by the Office of the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut highlights the continued failure of the federal government to fulfill its legal and moral obligation to provide services in Indigenous languages in Northern Canada.

In Nunavut, as well as the Northwest Territories and Yukon, recognizing and supporting Indigenous languages is essential for reconciliation. These languages are central to Inuit and First Nations identity and culture and are spoken every day in many communities. Some territorial governments already provide services in, and allowances for, Indigenous language speakers. Federal workers shouldn’t be left behind.

Language plays an important role in building relationships and strengthening community bonds. When Indigenous languages are recognized and used by public institutions and in everyday life, they reinforce the social fabric of Indigenous communities and affirm that Indigenous cultures and languages are valued, vital parts of Canada’s cultural heritage.

This recognition contributes to a more inclusive and equitable society, fostering mutual respect and understanding.

Moving forward, it is critical for the federal government to address ongoing shortcomings and fulfill its obligations. PSAC reiterates the call for the federal government to introduce an Indigenous languages bilingual allowance. This measure will help ensure the staffing resources needed to address these shortcomings while at the same time recognizing the importance of Indigenous languages.

A commitment to Indigenous language is not only a moral responsibility under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, but also a crucial step toward meaningful reconciliation.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

What the federal government was hiding about their telework mandate

New Access to Information documents show that the federal government’s decision to impose a rigid three-day in-office mandate was not based on data or research on productivity, despite clear evidence that hybrid work boosts performance. The documents reveal the government ignored their own evidence and steamrolled ahead with a plan.

Internal documents show that telework is proven to enhance productivity and improve employee well-being — something PSAC and other unions have long argued. Statistics Canada data also confirms that as hybrid and remote work increased from 2019 to 2023, public service productivity saw a net positive impact. Yet, none of this evidence was factored into the mandate.

“This government once had a vision to build a modern, productive, and inclusive public service, but they’ve thrown it all away for no valid reason,” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC National President. “They had the research and results supporting a more flexible approach, but decided that butts in seats is more important than productivity. Their failure to follow the evidence on hybrid work is mindboggling.”

In 2022, the government was fully committed to flexible work arrangements, with internal communications highlighting a goal for a “distributed, flexible, talented, inclusive, productive workforce and welcoming workplace.” Yet in a complete 180-degree turn, the new mandate was implemented without any supporting data.

The documents also revealed that the government anticipated strong opposition from both employees and unions, yet they moved forward with the least popular option anyways. Treasury Board officials knew the policy would cause workplace disruptions but gave bargaining agents just one hour’s notice, despite months of planning.

PSAC is calling on the federal government to scrap the mandate, rethink its approach, and follow the evidence, which shows that hybrid work leads to higher productivity, better work-life balance, and healthier workplace cultures. The current mandate not only threatens productivity but undermines the values of fairness and collaboration the government claims to support.

“If the government really wants to be a leader in the future of work, it’s time for them to start making evidence-based decisions that benefit both workers and the Canadian population,” added DeSousa. “Arbitrary mandates and ignoring the data will only set us back.”

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Call for PA, SV, TC, EB bargaining demands

bargaining-pattern_psac
bargaining-pattern_psac

The Public Service Alliance of Canada will soon be approaching the employer to begin negotiations for the renewal of the PA, SV, TC, and EB collective agreements. To ensure bargaining demands reflect issues of importance to the CIU membership, direct input and involvement from our members is essential.

PSAC has prepared an online form to make it easier for members of these bargaining units to propose changes and improvements they would like to see made to their collective agreement. We encourage all members from the PA, SV, TC and EB groups to avail themselves of this tool.

This form will be open for input until November 15, 2024, and is available here: https://psacunion.ca/eform/submit/bargaining-input. Note that members will need a valid PSAC ID to submit the completed form.

Alternatively, members who are unable to complete the form should contact their Branch President, who may submit demands on behalf of their members. Branch Presidents should print and post this memo on all union boards, including the QR code below — members can scan this code with their mobile device to access the input form online.

Drafting effective bargaining demands

PSAC is organizing virtual training sessions on how to draft effective bargaining demands. Each session will include a 30-minute presentation, followed by a Q&A session. All members and union representatives are encouraged to attend by registering here: https://psacunion.ca/register-now-tb-town-halls-learn-how-submit

Thank you and in solidarity.

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