On November 11, we remember and honour the thousands of women and men who have laid down their lives for our country.

Remembrance Day presents us with an opportunity not only to recognize the dedication and sacrifices — past and present — of Canadians of all horizons, but also to reflect on how to build a better, fairer world where such sacrifices may no longer be necessary. To the women and men who have demonstrated courage and commitment in the face of adversity, we thank you.

In honour of all who have served, CIU will be half-masting the National Flag of Canada flying at the CIU National Office, in Ottawa.

The Customs and Immigration Union joins PSAC-Quebec and the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ) in condemning the Legault government’s Bill 3 (link in French), which aims to silence workers by weakening the foundations of the modern labour movement.

“It’s absolutely shameful,” said Yanniv Waknine, CIU’s third National Vice-President, responsible for the CIU Quebec region. “After muzzling Quebec doctors with Bill 2, François Legault and his government continue to reach new lows with Bill 3, which recalls last century’s union-busting attempts. By seeking to attack the Rand formula, the Quebec government is only confirming its inability to negotiate in good faith and, at the same time, its lack of integrity.”

CIU invites its members to visit the FTQ website to learn more about the unions’ response to the Legault government, such as the inter-union rally planned for November 29 (in French).

We are also resharing the reactions from PSAC-Quebec and the FTQ, below.

Reaction from PSAC-Quebec: Hands off union dues

“This attack on the labour movement is a smokescreen and serves neither our members nor the population as a whole,” said Sébastien Paquette, Executive Vice-President for PSAC-Quebec. “This is clearly a strategy to avoid talking about the real issues in the year leading up to the next election.”

Unions are duty-bound to negotiate collective agreements and ensure their members are fairly represented with an employer. Nothing prevents them from also taking political action on behalf of their members.

Article 1 of the Labour Code states that a union exists for “the study, safeguarding and development of the economic, social and educational interests of its members”. These goals can only be achieved through member communications and education, public awareness campaigns, political action with elected officials, and legal challenges.

Read more on the PSAC-Quebec website.

Reaction from the FTQ: “François Legault’s legacy: Division and chaos”

(translated from French)

“For months, this government has been looking for scapegoats in an attempt to make people forget its incompetence and failures and boost its poll numbers. Let the government, its ministers, and its members of parliament take note: the FTQ will never allow itself to be silenced,” said FTQ President Magali Picard.

“The people of Quebec, as well as the workers we represent, are not fooled. Bill 3 is a pretext to silence those who criticize François Legault’s government and the CAQ for their disastrous record,” added the president.

Read more on the FTQ website (in French).

Beyond CAQ ideology: the social contract built upon employer deduction of union dues

Before the 1940s, unions collected members’ dues by hand every month and could call a strike at any time.

Following a major strike in Ontario in the 1940s, Justice Ivan Rand ruled that employers would deduct and forward union dues monthly, free of charge. This ruling was called the Rand Formula. Everyone working in a unit would pay dues, regardless of whether they were union members. In exchange, Judge Rand ordered, unions would only be granted the right to strike after their collective agreement expired.

So began the social contract: while union fees were deducted by the employer, unions agreed not to strike while a collective agreement remained in effect.

To this day, the Rand Formula has been the cornerstone of all labour legislation in Canada.

Is the CAQ reneging on their Rand Formula obligations?

Source: https://afpcquebec.com/en/hands-off-union-dues/

Ottawa, November 5, 2025 — The Public Service Alliance of Canada is deeply concerned about the federal government’s plan to slash critical public services, cut more than 40,000 federal public service workers, and undermine the collective bargaining rights of hundreds of thousands of workers.

Despite the needs of a growing and aging population, the government’s Budget 2025 will eliminate vital programs and services over the next three years while replacing workers with artificial intelligence through its Comprehensive Expenditure Review (CER).

“These deep public service cuts will hurt workers, families and communities across Canada,” said PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa. “People can expect longer wait times for passports, EI and child care benefits, more unanswered calls at Canada Revenue Agency, reduced public health and food safety efforts, and a government that isn’t there for ordinary people when they need it most.”

Instead of investing in frontline services and the workers who keep Canada running, the government is doubling down on job cuts and AI chatbots that will weaken Canada’s social safety net.

PSAC will do everything in its power to protect public services and the people who provide them by enforcing the provisions of our collective agreements and the rights enshrined in labour law.

“Prime Minister Carney talks a lot about how Canada will have to make sacrifices, but who is really making sacrifices in this budget?” asked DeSousa. “It’s not the mega corporations, the wealthy bankers or the CEOs – once again it’s working people in this country who will shoulder the burden.”

Changes to collective bargaining

We are also extremely concerned about the government’s decision to unilaterally change the labour laws that govern federal public service workers, and will be reviewing the legislation closely.

“These changes are yet another direct attack by this government on workers’ constitutionally protected collective bargaining rights,” said DeSousa. “Let me be clear: workers fought hard to secure these rights, and will fight tooth-and-nail to protect them.”

Equitable retirement for frontline workers

We welcome the commitment in the budget to provide public safety workers with equitable retirement benefits, allowing them to retire with dignity after 25 years of service, without penalty. This is long overdue.

This article was first published on the PSAC website.

In light of the United Conservative Party of Alberta’s unprecedented attack on workers and unions rights earlier this week, the Customs and Immigration Union expresses its full solidarity with the Alberta Federation of Labour and the Alberta Teachers’ Association.

“By invoking the notwithstanding clause to send Alberta’s teachers back to work, the UCP is saying loud and clear that it will stop at nothing to strip hard-working people of their rights and protections” said Brea Baresinkoff, CIU 2^nd National Vice-President, responsible for the CIU Prairies Region. “Other unions cannot sit idly by as the Alberta government signals to all provinces that it’s open season on workers rights, collective bargaining, and the democratic process.”

CIU encourages all its members to visit the Alberta Federation of Labour’s website for more information on how to support the unions in their fight.

CIU also echoes the recent PSAC Prairies statement:

The Alberta government’s recent move to invoke the clause and steamroll the rights of teachers is not just wrong — it is undemocratic and sets a dangerous precedent in this province. We are urging our members and the public not to sit by as this government demonstrates it has no issue suspending the rights of Albertans. We strongly encourage you to join the Alberta Federation of Labour’s Ready to Resist campaign. Learn more and sign up for updates through the AFL website. Additionally, reach out to your local MLA and let them know this is unacceptable and as a constituent you do not support it. We are currently exploring all our available options to push back, including but not limited to, escalating direct actions and will be providing regular updates to members for ways to get involved.

‘Make no mistake, the use of the notwithstanding clause on teachers is the canary in the coal mine when it comes to the draconian and undemocratic moves of a government intent on trampling the democratic process and the rights of its citizens,’ said Marianne Hladun, Regional Executive Vice-President, Prairies.

On October 27, Bill 2, the Back to School Act, was tabled and rammed through the legislature. Any attempts to meaningfully debate the bill were blocked. Any chance for public input was denied. Instead the government used their majority to push it through, to achieve its own ends, at the expense of the citizens of Alberta.

‘This is no longer just a fight for public education, this is a fight against a government determined to silence Albertans and strip away their rights. How much more will we allow before we say enough?’ continued Hladun.

More information

To find out more on how unions in Alberta are responding to the provincial government’s attack on workers rights, see:

• Alberta Federation of Labour: “We will begin the process of organizing towards a potential general strike”
• Alberta Teachers’ Association to Challenge ‘Back to School’ Act