Workforce adjustment at CBSA: A message from the CIU National President

19 February 2026

Earlier today, the Canada Border Services Agency notified some of our members that their positions would be subject to workforce adjustment (WFA) measures, as part of the federal government’s cuts to the broader public service.

This will understandably be a significant source of worry and uncertainty for those who are affected. To those members, know that your union is here to ensure that your rights are protected. The Customs and Immigration Union has the personnel and resources in place to see you treated as you should, and we are here to support you every step of the way.

Over the years, we have fought hard to have WFA protections enshrined in our collective agreements (Appendix C for the FB group / Appendix D for the PA group), and CIU is fully committed to ensuring that the employer respect these provisions. To learn more about your rights and protections around WFA measures, we invite you to review the Public Service Alliance of Canada’s Guide to Workforce Adjustment, which outlines both employer and employee responsibilities, provides steps to navigate the workforce adjustment process, and details options available to workers.

In addition to the guide, PSAC has built a WFA portal which provides members with a broad range of information and tools (such as a checklist with step-by-step guidance for affected members). For your convenience, we have also made this information available via a dedicated page on the CIU national website. Should you need assistance or information beyond these resources, you can contact us at wfa-rde@ciu-sdi.ca for any WFA inquiry.

Outside of the individual impact of WFA measures, it is disconcerting to see the Government of Canada reduce the federal public service at a time when Canadians need the services our members provide more than ever. The decision to do away with crucial knowledge and expertise will only serve to make Canada less safe.

In solidarity,

Mark Weber
CIU National President

Federal unions win improvements to the NJC Travel Directive

13 February 2026

After years of review and negotiations, federal public service unions including PSAC have secured meaningful improvements to the National Joint Council (NJC) Travel Directive that better reflect the real costs and realities of work-related travel.

The latest improvements were awarded by a board of arbitration in a historic ruling. In over 80 years of NJC operations, the parties have never before needed third-party arbitration to resolve a dispute during the negotiation process. The arbitrator recognized the rarity of this step and intervened only where absolutely necessary. Decisions were guided by a clear principle: travel for work should neither create a financial gain nor a financial loss for employees.

These updates are the result of an extensive cyclical review that began in 2021 and involved years of co-development and negotiation between the bargaining agents and the employer. They modernize the Travel Directive and help ensure it remains fair and responsive to employees’ travel-related needs.

Higher allowances for members who travel

Through arbitration, the bargaining agents secured:

Increased incidental expense allowance: from $17.30 to $25 per day
Increased declaration-based dependant care allowance: from $35 to $50 per day per household
Increased receipted dependant care allowance for professional care: from $75 per day per household to $100 per day per dependant

These increases better reflect the real and rising costs members face when work takes them away from home. These allowances hadn’t been updated since 2002, meaning members were shouldering increasing expenses for more than 20 years.

Clearer rules and stronger protections

Other improvements agreed to during the review include clearer rules around meal timing and provisions for shift workers; flexibility to exceed meal limits in exceptional circumstances with receipts; and improved provisions for emergencies, allowing employees to return earlier or later due to personal illness, accidents, or emergency situations at home.

Changes agreed to by the parties during the review came into effect on October 1, 2025. Changes awarded through arbitration take effect 45 days after the date of the award.

Provisions for escort officers were referred back with a suggestion that it be dealt with in negotiations with the FB group and CBSA.

PSAC will continue to push for fair, modern travel protections and ensure members’ concerns are addressed in these ongoing discussions.

How the review works

The NJC Travel Directive is updated through a cyclical review process led by the National Joint Council, not through traditional collective bargaining.

The Directive provides a framework to reimburse employees for reasonable expenses incurred while travelling on government business. It applies to federal public service workers under Treasury Board (including the EB, FB, PA, SV, and TC groups), as well as employees of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Communications Security Establishment Canada, the National Research Council, and the Office of the Auditor General of Canada. The Directive forms part of employees’ collective agreements.

During a cyclical review, the 19 public service bargaining agents — including PSAC — develop and submit proposals collectively to employer representatives. Where the parties cannot reach agreement, unresolved issues may be referred to interest arbitration.

Negotiations are also ongoing for several other NJC directives, including those related to relocation and bilingualism allowances.

This article was first published on the PSAC website.

‘We’re inundated with managers’: First 2026 winners!

12 February 2026

We’re pleased to announce the first winners of our ‘We’re inundated with managers’ contest for 2026!

Congratulations to a member from North Portal, who won in the ‘absurdity of the employees/management ratio’ category with 8 managers for 5 employees, and who writes: “As the overnight shift of 2 officers leaves work, there are 3 chiefs (one acting) and 5 superintendents (3 acting) with only 5 day shift officers.”

And congratulations to a member from Calgary, who won in the ‘originality of the submission’ category. With a submission of 41 managers for 85 employees, they write: “We have over 40 staffed managers for a maximum of 85 active officers. A ratio of almost 1 manager for 2 officers. Even inmates and kindergarten children have a higher ratio!”

We’ll be announcing the next winners in March (previous submissions will also be considered, so no need to resubmit them).

PA group declares impasse with Treasury Board

11 February 2026

Our PA bargaining team last met with Treasury Board on January 21–22, with the employer refusing to discuss most of our key proposals. After last week’s announcement of changes to work conditions while we are in bargaining, our PA team has made the decision to declare impasse as the employer refuses to bargain in good faith.

Declaring an impasse triggers the next step in the collective bargaining process. In this case, it means that PSAC has requested a conciliation process from the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (FPSLREB).

The employer’s refusal to discuss our reasonable demands plainly displays their disrespect towards workers’ protected bargaining rights. The decision to reach impasse comes after repeated behaviour from the employer demonstrating an unwillingness to bargain in good faith.

In the last negotiation session, our PA bargaining team preemptively reminded the employer that remote work is a priority for members, and that no changes are to be made to current terms and conditions of employment while we are in negotiation. The bargaining table is the perfect forum to have those important discussions.

Without any prior consultations, last week, the federal government announced a new in-office mandate, requiring all federal public service workers to be in-office four days a week as of July 6, 2026.

The government’s announcement exposes an increasingly alarming bargaining position — one where the employer flatly refuses to engage on foundational issues such as job security, remote work, service levels, discrimination, harassment and abuse of authority, technological change, and the expanding use of artificial intelligence and surveillance.

While over 10,000 PSAC members were receiving workforce adjustment notices over the last month — thousands within the PA group — the employer also refused to discuss the workforce adjustment process at the table.

Employer changes working conditions during freeze

It is insulting for any employer, let alone the government, to change the conditions of work while its workers are in negotiations. Changing the Direction on prescribed presence in the workplace in the middle of ongoing negotiations is clear grounds for legal action, and we made good on this promise.

In response to this breach of trust, PSAC filed an unfair labour practice complaint with the FPSLREB. We filed a freeze complaint: an action that can be taken when an employer unilaterally changes terms and conditions of work while the parties are in bargaining.

Workers are serious about defending their constitutionally protected bargaining rights. The decision to declare impasse was not made lightly, but it’s clear that it is necessary.

The employer must commit to bargaining in good faith on all priorities of the PA group. We hope to get back to negotiations as soon as possible. In the meantime, all options are on the table.

We will provide updates as soon as they are available. Make sure to subscribe to our mailing list for the latest news as it happens.

This article was first published on the PSAC website.

PSAC files unfair labour practice complaint in refusal of new in-office mandate

9 February 2026

Remote works - Pour vous, de n'importe oú

PSAC has filed an unfair labour practice complaint with the Federal Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board in response to the government’s announcement of the new in-office mandate.

Yesterday’s announcement to send all workers into the office four days a week by July shows a clear disregard of the protected bargaining rights of workers.

Employers cannot change the conditions of work while their workers are in bargaining. These conditions of work include the ability for workers to work remotely. Negotiations are currently underway for the majority of federal public service workers who received this news yesterday, many who are negotiating for language on remote work.

Changing the Direction on prescribed presence in the workplace in the middle of ongoing negotiations is clear grounds for legal action.

Today, we moved forward with this through the filing of an unfair labour practice complaint against the government. We filed a freeze complaint: an action that can be taken when an employer unilaterally changes terms and conditions of work while the parties are in bargaining.

The timing of the government’s announcement is also suspect. This decision comes just two weeks after PSAC members at the Library of Parliament won a decision by the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board, which ruled that the employer cannot avoid negotiating key telework provisions into the collective agreement.

We have been fighting for remote work protections for years. We negotiated an agreement on remote work, and the government has repeatedly violated it. It’s clear that this employer, Prime Minister Carney’s government, has no respect for the promises they’ve made to their workers.

Workers are serious about protecting their constitutionally protected bargaining rights. We’re fighting tooth-and-nail to protect them – at the Board, and by organizing across the country.

No action is off the table.

We will keep members informed as the proceedings progress.

This article was first published on the PSAC website.

The Government of Canada: Lawbreakers (and big fans of water coolers) — Reaction to the 4-day in-office mandate

6 February 2026

By now, you will likely be aware of the Government of Canada’s decision to force federal public services employees, including many of our members, back to the office four days a week, later this year.

Obviously, much is wrong with this decision, which can only be attributed to a potent mix of obtuseness and willful ignorance:

Spending more for less: It costs the federal government billions of dollars to maintain unnecessary office space that is already insufficient to house its workforce at the current rate of attendance. As the government scrounges for loose change under every couch cushion, who cares about an estimated $6 billion in savings when you can just get rid of federal public workers instead — and, while you’re at it, the services Canadians depend on (but no matter what, don’t touch executive bonuses). Good financial stewardship? In this economy? Come on now.
Decreased productivity: The Canada Border Services Agency has repeatedly highlighted how productivity increased during the COVID pandemic when many federal employees worked exclusively from home. The sensible course of action, now, is without a doubt to revert to a less productive system. Makes sense.
More traffic: Less travel to and from work for the public service means fewer vehicles on the road, and a faster commute for all (it’s not like public transit is a viable alternative in the National Capital Region, with the Ottawa transit system rarely working as intended). And that’s saying nothing of the inherent benefits of telework to both infrastructure and the environment. But what else should we expect from a government whose vision of a ‘green future’ seems to largely consist of ensuring that gridlocks be mostly made up of electric vehicles?
Leaving public service employees worse for wear: Allowing telework helps our members save money during economic downturns. At a time when our country faces unpreceded economic challenges (brought on largely by hostile actions from the United States of America), why not needlessly take money from our members’ wallets — the very people whose jobs it is to protect the Canadian economy?

But what about what’s right with this decision? Surely the list of benefits to increased office attendance, necessary to offset the negative, must be substantial. For the most part, this seems to include:

Higher on-site water cooler attendance.
Increased sales of those disposable conical paper cups (hopefully Canadian-made).
A small army of clipboard wielding middle managers keeping you from getting your work done.

An Illegal decision

But more serious than the manifest absurdity of this decision is the fact that it is illegal. Plain and simple. Once a notice to bargain is served, as it has been for most Treasury Board employees, the employer cannot change our members’ terms and conditions of employment (see Section 107 of Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act).

Let’s be clear: After the debacle that was the government’s response to the Air Canada flight attendants strike, our employer is once again showing itself to be anti-worker and anti-union. Their campaign talk courted unions and workers; their actions are repelling them.

The Customs and Immigration Union now knows who they are dealing with and we are ready to do whatever it takes to see our members’ rights upheld. This aggression will not stand and we will not forget.

Please stay informed by visiting our social media pages and talking to your union representatives. CIU and PSAC will keep you updated on legal challenges and activities. These are dark times made darker by a government who no longer hide that they hate workers and will trample their rights. CIU is committed to doing all we can to see their actions countered.

Government’s 4-day in-office mandate an insult to workers

6 February 2026

In the midst of ongoing bargaining, and without any consultation with unions, the federal government announced its intention to require all federal public service workers to be in office four days a week beginning July 6, 2026, while executives will have to be on-site five days a week starting May 4, 2026.

This new in-office mandate is a slap in the face of the workers this government depends on to deliver its agenda.

It is insulting for any employer, let alone the government, to change the conditions of work while its workers are in bargaining. Negotiations are currently underway for the majority of federal public service workers receiving this news.

Changing the Direction on prescribed presence in the workplace in the middle of ongoing negotiations is grounds for legal action.

This decision comes just two weeks after PSAC members at the Library of Parliament won a decision by the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (FPSLREB), which ruled that the employer cannot avoid negotiating key telework provisions into the collective agreement.

It’s clear that this government has a cynical vision for the future of public services. Prime Minister Carney’s government spent the past month sending out over 24,000 workforce adjustment notices, 10,000 going to PSAC members alone, slashing positions across the federal public service. Forcing the remaining workers back in the office for four days a week shows how little the government respects its workers.

Today’s announcement will cost taxpayers. The government’s own analysis shows it could save $6 billion by expanding remote work for tens of thousands of federal workers and selling unneeded office space. This decision, alongside the mass cuts to vital public services, means that people in Canada will be paying more for reduced services when there are clear, cost-saving alternatives.

PSAC will be fighting this irresponsible decision every step of the way. We are prepared to take any legal action against changes to the in-office mandate. We negotiated an agreement on remote work and they continue to violate it. We will be taking a different approach this time. We will fight, and nothing is off the table.

This article was first published on the PSAC website.

Black History Month: from legacy to leadership

1 February 2026

This Black History Month, PSAC honours the leadership, resilience and organizing power of Black workers who have shaped Canada’s labour movement and continue to lead the fight for justice today. This year, PSAC’s theme is “Black Voices: Bold Futures – From Legacy to Leadership.” This is a call to recognize the legacy of resistance that has shaped our unions and to center the voices that are charting a bold path forward.

Historically, many Black workers have fought for fair workplaces and spoken out against racism and discrimination, including during strikes and other human rights fights, earning an important seat at decision-making tables.

Activists and leaders like Stanley Grizzle and Bromley Armstrong pushed unions and governments to stop racist practices and helped shape what unions bargain for and what they fight for. From the days of railway porters to today, their work helped and continues to achieve a strong base for fair work and anti-racism policies at work.

The United Nations has launched a new International Decade for People of African Descent (2025–2034), focused on supporting Black communities, breaking down systemic barriers and lifting Black voices in Canada and around the world. Canada has pledged to continue this work until 2028 and is also taking part in this second decade.

Black members lead allyship and equity work

Black members are showing what allyship looks like in practice, including at PSAC’s 2025 National Women’s Conference where Black women delegates championed and supported key resolutions to expand domestic violence training, improve access to health care for Indigenous women. Members at the conference unanimously voted in favour of a resolution to formally recognize the contributions of Black women workers.

Together, with other equity groups, Black members are shaping union policy and bargaining priorities in ways that offer a model for the wider labour movement on how to live up to equity commitments through both words and concrete action.

At the same time, these past and current achievements don’t erase what Black workers are still facing in Canada’s public service. Black workers continue to deal with lower pay, less access to training, mentorship and chances to grow in their careers, and they deal with employers who ignore or fail to stop anti-Black racism at work.

We cannot ignore how this year’s federal budget cuts are hurting equity groups, including Black and other racialized workers who are already underrepresented in the federal public service.

Taking action on anti-Black racism

This is precisely why PSAC’s ongoing work to center Black voices in our union is so important. We are building on years of organizing, creating space for members to come together, organize, and speak up about the issues that affect them. PSAC’s Black caucus is member-led groups where Black members share experiences, build leadership, and organize around issues like anti-Black racism at work and within the union.

Our racial justice work also goes beyond our internal union work. We have filed a human rights complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission on behalf of all Black federal public service workers, and several other grievances to challenge anti-Black racism. We are pushing employers to fix unfair practices, and are demanding equal access to training, mentoring and career growth for Black workers.

We are calling on the federal government to settle the human rights complaint to make Black federal workers whole, implement the recommendations of the Taskforce on the Employment Equity Act Review including making Black workers a separate employment equity group, and work with unions and equity groups before making any policy changes that put workers and their communities at risk. The future of Canada’s public service depends on equity, inclusion, and the leadership of those who have long been on the front lines of the fight for justice.

This is how you can help:

Learn the history of Black people in Canada, including the struggles and victories that have shaped our workplaces and unions.
Challenge anti-Black racism and all forms of discrimination in your workplace, local and community.
Support and amplify Black voices in meetings, bargaining, campaigns, and leadership spaces.

This article was first published on the PSAC website.

Next steps towards ’25 & Out’: A message from the CIU National President

30 January 2026

The Customs and Immigration Union has received a number of inquiries about the implementation status of ’25 and out’ following its inclusion in the 2025 federal budget tabled in November of last year.

Given the work the union has done to achieve these measures and their importance for our members, it goes without saying that we are all keen to see them implemented as quickly as possible.

Below are the next steps towards making the possibility of early retirement after 25 years of service a reality for CIU members:

The Budget Implementation Act (Bill C-15) needs to be passed for budgetary measures — such as required changes to the Public Service Superannuation Act re: 25 and out — to take effect.
Bill C-15 passed second reading in the House of Commons on December 10 and has now been referred to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance for study (per standard parliamentary procedure).
The Committee will study the Bill in February. The Public Service Alliance of Canada is expected to be invited to testify at some point during this study. There is no exact timeline, but it is reasonable to assume that the Bill may finish the committee stage at some time in March, after which it will go to third reading in the House. The Bill will then have to go through the Senate, a process that should be somewhat faster.
In terms of the implementation of the required changes, we expect the Public Service Pension Advisory Committee (PSPAC), on which PSAC sits, to be consulted extensively.

We will make sure to keep you updated as the processes outlined above unfold, and as more details regarding the implementation timeline become available.

In solidarity,

Mark Weber
CIU National President

PSAC demands reversal of escalating federal cuts after 8,000 workers targeted for job loss

29 January 2026

As the Carney government rushes ahead with mass public service cuts, PSAC is again raising the alarm about the impact cuts and subsequent job losses will have on the ability of the federal government to deliver critical services.

“The rate of workforce adjustment notices has increased dramatically over the past several weeks, causing widespread concern and anxiety among public sector workers,” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC national president. “The government still has not explained what programs will be impacted by these cuts, or how they will affect the supports that people in Canada rely on. This should concern everyone in Canada, not just those whose jobs are on the line.”

Since January 7, 2026, over 8,000 PSAC members have received notice that their jobs are at risk, with significant impacts at Health Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Global Affairs Canada, and Transport Canada.

Job cuts to departments like these threaten to slow service delivery, increase wait times for crucial benefits, reduce oversight and administrative capacity, disrupt critical research that informs policy making, and impact critical government operations. The impact of these cuts will be felt across the country, particularly by the more marginalized in our communities who depend on these essential services to be there when they need them.

“People are scared. They’re stressed. They’re wondering if they’ll still have a job in a few months. No one should have to live with that kind of uncertainty,” said Alex Silas, PSAC national executive vice-president. “These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. These are parents, caregivers, renters, homeowners — people with real lives, real responsibilities, and real bills to pay, and they deserve to be treated better by the federal government.”

PSAC continues to call on the federal government to reverse these reckless public service cuts and to work with public sector unions to find ways to reduce costs without placing jobs and services at risk.

This article was first published on the PSAC website.