45th Annual Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Service

26 September 2022

On Sunday, September 25, 2022, as part of the 45^th Annual Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Service, representatives of the Customs and Immigration Union were honoured and humbled to be back on Parliament Hill to attend the service and pay respect to the brave officers who lost their lives in the exercise of their duties.

This year’s service honoured the lives of RCMP Constable Alan Poapst, RCMP Constable Heidi Stevenson, Ontario Provincial Police Constable Marc Hovingh, Calgary Police Sergeant Andrew Harnett, RCMP Constable Shelby Patton, and Toronto Police Constable Jeffrey Northrup, along with two historical admissions — Surrey Police Constable George McDonald and RCMP Superintendent Dennis Massey.

To commemorate this important day, the Canadian flag was also lowered at half-mast at the CIU National Office, in Ottawa.

Amongst CIU members attending the Service in Ottawa on Sunday were (from left to right): Alana Baarschers, Leanne Hughes, Lisa Morgan, Andrew Wiersema, Gus Kontogianis, Carl Coupal, Mark West, Rick Savage, Brea Baresinkoff, Derek Brackley, CIU National President Mark Weber, Bonnee Shapter, Marjorie Gavel, Philippe Piette, and Fany Parent (photo: Danielle Dubuc).

CIU funds top-up strike pay for its PA, SV, TC and EB members

24 September 2022

At its September 2022 meeting, in Ottawa, the CIU National Board of Directors passed a motion to establish an additional strike fund to better support CIU PA, SV, TC and EB members during this current round of bargaining.

The fund would allow CIU members in good standing who are part of these groups, and who participate in strike activities, to access an additional $50 per strike day, on top of the existing $75/day provided by the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

This is similar to the additional strike pay that the 2021 CIU Triennial Convention had created for FB members for that table’s previous round of bargaining.

This decision by the CIU National Board of Directors comes as PA, SV, TC and EB members await the result of a Public Interest Commission, which could set the stage for possible strike action.

The CIU Board of Directors is hopeful that, should strike actions prove necessary, this display of solidarity across tables will help ensure that the membership is successful, that Treasury Board bargaining groups have the resources they need to win the fight for a fair agreement, and that the employer knows we’re ready to fight as one.

For any questions regarding this top-up strike pay, please contact your Branch President.

Hurricane Fiona: CIU to make a $10,000 donation to the Canadian Red Cross

24 September 2022

On September 24, 2022, in light of the severe impact of hurricane Fiona on communities throughout the Atlantic region and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the CIU National Board of Directors voted to make a $10,000 donation to the Canadian Red Cross. Members of the Board hope that this contribution will be of some help to those facing hardships and challenges in the wake of the hurricane.[:fr]Le 24 septembre 2022, à la lumière des graves répercussions de l’ouragan Fiona sur les communautés de la région de l’Atlantique et du golfe du Saint-Laurent, le Bureau national de direction du SDI a voté en faveur d’un don de 10 000 $ à la Croix-Rouge canadienne. Les membres du Bureau national de direction espèrent que cette contribution viendra aider celles et ceux qui font face à des difficultés et à des défis suite à l’ouragan.

Statement on hurricane Fiona in the Atlantic region and Quebec

24 September 2022

Gathered in Ottawa this week, the Customs and Immigration Union’s National Board of Directors expressed solidarity with their fellow CIU members and the hundreds of thousands who are currently without power or otherwise affected in the wake of hurricane Fiona.

This brutal storm, the most devastating in recent memory for several communities, has forced many residents out of their home to seek shelter elsewhere, leaving the Atlantic region and parts of Quebec reeling with downed power lines, washed out roads, flooding, and damaged buildings.

To those affected, know that you are in our thoughts. We also wish to extend our gratitude and support to the first responders and emergency services currently hard at work across the affected regions. While we cannot stand with you in person, we do so in spirit.[:fr]

TC group: Update on EG rates of pay following arbitration victory

19 September 2022

PSAC won increased rates for Engineering and Scientific Support (EG) members in the Technical Services (TC) group in January 2022 to ensure that they are at parity with EGs at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Since then, Treasury Board has refused to make payments to any EG members in the TC group, arguing they won’t implement the changes until PSAC and the government reach a new collective agreement.

We believed that this was a clear violation of the arbitration ruling, and returned to the arbitrator to force Treasury Board to pay this amount immediately. Closing this pay gap is long overdue, and the government should not deny workers amounts that they are rightly owed.

Unfortunately, the arbitrator did not side with us, and has ordered that the updated rates only be paid when we finalize a deal with Treasury Board for this round of bargaining. Although the initial payment resulting from the new 1.5 per cent step in June 2022 won’t happen until a new collective agreement is signed, this pay parity victory will be fully retroactive for EG members.

This arbitration decision has no impact on what PSAC is seeking at the table in this round of bargaining.

Negotiations hit a breaking point when Treasury Board refused to budge on their insulting wage offer amidst soaring inflation in Canada. PSAC is in mediation for common issues bargaining from September 12 to 14 and 20 to 23, with dates for the TC group coming soon.

Check out our bargaining toolkit to learn more about this round of bargaining, the issues that matter most, and how to get involved.

Please be sure to keep your contact information up to date to receive the latest updates for TC members.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Labour Day 2022: Don’t just thank a union, get involved!

2 September 2022

Canada’s labour movement has a long history of fighting – and winning – battles for decent wages, better working conditions, and stronger protections that improve people’s lives.

It’s thanks to unions and thousands of workers and activists who took to the streets in the spring of 1872 that we enjoy weekends and the eight-hour workday today.

It’s because unions never waned in the fight for women’s equality that parents now get paid parental leave to spend with their families when it matters most.

We have the right to refuse unsafe work and have a say in making our workplaces safer because unions led the way towards reforms in occupational health and safety.

From minimum wages and protection against discrimination and harassment to overtime pay and vacation pay, there is no doubt unions have helped make Canada a better, safer place to live and work.

New challenges ahead

But today, our movement still faces challenges – some new, others we’ve been grappling with for decades.

The pandemic changed the way that we live and work, but we’ve adapted to make sure you’re protected at work – whether that’s in your workplace or at the kitchen table.

We’re fighting for fair wages in bargaining as record-high inflation squeezes workers and makes life less affordable. Meanwhile, wealthy corporations continue to line their pockets with record profits.

Unions are working to tear down the systemic barriers Black, Indigenous, Asian and other racialized workers continue to face in their workplace, from discriminatory hiring practices to limited career advancement, and underrepresentation in management positions.

These trying times remind us that now, more than ever, we can’t waver in our fight for fair wages, good working conditions and inclusive workplaces — not just for PSAC members, but for all Canadian workers.

But to make major gains for workers, we need to be organized and work together. Because we have strength in numbers with more than 230,000 PSAC members behind us – with thousands more joining us ever year – we can drive the change we want to see in our workplaces.

So this Labour Day, don’t just thank a union. Take action and get involved:

Keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to receive all the latest updates about bargaining.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

PSAC files policy grievances over Phoenix overpayment recovery

1 September 2022

PSAC has filed policy grievances against Treasury Board, Parks Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for their heavy-handed mismanagement of the Phoenix overpayment process.

In fall 2021, the Public Service Pay Centre launched the recovery process for Phoenix overpayments for thousands of federal public service workers the government believes were overpaid by the Phoenix pay system in 2016. Because of the six-year limitation period to begin recovering these overpayments, they rushed the process, producing major errors and giving many PSAC members misleading information.

We recognize that some members owe these overpayment debts. However, many others received overpayments based on inaccurate, outdated and unverifiable information. Some were not even aware that they had been overpaid until they received these letters years later.

PSAC believes their overpayment recovery strategy violates our members’ collective agreements. Our grievances challenge the employers to:

comply with members’ collective agreements;
provide sufficient information to members about their overpayment before collecting it;
reconcile a member’s entire pay file before sending an overpayment letter;
reimburse any amounts that may have been improperly recovered from members.

While the grievances are processed, PSAC will continue to help members affected by this complex process. If you received a Phoenix overpayment letter, please refer to our specific recommendations on how to proceed.

If you have any concerns or require assistance, please contact PSAC’s Phoenix team for help by selecting ”Phoenix Overpayment” from the ”What is your inquiry about” dropdown menu.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

PSAC adopts 2SLGBTQIA+ acronym

26 August 2022

At the 2022 PSAC National Triennial Convention, delegates voted to build a more inclusive, equitable, and representative union by updating our use of the acronym LGBTQ2+ to 2SLGBTQIA+. This change is the result of PSAC’s ongoing commitment to promote equity for all our membres, especially those who have been marginalized.

Resolution CS-045 updates Section 15, Subsection (1) of the PSAC Constitution to be more inclusive of our gender non-conforming members. Enshrining this change in the Constitution is also a tangible acknowledgement of PSAC’s commitment towards reconciliation.

Including Two-Spirit at the beginning of the acronym honours Indigenous peoples’ ways of loving, learning, and building community across Turtle Island (North America) from time immemorial. With 2S at the beginning, this acronym further acknowledges the fact that Indigenous peoples were the first to build communities that honoured sexual and gender diversity on this land.

2SLGBTQIA+ definitions

2S – Two-Spirit: A culturally specific term used by some Indigenous people to indicate a person whose gender identity, spiritual identity, and/or sexual orientation comprises both masculine and feminine spirits or neither.

L – Lesbian: Refers to a woman who is emotionally, romantically, and/or physically attracted to other women.

G – Gay: Refers to people who are emotionally, romantically, and/or physically attracted to people of the same gender.

B – Bisexual or Bi: Refers to a person who is emotionally, romantically, and/or physically attracted to more than one gender, but not necessarily at the same time, in the same way, or to the same degree.

T – Transgender or Trans: An umbrella term to describe a wide range of people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differ from the sex they were assigned at birth and/or the societal and cultural expectations of their assigned sex.

Q – Queer: An umbrella term used by some members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities to describe sexual orientations, or gender identities that exist outside of heterosexuality or the gender binary.

I – Intersex: Refers to a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t fit into the typical masculine/feminine binary.

A – Asexual or Ace: Refers to individuals who do not experience sexual attraction or have low interest in sexual activity.

+: The ‘+’ sign is an inclusive way to reflect sexual orientations, romantic orientations and gender expressions, such as pansexual, aromantic, agender, and non-binary, among many others.

The language used to describe identities, including romantic and sexual orientations is always changing. When referring to a person’s identity, it is important to respect the words and meanings they use to describe themselves.

Read PSAC’s Gender Inclusive Toolkit

People in 2SLGBTQIA+ communities live at the intersection of multiple identities. PSAC seeks to honour this rich diversity, and, as a national union, we are committed to ensuring that all members are included, valued, and respected.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

August 6: A time for solidarity

29 July 2022

August 6, 2021, marked a historical moment for our union and for the Canadian labour movement at large when FB members mobilized from coast to coast to coast, successfully bringing to a close a long and protracted bargaining round. Through this display of solidarity — one of the most fruitful in recent Canadian labour history — our members showed just how powerful we can be when we come together and act as one in the face of adversity.

As the anniversary of this important moment approaches, FB members once again find themselves at the early stage of the bargaining process for a new collective agreement, preparing for another round where key protections will have to be fought for and defended. At the same time, following Treasury Board’s insulting wage proposal and unacceptable concession demands, our members from the PA, TC, SV and EB tables have reached impasse in their own negotiations, and are now awaiting the proceedings of the Public Interest Commission, moving closer to being in a legal strike position.

As this unfolds, it is important to remember that we do not bargain in a vacuum. Many of the concessions sought by Treasury Board for the PA, TC, SV and EB tables will have a broader impact beyond this round of bargaining — including for our FB members for whom the bargaining process is just beginning.

Victories are most effective when they act as a foundation to be built upon. In that spirit, let August 6 serve as a springboard for us to support ongoing efforts to push back against Treasury Board’s concession demands, in a demonstration of solidarity with all members — both within CIU and outside CIU — from the PA, TC, SV and EB groups.

No gesture is too small. On the first anniversary date of the August 6 FB mobilization and for the week following, Branch executives are encouraged to plan activities appropriate for their work location in solidarity with other Treasury Board tables. Members should reach out to their Branch President to discuss ideas and ways to express support for ongoing bargaining efforts. Branch Presidents can contact their National Vice-President for more information.

United we bargain, divided we beg: On August 6 and beyond, let’s show that CIU members truly know the meaning of solidarity.

Mark Weber
National President
Customs and Immigration Union

PSAC launches a toolkit to address violence and harassment at work

29 July 2022

Everyone has the right to work in a safe environment. Unfortunately, violence and harassment are still too present in our workplaces and can have serious physical and psychological consequences.

To offer concrete help and support, PSAC is proud to release an updated version of the Violence and Harassment Toolkit: A guide for PSAC locals and members.

This toolkit is designed to help members and elected leaders effectively recognize and deal with individual and institutional workplace violence and harassment with tips and information for preventing incidents, responding effectively, and supporting affected individuals.

Consult the Violence and Harassment Toolkit

PSAC believes that every member is entitled to be free from violence and harassment and has the right to dignity and respect, and we’ll continue to do everything we can to address this important issue.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.