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More than ever, mental health matters

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Today, like in previous years at this time, social media is filled with discussions seeking to raise awareness about mental health issues and initiatives. Unlike previous years, however, challenges brought about by COVID-19 to both physical and mental health, on a scale rarely seen before, make it all the more important to reflect on the state of mental health support within the Canadian government and public service.

More so than usual, frontline and essential workers have spent the past months being confronted with exceedingly taxing situations, and the need for a robust and accessible service infrastructure cannot be understated if we wish to care for the mental well-being of Canadians everywhere – including in the workplace. Last year, the Mental Health Commission of Canada published a study showing that nearly 9 in 10 Canadians want increased funding for mental health. This year, from a law enforcement perspective, Statistics Canada released a report making it clear that the pandemic has had a significant impact on mental well-being of the Canadian population, with some police services reporting a 13% increase in well-being checks calls, and a 12% increase in mental health-related calls.

Beyond the concerns caused by COVID-19, and in addition to the need for general access to care, workplace culture also needs to foster mental well-being and not hinder it. Within CBSA, past employee surveys have shown a high level of dissatisfaction due to a psychologically unhealthy workplace. As a union, we’ve been vocal about the need for CBSA to address the many problems that plague the Agency when it comes to abuse of authority and harassment by managers.

You are not alone

When facing a difficult situation at work or at home, remember that you are not alone. People around you can be a source of support, and your union is there to assist you and help you find the resources you need. As CBSA employees, you can also contact Homewood Health for confidential assistance – be it for advice, counselling or treatment (for more information about Homewood Health and other resources, see our Mental Health page). PSAC has also published a list of resources to assist you if you feel overwhelmed, are struggling with stress, or are facing mental health difficulties.

Just like physical well-being, mental health matters, in any setting.

19th National Convention – July 8, 9 and 10, 2021

2021 CIU Convention Banner

The National Convention, which is the supreme governing body of our Union, is held once every three years and provides an opportunity for all CIU members to become involved in the operation and future of their Union. Although the Convention initially planned for October 2020 had to be postponed, we are pleased to announce that the event has been rescheduled to July 2021. Given the pandemic, the event will be held virtually.

We invite you to see the following documents for more information:

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Next Young Workers Conference Call

Banner with the words Young Workers
If you are 35 years old or younger and want to get involved with your union, you are invited to participate in the next CIU Young Workers conference call, on September 23, 2020, 7-8 p.m. (ET). This is an opportunity to make your voice heard and discuss shared issues with your fellow young workers.

Continuer

Retro pay and economic increase tentative schedule for PA, EB, TC & SV groups

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Treasury Board and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) have provided PSAC with a payment schedule for the implementation of monetary provisions now that the PA, EB, TC, SV and PSAC-UTE collective agreements have been signed.

Continuer

PSAC recommits to eliminating all forms of gender-based violence

Drawing of two women wearing masks

On National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, PSAC remembers the fourteen young women who were killed at l’École Polytechnique on December 6, 1989, because they were women, and today, PSAC also recommits to ending all forms of gender-based violence.

On this day, we remember

Geneviève Bergeron

Hélène Colgan

Nathalie Croteau

Barbara Daigneault

Anne-Marie Edward

Maud Haviernick

Barbara Klucznik Widajewicz

Maryse Laganière

Maryse Leclair

Anne-Marie Lemay

Sonia Pelletier

Michèle Richard

Annie St-Arneault

Annie Turcotte

In Canada today:

75,000 women and children seek shelter from violence and abuse each year;
Homicide rates are seven times higher for Indigenous women and girls than amongst non-Indigenous women and girls;
Immigrant women are more vulnerable due to economic dependence, language barriers and a lack of knowledge about community resources;
Trans women are almost twice as likely as cisgender women to experience gender-based violence in their lifetime;
Women with physical and cognitive impairments experience violence two to three times more often than women living without impairments.

COVID-19 makes it harder to fight gender-based violence. Job loss, food insecurity or the fear of contracting the virus can trigger domestic violence. Social isolation and quarantines make it harder to access shelters or sexual assault centres. Those living in rural, remote and northern regions, immigrants and refugees and Indigenous women continue to be the most vulnerable populations, and the pandemic is isolating them more than ever before.

The heightened risks caused by the pandemic require immediate action. PSAC calls on all levels of government to:

  • Provide increased emergency funding to women’s shelters and sexual assault support centres, and identify ways to make services accessible in the context of physical distancing measures;
  • Work with health facilities and community organizations to quickly identify available local resources;
  • Include essential services to address violence against women in their response plan for COVID-19.

PSAC’s work to prevent violence against women continues. Our union is proud to have negotiated 10 days of paid domestic violence leave in all new federal government collective agreements to ensure those facing domestic violence begin to get the support they need. We also continue to pressure governments to implement all recommendations from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls report, and to eliminate barriers to accessing legal and counselling support for women experiencing violence.

PSAC is calling all members to participate in Canada’s 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, from November 25 to December 10, by taking action to eliminate its root causes.

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

How to request the Phoenix damages settlement for retired or former employees

Fix Phoenix Pay System Logo

It has been brought to our attention that some retired or former PSAC members have been misdirected to fill out a form titled Claim for general compensation for former employees: Payment equivalent to additional leave to request their portion of the Phoenix damages settlement.

This is not the correct form to request PSAC’s Phoenix settlement of up to $2500.

This form is to request the financial equivalent of up to 5 days of leave, which was the settlement signed by all other federal bargaining agents, except PSAC.

Retired or former PSAC members who meet the eligibility criteria will receive financial compensation for Phoenix damages for each fiscal year for which they are eligible.

To receive compensation, retired or former employees will have to file a similar claim through Treasury Board. However, the details and the link to the claim form have not been made available by the federal government yet. We will share the link to the form once it becomes available.

Looking for more information on the Phoenix damages settlement? Check out our most frequently asked questions. Please keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to continue receiving information about the Phoenix settlement.

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

FB bargaining: Talks break off with Treasury Board/CBSA

The FB bargaining team has declared impasse in negotiations with Treasury Board and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) after the employer failed to make substantial progress towards addressing critical issues in negotiations for nearly 9,000 FB members.

The team has put forward reasonable proposals on key matters impacting FB members, but the employer has refused to address them in a meaningful way and is seeking serious and unacceptable concessions, forcing the team to break off negotiations.

Consistent with federal legislation, PSAC-CIU has filed for a Public Interest Commission (PIC) to provide recommendations on the next steps to reach a settlement. The FB bargaining team and union leaders will be meeting in the coming weeks to discuss next steps beyond filing for a PIC.

What happens when impasse is declared?

Serving Canadians

Every day, FB members put their lives on the line to protect Canadians; safeguarding our borders, inspecting dangerous goods and screening travellers for COVID-19 from coast to coast. Many FB members have contracted COVID-19 while performing their duties.

FB members have been without a contract for more than two years at a time when Canadians are relying on them more than ever to keep them safe. They deserve much better.

Despite their essential contributions, the federal government and CBSA still refuse to offer a fair contract that recognizes the value of their work and that brings them in line with law enforcement agencies across Canada.

Key issues at the table:

  • Compensation: Ensure that FB members’ rights and compensation are brought fully in line with law enforcement agencies across Canada. Management has rejected this proposal. This is unacceptable, as it fails to address our wage disparity with the broader law enforcement community. Other federal public safety officers represented by PSAC – fisheries officers, park wardens and parole officers – all received better compensation packages than the framework that has been tabled for the FB group. CBSA also continues to insist on a practice where FB-2s are effectively used as a cheap labour force.
  • Retirement reform: Commit to supporting early retirement to members of the FB bargaining unit after they’ve served for 25 years, similar to other federal law enforcement agencies. Treasury Board and CBSA have refused to address this issue.
  • Workplace flexibility: Provide fair access to telework and leave with income averaging, particularly for non-uniform members. CBSA does not follow Treasury Board policy on these issues. Language is needed in the collective agreement to address these issues, as clearly CBSA cannot be trusted.
  • New protections: Provide better protections from CBSA management in the context of discipline (PSI and SRI), surveillance, abuse of authority, whistleblowing, use of students and the reimbursement for medical certificates. Management is refusing to address these concerns.
  • Hours of work: A paid meal period in line with other law enforcement agencies, as well as better rights for shift-working members such as enhanced seniority rights and paid firearm practice time. CBSA and Treasury Board have done nothing to address these issues.

No concessions

Management is seeking serious concessions, including the watering down of Variable Shift Schedule Arrangement (VSSA) protections, the introduction of national VSSAs, shorter shift-change notice and making care and nurturing leave subject to operational requirements and a minimum of 12 weeks of leave. These concessions are unacceptable.

Take action to support FB members in bargaining – Click here to send a letter!

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Send a letter to support FB members in bargaining

Image discussion FB PSAC-AFPC

We need your help to continue applying pressure on this government and CBSA by sending thousands of messages pushing for a fair collective agreement.

See the following page to send a message by using our template or, if you’re not an FB member, feel free to create your own message!

UPDATED – FB group: Register now for national town hall meetings

Image discussion FB PSAC-AFPC

PSAC-CIU is holding virtual town hall meetings to give FB members the latest updates on bargaining and outline our next steps as we ramp up to mobilize for a fair contract.

During the town hall, you’ll hear from CIU National President Jean-Pierre Fortin and PSAC negotiator Morgan Gay who will provide important information and insight into the bargaining process and our key demands at the table. You’ll be able to ask questions or raise concerns at the end of the meeting.

You deserve a contract that recognizes your incredible dedication to Canadians and brings your salary and benefits fully in line with law enforcement agencies across Canada. This is your opportunity to learn how your bargaining team is fighting to make that happen.

French FB town hall 

English FB town hall 

Supplementary FB town hall (in English)

NEW

Supplementary FB town hall (in French)

Regional town halls are also being organized and will take place after the national town halls. We’ll send out dates and details shortly.

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Letter from the PSAC National President to the President of the Treasury Board regarding the FB bargaining unit

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PSAC National President Chris Aylward sent the following letter to the Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board, on October 26, 2020.

Dear Minister,

I am reaching out to you to provide you with information related to an equitable retirement regime for members of the FB bargaining unit (Canada Border Services Agency employees). As you may know, PSAC has been advocating for such an equitable retirement regime for FB members for many years. We are seeking an arrangement for these members that is consistent with other law enforcement officers in the federal public service, including RCMP members and Correctional Officers.

Employees in the FB bargaining unit carry out a vast range of duties associated with the enforcement of the law, including collaboration with other law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies in joint operations. Despite the ongoing pandemic, these members continue to proudly work and deliver on behalf of Canadians.

Border Services Officers (BSOs) represent most of the workers in the bargaining unit. These employees work at airports, land border and marine ports of entry, and at Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) postal operations.

BSOs have the power to seize and arrest and are required to undergo regular Control and Defence Tactics (CDT) training as a condition of employment. Since 2006, BSOs working in land border and marine environments are equipped with firearms. This arming initiative has also come to include Inland Enforcement Officers, Intelligence Officers and Investigators, all three groups also being required to undergo regular CDT training.

The nature of the work performed by members of the bargaining unit, and the fitness standards that are required for employees to perform their duties, are entirely consistent with what is found with other law enforcement agencies, be they federal such as the RCMP and Corrections, or in other jurisdictions such as the Ontario Provincial Police and the Sureté du Québec. It is because of the work and the fitness standards associated with the work that these other law enforcement agencies have adopted early retirement regimes. Simply put, it is increasingly difficult for officers as they advance in age to meet the standards required. Employers are required under Human Rights Legislation to accommodate up until undue hardship. Early retirement regimes alleviate this burden on employers and staff. The same is true in the case of CBSA.

Given the nature of the work performed by employees in the FB bargaining unit and the crucial importance of that work in terms of ensuring the safety and security of Canadians, it is in the interest of both the federal government and the broader Canadian public that employees in this occupational group have access to an early retirement regime to avoid risks to public health and safety.

It is only fair that workers in the FB bargaining unit are afforded benefits that are comparable to that of other law enforcement officers. Other federal public service workers facing similar workplace demands, such as Correctional Officers, already have this type of retirement regime.

As such we have been advocating for CBSA members to be able to access retirement without penalty 5 years earlier than existing Group 1 members of the Public Service Pension Plan, consistent with operational service provisions for employees of Correctional Services Canada.

In order to achieve equitable retirement for FB members specifically, changes are required to the Public Service Superannuation Act and its regulations.

FB members have been advocating for an equitable retirement regime for many years. The issue is before a sub-committee of the Public Service Pension Advisory Committee. We are urging you to support the work of PSPAC and to support legislative changes to allow for CBSA employees to access the same early retirement provisions that are available to many law enforcement officers across the country.

Further, we would welcome the chance to meet with you via videoconference to discuss this important matter at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,

Chris Aylward
PSAC National President

Click here for the PDF version.[

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