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‘We’re inundated with managers’: October winners

We’re pleased to announce the winners of the October round of our ‘We’re inundated with managers’ contest.

Congratulations to Tera Boettcher from Fort Frances, who won in the ‘absurdity of the employees/management ratio’ category with six (6!) managers for three employees.

And congratulations to a member from Victoria, who won in the ‘originality of the submission’ category. With a submission of 8 managers for 31 employees, they write: “Special shout out to our “CSI” unit in Victoria. Our “Corporate Strategy and Innovation” team that flips emails back and forth and runs out for a coffee every 45 minutes”.

We’ll be announcing the winners for the month of November early in December (previous submissions will also be considered, so no need to resubmit them).

Budget 2025: Initial reaction — A step closer to ‘25 and out’

With the tabling of the latest — and long-awaited — federal budget on November 4, 2025, the Canadian government proposes a number of measures directly related to border operations, all of which are likely to impact the work of our members.

While some of these initiatives are undoubtedly positive (such as improving the Canada Border Services Agency’s capacity to detect and intercept illicit goods, along with increasing the CBSA recruit stipend), others raise concerns, notably around language regarding preclearance as well as achieving ‘operating efficiencies’.

How these measures affect our members will depend on their implementation. The devil, as they say, is in the details, and we are hard at work to assess how this budget will impact Canada’s borders and the work our members do.

One thing is certain: The inclusion in the budget of ‘25 and out’ for public safety workers is, in and of itself, a monumental step forward for our union and our members. Together, we have fought tirelessly for years to see CBSA personnel have access to pension benefits in line with those provided by other law enforcement agencies, and this budget brings us closer than we’ve ever been to that goal.

With that in mind, here, too, questions remain, especially around eligibility. We are eager to work with the federal government to see the new ’25 and out’ pension provisions implemented as inclusively and expediently as possible following the adoption of the budget — we are committed to sharing any additional information as it becomes available.

CIU joins PSAC Prairies in denouncing the Alberta government’s attack on workers rights

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 2nd 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:

FB bargaining: Tell us how to improve your next contract

PSAC is preparing for our next round of bargaining on behalf of 9,000 PSAC-CIU members at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) — and the first step is hearing from you.

What changes or improvements do you want to see in the next collective agreement? This is your chance to shape our priorities at the bargaining table. Member participation is critical to our strength and to winning better working conditions.

 Submit a proposal 

 What makes a good bargaining proposal 

You can submit proposals using the online form until December 5, 2025.

Proposals will be reviewed and brought to the next FB bargaining conference — March 24–26, 2026 in Ottawa — where delegates from branches across the country will prioritize them for negotiations.

The current collective agreement expires June 20, 2026.

Please ensure your personal contact information is up to date to receive news and updates as we begin work on your next collective agreement.

This article was first published on the PSAC website.

‘Extremely good news’: Government of Canada confirms ’25-and-out’ pension reform for frontline workers as part of 2025 budget

The Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) are glad to see the federal government confirm that the amendments to the Public Service Superannuation Act required to expand early retirement eligibility for frontline workers, including border personnel, will be included in the 2025 federal budget.

On October 17, 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a series of measures seeking to strengthen Canada’s borders, including amending the Public Service Superannuation Act, which will ensure that frontline federal workers can retire with dignity after 25 years of service, without penalty.

CIU and PSAC have long called for fair pension treatment for frontline workers, in line with benefits provided by other law enforcement and public safety agencies across the country.

“This is extremely good news for our members,” said CIU National President Mark Weber. “Border officers work in demanding roles and face similar physical risks as other law enforcement officers. I am happy to see the federal government listening to unions and addressing this long-standing inequality.”

“We’re glad the government is following through on their platform promise to provide equitable retirement for frontline workers in the budget,” said PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa. “This must be one of the first orders of business after the budget passes so these essential workers can retire with dignity — now, not years from now.”

At a time when border services are in dire need of more personnel, amending the Public Service Superannuation Act will certainly help public safety agencies such as the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) attract and retain much-needed new employees.

“Frontline workers like border services officers, search and rescue technicians, firefighters, correctional officers, and paramedics risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe,” said DeSousa. “After being forced to work longer than their peers for far too long, it’s time to finally deliver on this long-overdue promise and show that Canada truly values the people who protect it.”

New border measures: A step in the right direction

The October 17 announcement also re-confirmed the government’s commitment to hire 1,000 additional CBSA officers. “This is a strong start towards reinforcing our border infrastructure,” said the CIU National President. “CBSA needs to return to a model emphasizing direct interactions between border officers and people who seek entry to Canada” explained Mark Weber. “Adding 1,000 officers to the frontline must be a priority, and allowing these frontline officers to patrol between ports of entry is the next logical step.”

The government also announced its intention to raise the stipend for CBSA recruits attending the Agency’s college in Rigaud from $125 to $525 a week. This, too, is a good start. While the pre-2005 model — where recruits were paid a salary as officers — would allow the Agency to attract an even wider diversity of candidates, an increase to the stipend has long been needed.

CIU and PSAC hope these positive steps forward signal that the federal government is ready to continue to invest in the people who protect our frontline, and ensure Canada can meet new challenges head-on.

2025 Laurel Randle Memorial Bursary recipient

Congratulations to Mia Novakovic, who has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Laurel Randle Memorial Bursary! Mia is the child of CIU member Francine Mwamba, from the Headquarters Branch. The winning essay demonstrated a definite understanding of Laurel’s values — dedication to social justice and union activism — and provided clear insight in an original and creative fashion. Well done, Mia!

In total, fourteen submissions were received prior to the July 31 deadline. Thank you to all who participated! The application process for the 2026 bursary will open in the spring.

‘We’re inundated with managers’: Announcing our first winners!

We’re pleased to announce the winners of the September round of our ‘We’re inundated with managers’ contest.

Congratulations to Tamara McLean from Windsor, who won in the ‘absurdity of the employees/management ratio’ category! She writes: While working one shift, I noticed that we seemed to have a lot of managers on. There were a total of thirteen managers and only eleven officers to run a day shift.

And congratulations to Catherine Thouin from Lacolle, who won in the ‘originality of the submission’ category. She writes: “I’ll always remember: There were six superintendents that day. Two administrative superintendents and four operational superintendents. No surge capacity, no crisis on the horizon. There were eight of us border service officers, handling about ten cases.” It certainly paints a picture!

We’ll be announcing the winners for the month of October in early November (previous submissions will also be considered, so no need to resubmit them).

‘An injury to one is an injury to all’: CIU Board members send clear message to CBSA

At the same time as the CIU National President was bringing CBSA’s ‘un-Canadian’ way of treating accommodated officers to the attention of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, the CIU National Board of Directors was rallying in front of CBSA’s offices in Ottawa to send the employer a clear message: An injury to one is an injury to all, and CBSA’s attempt to do a blanket review of existing accommodation to push out trained, experienced officers will not stand.

An update on the policy grievance

Given the potential impact of CBSA’s review of accommodation agreements on our accommodated members, CIU is exploring all avenues to protect our members’ rights and ensure the employer meets its legal obligations. A policy grievance has  been filed, challenging the employer’s unwarranted wholesale approach. We will make sure to update you as the case progresses.

See photos of the rally below!

‘More is needed’ to better manage our borders: Mark Weber speaks to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security

As one of the first witnesses invited to testify as part of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU)’s study on the management of the Canada-United States border, Mark Weber was categorical: While the government’s commitment to hire an additional 1,000 border services officers is a ‘strong start’ towards reinforcing our border infrastructure, more is needed.

“Canada must invest in the people who protect our frontline. We need to allow our frontline border officers to fulfill their full legal mandate, we need to invest in CBSA’s training infrastructure to ensure we can continue to meet future challenges head-on both at and away from the frontline, and we need a border services agency that is equipped to properly manage itself so it can better manage the border” told the CIU National President to the Committee.

Answering questions from Committee members, Mark Weber also stressed the need for those 1,000 officers to be fully trained frontline officers, raising concerns that the Agency might seek to download important duties on newly created FB-01 positions, who would end up doing the work of full-fledged FB-03 frontline officers.

An ‘un-Canadian’ way of treating accommodated officers

The National President also took time to bring the Committee’s attention to CBSA’s decision to perform a blanket review of accommodation agreements across the country, which appears to be designed to push out trained officers who, while they cannot carry firearms, bring valuable law enforcement experience.

“[CBSA is] telling them ‘you’re going to self demote or we’re going to show you the door’. In many instances these are people who’ve injured themselves on the job” explained Mark Weber, adding that the Agency was essentially signaling that employees were ‘a slip or fall away’ from their employer pushing them out. “It’s a horrendous way to treat people. I would almost say it’s un-Canadian.”

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

The New Union Frontier, Episode 2: Rick Savage

The second episode of The New Union Frontier is now live! Our host Amanda sits down with First National Vice-President Rick Savage to talk union business, health and safety, and more! Go to ciu-sdi.ca/podcast to listen now!

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