Treasury Board bargaining: Trudeau’s window to deliver on commitment to public service workers is closing

15 March 2019

The clock is ticking for the Trudeau Liberals as PSAC’s four bargaining teams representing 90,000 workers covered by Treasury Board resume negotiations with the government between March 19 and 21.

Since bargaining began nine months ago, PSAC’s teams have presented proposals to improve work-life balance, reduce precarious contract work, close wage gaps with the private sector, and ensure fair economic increases. Yet, for most of that time, the government has repeatedly delayed progress, and in late November made an insulting offer that would freeze wages for two years.

While the last session of talks in February yielded a few smalls steps in the right direction, far more significant progress must be achieved this month. Reaching a fair agreement before the federal election in October is the only way Justin Trudeau can deliver on his promises to PSAC members.

In a 2015 letter to public service workers, Trudeau committed to restoring the government’s “trust in — and respect for — our public servants”. Moreover, Trudeau has recognized that public service workers “continue to show unwavering professionalism as they face unacceptable hardships caused by the implementation of the Phoenix pay system.”

“Over the last four years, Trudeau has said all the right things about the public service,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC National President. “But actions speak louder than words, and PSAC members are still waiting for him to deliver on his commitment to them. They’re still waiting to get paid properly under Phoenix and they’re still waiting to be compensated for all the hardships they’ve endured because of these countless pay problems. They shouldn’t also have to wait for the fair working conditions they deserve.”

“The window of opportunity for Trudeau to deliver on his commitment to support public service workers and the vital services they provide Canadians is closing, but it’s still there. This means delivering a fair deal for our members before the next election – and we won’t let his government off the hook.”

These sessions cover four bargaining units under Treasury Board: Program & Administrative Services (PA), Technical Services (TC), Operations Services (SV), and Education & Library Science (EB).

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

2000: Body Armour

12 March 2019

Every two weeks, we’re releasing a short vignette showcasing a victory or an event of importance in the history of our union. Here is the second entry in the series.

At the turn of the millennium, after years of pressure by the union, the government had yet to provide protective vests in suitable numbers to its Customs Officers. Through lobbying in the 90s, CIU (then CEUDA) had succeeded in pressuring the employer to start providing bullet-proof vests to its officers. By 1999, however, the government had only acquired a mere 400 such vests Canada-wide, at times going so far in some ports as distributing them by lottery to officers.

Faced with an employer unwilling to provide adequate protective vests to all officers in a timely fashion, the union launched a massive awareness campaign, attracting the attention of various American police associations. Ultimately, in well-publicized displays of solidarity, the union received hundreds of vests in donation from these associations.

Shamed into doing the right thing, the government relented and announced in early 2000 that budget would be allocated to ensure that all border officers would be provided with a vest. Today, thanks to pressure from CIU and its members, soft body armour is part of the standard equipment available to all Border Officers.

Photo of BSO with text explaining how the union obtained body armour for its members (same text as on page) — *Click for full-size version.*

For more union victories, see this page, and follow us on social media using #CIUvictories.

FB Bargaining: Definition of years of service will remain the same

5 March 2019

A majority of PSAC-Customs and Immigration Union (PSAC-CIU) members voted to keep the existing definition of years of service in the collective agreement. As a result, the Border Services (FB) bargaining team will not be seeking any changes to the years of service definition.

Online and telephone voting was held between February 18 and March 1.

Due to the unprecedented nature of this vote, and given that it is not a ratification vote governed by Regulation 15, PSAC-CIU is releasing a breakdown of the vote:

Options	Votes	Share (%)
1 — I support the Union taking the position in negotiations that the definition of years of service (seniority) should be changed to include time in the Canadian Forces as defined in Article 34.03 a) ii) for all areas of the collective agreement where years of service is applied.	816	40.5
2 — I support leaving the definition of service as it is currently defined in the collective agreement.	1,197	59.5
Total	2,013	100

For the latest bargaining news, visit psacunion.ca/fb. You can also sign up for email bargaining updates.

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

FB Bargaining: Limited progress during second meeting

4 March 2019

The PSAC-CIU bargaining team representing the Border Services (FB) group met with Treasury Board/CBSA the week of February 25 for a second negotiating session towards a new collective agreement.

Harassment protections

In light of CBSA’s February 27 ‘Pink Shirt Day’ initiative to raise awareness about harassment in the workplace, the bargaining team reminded CBSA and Treasury Board that there are serious problems with abuse of authority and harassment by management in CBSA workplaces across the country. Considering these serious, ongoing problems, the union is looking for much greater protections against harassment from CBSA management in the next contract.

Telework

The bargaining team asked CBSA about its plans on telework and presented formal proposals for new collective agreement articles on the matter. PSAC-CIU has been pushing for years for greater access to teleworking opportunities for Trade Compliance officers and other non-uniformed personnel.

The team also reminded CBSA that, under the law, the Agency must consult the union and gain the union’s consent before moving forward with any changes in the current terms and conditions of employment. The Agency has effectively ignored the Treasury Board policy on telework for many years.

Maternity and Parental Leave

The union proposed a 93% top up for the new 18-month maternity and parental leave option introduced by the government in 2017. The employer rejected this but the bargaining team indicated it will continue maintaining this proposal.

Click here to review PSAC-CIU’s package of proposals as well as those of the employer.

The next negotiating session will be held the week of April 8. For more information visit psacunion.ca/fb

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

2007: Creation of the FB group

26 February 2019

As a show of support for our FB bargaining team returning to the table this week, we present our first vignette on union victories: The creation of the FB group, in 2007.

If border officers have a distinct voice today, it is thanks to the continued pressure and efforts of CIU and the support of PSAC. After years of lobbying by the union and its members, a stand-alone FB group was created in 2007, giving front-line personnel their own collective agreement and paving the way for true recognition as law enforcement. Prior to the FB group, these members were part of the much larger PA group. With this new structure, they took control of their own bargaining and representation.

Since the creation of the FB group, CIU and PSAC have succeeded in securing a remarkable 48% increase in compensation for front-line officers – the largest increase for law enforcement personnel achieved by any union in Canada since 2007.

For more union victories, see this page, and follow us on social media using #CIUvictories.

Celebrating our victories

26 February 2019

For more than half a century, CIU and its members have been on the front-line of union advocacy. In our Victories section, we celebrate the hard-won and hard-fought labour battles that gave our members – be they law-enforcement or civilian – the many rights and protections they enjoy today, from stronger representation to a safer work environment.

We invite you to discover how our union helped shape and transform Canada’s first line of defence: available below is a series of short vignettes published on our website and on social media (#CIUvictories), each showcasing a victory or an event of importance in the history of our organization.

Already published:

Job Posting: Labour Relations Officer – Bilingual (Band 11)

25 February 2019

The Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) is seeking to hire a full time bilingual Labour Relations Officer with extensive experience to be staffed on an indeterminate basis. Priority for this opportunity shall be accorded as follows: Employees of CIU; Members of the Alliance Employees Union (AEU); other PSAC Unionized employees; Members of CIU; Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada; Members of the general public.

Location

CIU National Office, Ottawa, Ontario

Duties

Under the general direction of the Office Director, the successful candidate will assume
responsibility for specified aspects of one or more of CIU’s Labour Relations Officer portfolios
by:

Providing guidance and advice on all aspects of the public service grievance process and
staffing complaint process, including interpretation and application of collective agreements, public service legislation and related regulations and procedures;
Developing and presenting the union’s arguments either at the final-level grievance process
to the Agency’s representative or before the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Employment Board;
Preparing and forwarding grievance files for arbitration hearings;
Providing technical advice and guidance to elected union officers, members, and co-workers in the carrying out of CIU activities.

Knowledge and Qualifications

Post-secondary graduate in labour relations, political science, social sciences, law,
legislative studies or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and
experience with a minimum of five (5) years’ experience in grievance, adjudication and ADR
processes, or equivalent relevant experience;
Knowledge of the broader labour movement and commitment to trade union principles and social justice issues;
Knowledge of the structure of the Canadian Border Services Agency and the Acts, Regulations, Legislation, directives, policies and procedures that govern the employment and working conditions of CIU members;
Knowledge of the political and operational structures of the CIU and PSAC;
Ability to research, analyze, explain and interpret collective agreements, employment
legislation, jurisprudence and employer policies and directives in order to successfully analyze complex situations to develop and recommend appropriate solutions;
High level of ability to work independently as well as within a team;
Close attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines;
Ability to use current computer-based technology including MS Office, internet, email and
various software applications;
Demonstrated strong judgment, problem-solving, conflict resolution, initiative, interpersonal and leaderships skills;
Strong oral and written English and French communications skills;
Ability to adapt to changes and changing priorities;
Familiarity with Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR).

Salary

$94,007 to $106,768 plus $1,500 bilingual bonus per year.

Terms and conditions of employment apply as negotiated between CIU and the Alliance Employees Union (AEU), Unit 15.

All applications will be reviewed by a Screening Board. The Board’s determination for a written
test or personal interview will be based on the contents of the application. It will be the
responsibility of applicants to include evidence of demonstrated required qualifications
when applying. No travel expenses will be reimbursed by CIU.

Applications will be received until the close of business March 11, 2019 (5:00 p.m. ET)

Please forward your curriculum vitae to the attention of Jean-Pierre Fortin, National President at
the CIU National Office at jp.fortin@ciu-sdi.ca.

Treasury Board bargaining inches towards progress, but not far enough

19 February 2019

Following more than six months of frustrating talks and delays by the government, PSAC bargaining teams representing 90,000 members finally received some responses to the union’s proposals this past week. The government’s small movements were a noticeable change from previous meetings but they fell significantly short of the progress needed at the table.

Bargaining teams reaffirmed a range of proposals for improving working conditions while also discussing the government’s counterproposals around work-life balance—including compassionate care, bereavement and parental leave—as well as general economic increases.

“We’ve made it clear to the Trudeau government that we expect new Treasury Board President Jane Philpott to have a mandate to reach a fair deal with us,” said PSAC National President, Chris Aylward. “These recent talks were a small first step in that direction, but we expect far more progress at our next session.”

“The modest movement we’ve seen is a result of the pressure and mobilization of our membership in response to the government’s many delays. It’s clear we need to not only keep up the pressure, but ramp it up in the weeks and months to come.”

“We are now on the eve of the third anniversary of the Phoenix pay system disaster and our members continue delivering the quality public services Canadians rely on every day, even as they wait to get paid correctly. They shouldn’t also have to wait for the fair working conditions they deserve. The clock is ticking.”

Treasury Board also decided that it will no longer negotiate issues of concern to all four bargaining groups at a common table. While this approach needlessly makes for less efficient negotiations, all four bargaining teams will move forward with a joint and unified approach to negotiating all common issues, even if it happens at separate tables.

This past week’s sessions were held between February 12 and 14 and covered four bargaining units under Treasury Board: Program & Administrative Services (PA), Technical Services (TC), Operations Services (SV), and Education & Library Science (EB).

The next bargaining meetings will be held from March 19 to 21 in Ottawa.

Join us: On February 28, PSAC will kick off a series of escalated actions around the country in support of Phoenix damages and a fair deal at the bargaining table.

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

FB vote on years of service accrual: Everything you need to know to vote

12 February 2019

Picture of a Border Services Officer with the words FB Bargaining

The FB bargaining team, with support of PSAC-CIU, recently decided to take the unprecedented step of calling a membership vote on the issue of years of service accrual. You can read the bargaining team’s reasons for calling the vote here. The FB bargaining team and PSAC-CIU will be taking no official position on the issue of years of service accrual until the vote is complete.

If you are a member of the FB bargaining unit, please read the following carefully.

The online vote will take place between 8:30 AM on February 18 and 12 PM (noon) on March 1^st (ET). A simple majority of those members who vote will decide the outcome and determine the position taken by the bargaining team on the years of service accrual issue in negotiations. The vote is secret and strictly confidential.

What are FB members voting on?

FB members will have the opportunity to vote on whether the union should take the position in this round of bargaining to keep the definition of “years of service” as is, or to have previous time in the Canadian Forces also apply for the years of service definition for:

Line selection for shift workers.
Processes for determining who works on a DPH for shift workers.
Vacation selection for everyone in the bargaining unit.
Determining who can access voluntary programs under the Workforce Adjustment Appendix in the event there are excess volunteers.

Note: Previous time in the Canadian Forces is already included in the calculation of vacation leave credits

Ballot wording

Option 1 — I support the Union taking the position in negotiations that the definition of years of service (seniority) should be changed to include time in the Canadian Forces as defined in Article 34.03 a) ii) for all areas of the collective agreement where years of service is applied.

Option 2 — I support leaving the definition of service as it is currently defined in the collective agreement.

Online information sessions (webinars)

This is an unprecedented vote and is not governed by PSAC’s Regulation 15. Therefore, online information sessions (webinars) being offered to members are not a prerequisite for voting. Nevertheless, PSAC-CIU encourages members to participate in the webinars to ensure all questions and concerns are addressed before voting.

The following webinars are available for FB members. To register, please click on the session you would like to participate in.

English	French
Wednesday February 20 at 4 PM (ET)	Wednesday February 20 at 3 PM (ET)
Friday February 22 at 12 PM/noon (ET)	Friday February 22 at 1 PM (ET)
Wednesday February 27 at 6 PM (ET)	Wednesday February 27 at 7 PM (ET)

How to cast a vote

Voter information package

In order to vote, you will need to receive a voter information package. This will be sent to the home email address we have on file for you on February 18. If we do not have a home email address for you, we will send you the package via regular mail on February 13.

If you are in the FB bargaining unit but are not a union member (i.e. you have not signed your union membership card), you will first have to sign a union membership card if you choose to participate in the vote. In such a situation, please contact your local or your PSAC regional office to make arrangements as soon as possible.

If you have not received your package by email or regular mail by February 18, please contact the closest PSAC regional office to you.

PIN and website/phone number to vote

The voter information package will include the PIN required to vote. It will also include the website address and phone number to cast a vote. You will only be able to vote once, either on the web or by phone.

Voting period

You may vote any time between 8:30 AM on February 18 and 12 PM/noon on March 1 (ET).

Where to get help with the vote

Your voter information package will include a PSAC helpline number for all questions related to the vote. If you have not received your package by email or regular mail by February 18, please contact the closest PSAC regional office to you.

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

PA, EB, SV & TC bargaining to resume February 12 – PSAC demands new mandate from Trudeau

8 February 2019

PSAC will be resuming face-to-face bargaining sessions from February 12 to 14 on behalf of the 90,000 federal public service workers covered by Treasury Board bargaining. The union’s top priority is to obtain a fair wage settlement, and improvements in areas such as work-life balance, workload, leave provisions, and the use of temporary workers.

After many months of frustrating talks with the government, PSAC members are still waiting for a proper response to the union’s bargaining proposals. In December, the government insulted federal public service workers by coming to the table with a proposal for a two-year wage freeze.

“We will mobilize members to pressure Prime Minister Trudeau to live up to his promise of a new relationship with public service workers – one of respect,” said PSAC National President, Chris Aylward. “His Government is betraying our members and Canadians who depend on high quality public service.”

“New Treasury Board President, Jane Philpott must get a new mandate from the Prime Minister – one that will allow a fair deal. Our members have been waiting three years to get paid correctly under Phoenix – they shouldn’t also have to wait for the decent working conditions they deserve.”

Next week’s sessions will cover four bargaining units under Treasury Board: Program & Administrative Services (PA), Technical Services (TC), Operations Services (SV), and Education & Library Science (EB).

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