Treasury Board Changes Compensatory Leave Cash Out

7 September 2017

This year, employees must request the cash out.

Treasury Board has issued an information bulletin to departments regarding the automatic cash out of compensatory leave. Departments are directed to temporarily change the process so that employees must request the cash out. If they do not ask for the cash out, the compensatory leave credits will remain in their leave bank and be useable until September 30, 2018.

The change is another result of the flawed Phoenix pay system that cannot cope with a large automatic payout at this time. PSAC is continuing to work with the government to address Phoenix problems. Extending access to compensatory leave over a longer period of time is necessary to prevent further problems with pay.

Normally, any banked compensatory leave credits would automatically be cashed out as of September 30 each year.

A version of this article was also published on the PSAC website.

Phoenix: PSAC Negotiates New Measures to Attract and Retain Compensation Advisors

31 August 2017

PSAC has negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding with Treasury Board to address recruitment and retention of compensation advisors. The aim is to ensure the government has enough staff resources to deal with the many problems related to the Phoenix pay system.

Recruitment and retention incentives

To address the staff shortage, we have negotiated measures to improve recruitment and retention of compensation advisors who work under Treasury Board. The measures include:

Compensation advisor retention allowances for current staff, new recruits, and former retirees who return to work
Improvements to overtime, carry-over or cash-out of vacation leave, and compensatory leave
An independent job content and classification process for all PSPC compensation Advisor employees at the AS 1, 2 & 3 levels

Shortage of compensation staff

When the former Conservative government consolidated the federal public service pay system, hundreds of compensation advisors were laid off. The expertise and experience of those workers was lost. When Phoenix went live in 2016, there were not enough staff to deal with the problems it caused.

Although the government has tried to bring back former compensation staff, the pay centre in Miramichi and the satellite pay offices remain understaffed.

“We hope that these measures will bring in more compensation staff so that Phoenix-related problems are addressed more efficiently. All federal public service workers deserve to be paid on time and correctly,” said Robyn Benson, PSAC National President.

Additional information:

Q&A on Compensation Advisor Memorandum of Understanding [PSAC website]
Memorandum of Understanding regarding incentives [PDF]

A version of this article was also published on the PSAC website.

Synthetic Opioids: Safety Procedures and Policies

24 August 2017

There have been few threats over the years that have impacted our members as greatly as the fentanyl crisis. As Canada’s first line of defense, there is perhaps no greater testament to their jobs’ importance than the lives saved by intercepting these substances. We have seen members exposed and sadly, their health has been affected. Our work makes coming into contact with highly toxic substances inevitable and as such, is of great concern to us all.

Your Policy Health and Safety committee has been working diligently with the CBSA to develop mandatory safety procedures, controls, training, first aid and personal protective equipment. These were posted on Atlas on July 13, 2017. The many concerns and recommendations we received from the field are included in what’s been produced and we are confident that these measures will keep our members safe. This is the culmination of months of work, countless drafts and consultation with experts in both the scientific and law enforcement communities. We continue to work on these procedures with the CBSA and you’ll surely see additions to what’s currently available.

We urge all of our members to remind one another of the importance of following these safety procedures. While it is unquestionably Management’s responsibility to ensure that all health and safety measures are being followed, it is our duty to do all we can to keep our Sisters and Brothers safe. Synthetic opioids have fundamentally changed how we must act and how we must think. The idea of ‘safety first’ has always been present, the potential consequences of not consistently making this so in practice could be disastrous.

Please review the documents available through Atlas in the Policy Suite for Examination of Highly Toxic Substances and ensure that you take all of the mandatory training.

Update on Collective Agreement Implementation for SV and TC Groups

21 August 2017

In early July, the employer began the salary update for members of the Operational Services Group (SV) and the Technical Services Group (TC).

Given that employees are paid in arrears, members in the SV and TC groups should have begun seeing new rates starting with the July 26 payday. Your new salary rate should now be reflected in your pay. If you find any mistakes in your pay, contact the human resources unit in your department and notify your PSAC union representative.

Retroactive payments will be issued over the full timeframe of the implementation schedule, up to November 11, 2017. Some SV and TC members may receive one full retro payment; others may receive it in multiple payments over multiple pay periods, due to the need for manual processing of some transactions.

Please continue to monitor updates at psacunion.ca/tc and psacunion.ca/sv.

A version of this article was also published on the PSAC website.

Update on Collective Agreement Implementation for PA Group

9 August 2017

Over the course of the August 5, 2017 weekend, the employer began the salary update for members of the Programs and Administrative Services Group (PA).

Even though changes are being made to Phoenix and HR systems the adjustments will not immediately appear on employees’ pay. Given that employees are paid in arrears, they will begin seeing new rates starting with the August 23 payday. Your new salary rate should be reflected on the August 23 pay. If you find any mistakes in your pay, contact the human resources unit in your department and notify your PSAC union representative.

Retroactive payments will be issued over the full timeframe of the implementation schedule, up to November 11, 2017. Some PA group members may receive one full retro payment; others may receive it in multiple payments over multiple pay periods, due to the need for manual processing of some transactions.

Please continue to monitor updates at psacunion.ca/pa.

A version of this article was also published on the PSAC website.

PSAC/CIU to Take CBSA Before Labour Board

4 August 2017

In negotiations, our PSAC/CIU bargaining team for the FB group has made proposals to Treasury Board and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) concerning shift work, scheduling and part-time work.

The law says that all matters subject to negotiation are frozen until such time as the parties reach a new agreement, are in a legal strike position or until an arbitration award is issued. This means that our current terms and conditions are frozen. The same rules also apply with respect to changes that could have a direct impact on matters under negotiation or potentially subject to negotiation.

Recently the CBSA has announced that it is proceeding with a change to its part-time policy to increase part-time employment. CIU has made clear that it is opposed to such changes, and PSAC at the bargaining table has indicated that our position is to improve job and income security for PSAC/CIU members at CBSA. An increase in part-time employment runs contrary to this objective.

Given CBSA’s plan to proceed with the changes, PSAC legal counsel is in the process of filing a freeze-violation charge with the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (FPSLREB).

CBSA management cannot do whatever it wants. We will uphold our rights.

We will be sure to update as things progress. Please contact your CIU Branch President with any questions.

A version of this article was also published on the PSAC website.

CIU Expresses Concerns on CBSA Reducing Hours of Operation at Ports of Entry

4 August 2017

Press Release – Ottawa, August 4, 2017 – The National President of the Customs and Immigration Union which represents 10,000 members, most of whom are front line border services and inland immigration enforcement officers, has raised concerns regarding the recent announcement that the Canada Border Services Agency will be reducing hours of operation at six ports of entry in New Brunswick beginning this Sunday on August 6.

CIU National President Jean-Pierre Fortin provided details of the looming closures:

“Hours of operation will be reduced in the future at all of the Bloomfield, Milltown, Centreville, Gillespie, Forest City and Forestville ports of entry. The only ‘explanation’ provided by CBSA is that this reduction in operational capabilities is being done to ‘harmonize’ hours of operation with US facilities.”

Fortin was critical of the decision and its potential impact on the country’s security.

“Canadians would be better served if instead of reducing our operations to match those of the U.S., our Government proactively worked with US authorities to revise practices and Agreements so that the current crisis of persons entering Canada illegally from the U.S. can be addressed. CIU is also specifically alarmed that this reduction of front line personnel and operations will expand from New Brunswick and also be imposed in Quebec which is currently undergoing a flood of persons entering our country illegally. Reducing front line officer capabilities contradicts the public interests of public safety and facilitated legitimate cross border trade and travel. It is also important to note that the U.S. has a dedicated border patrol that can maintain its country’s security despite a reduction in hours.”

Fortin also outlined the larger issue of CBSA’s continuing reduction of operational capabilities which the Trudeau Government needs to step up and repair.

“These latest actions by CBSA further reduce front line operational capabilities that began in 2012 with the former Government’s Deficit Reduction Action Plan. We lost over 1,250 front line operational positions through that initiative. The erosion of front line operations personnel continues with these latest cuts and with what I fear will be more on the horizon. On more than one occasion, CIU has asked the Liberal Government to reinstate the positions that were cut by the previous government. It has also asked for the creation of a dedicated border patrol that would allow it to maintain the integrity of the border. It’s not just asylum seekers who are crossing illegally, there are also drugs and weapons. Today’s circumstances clearly demonstrate that our Government is further weakening our country’s first line of defence. We need to ensure that CBSA receives the necessary funding and that it properly deploys the operational personnel our country needs so that CBSA officers can perform their duties to protect and promote the safety, security and well-being of Canadians.”

The Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) is a component of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), which represents Canada’s Front-Line Customs and Immigration Officers. CIU also represents Investigation, Intelligence and Trade Customs Officers, Immigration Inland Enforcement and Hearings Officers, as well as all support staff – all of whom work at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

For more information, please contact

Jean-Pierre Fortin
National President
(613) 723-8008
(450) 357-6684 (m)
jp.fortin@ciu-sdi.ca

Download the PDF version of this press release.

New Information Regarding Phoenix

25 July 2017

Treasury Board has recently shared documents providing details regarding changes to the Directive on Terms and Conditions of Employment, as well as information pertaining to new claims process for employees who are experiencing delays in receiving the full amount of government benefits and credits. Treasury Board notes that these changes have been made to lessen potential financial hardships due to the implementation of Phoenix. Please review the documents for further information (click on each link to download). Please note that all documents are provided as Word (.docx) documents.

Working for a Fair Contract for Border Services Members

25 July 2017

While Parliament is in recess over the summer, members of CIU’s National Board of Directors across the country are taking lobbying training and bringing our message to Members of Parliament. We’re talking to MPs about what it means to work for the Canada Border Services Agency and the importance of achieving a contract that provides parity with other law enforcement agencies.

Across Canada, we’re calling on MPs to contact Treasury Board President Scott Brison in support of our demand for an early retirement regime, one that reflects what is already in place for other law enforcement personnel in the federal public service.

There are many MPs we need to meet. While some meetings have already taken place, it’s not too late for CIU members to participate by volunteering to meet with their MP. Contact your Branch President who can provide you with helpful notes and information. Members can also get involved in Branch activities taking place over the summer to remind the employer that we want an agreement that meets our needs.

Progress is being made on an Essential Services Agreement

Talks concerning an essential services’ agreement (ESA) with Treasury Board are ongoing and progress has been made. Our hope is that an agreement will be reached in the very near future.

Because the essential services agreement determines which services can and cannot be withdrawn in the event of a job action, resolving the ESA with Treasury Board is critical step in the bargaining process that must be completed before a strike vote can be called and job action undertaken. We’ll provide an update as talks continue.

We’re preparing for the Public Interest Commission

Work is underway to prepare the extensive presentation and submission that our union will make before the Public Interest Commission (PIC). The first hearing dates are October 17 and 18.

A version of this article was also published on the PSAC website.

Congratulations to CIU Members Elected at Regional Conventions

5 July 2017

CIU would like to congratulate members elected to various regional positions during the most recent PSAC Regional Triennial Conventions. We’re proud to see significant union involvement from coast to coast!

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