What’s Going On With FB Bargaining?

21 April 2017

Our PSAC/CIU bargaining team for the FB group broke off talks in February after spending three days in mediation with the employer and making no progress on our key priorities. Also CBSA continued to push concessions.

Consequently, our Team proceeded to the next step in the process provided for under the law – filing for a Public Interest Commission (PIC). Get more information on the PIC process here.

Once the PSAC filed for a PIC with the Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board (PSLREB), the Treasury Board responded by indicating that a PIC was premature and that more mediation was required.

Our response was clear: after over two years of talks – including a week and a half session in December and three full days of mediation in February – the parties were indeed at impasse and that it is time to move to the next stage in the process. What’s more, the Treasury Board and CBSA provided no indication that the employer is prepared to address the issues that our Team raised in bargaining with respect to compensation, pension and hours of work (among others matters). Our position was that there should be no further delay.

Next step is being set in motion

The PSLREB contacted the union on April 5, 2017 to notify us that the PIC is going forward, and that the next step in setting up a PIC is being set in motion (the appointment of the parties’ nominees). We are now awaiting news from the PSLREB concerning the next step in the process – the naming of the Chair of the PIC.

Unfortunately, there are no timelines prescribed in the legislation in terms of getting the PIC set up and for the selection of a date for the hearing. It is up to the PSLREB.

In the meantime, CIU leadership is consulting with Branch Presidents across the country, along with representatives from our bargaining team, to discuss next steps beyond filing for a PIC – including potential mobilization activities to get the Treasury Board and CBSA to finally address our issues concerning parity with other law enforcement agencies. For more information, speak with your CIU Branch President.

Our union and our bargaining team remain committed to achieving a fair contract for CIU/PSAC members in the FB bargaining unit. We’ll be sure to provide updates as things progress.

Download the PDF version of this update (bilingual document).

PSAC Members Ratify New Agreements (PA, TC, EB and SV)

19 April 2017

Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada working for Treasury Board have accepted new collective agreements that contain no concessions for four bargaining units representing more than 100,000 workers.

The majority of members in the Program and Administrative (PA), Technical Services (TC), Operational Services (SV), and Education and Library Science (EB) bargaining units voted in favour of the new agreements.

“I am proud of our negotiating teams for standing strong during these two long, difficult years at the table,” said Robyn Benson, PSAC National President. “It is through the hard work and commitment of the members of our bargaining teams, along with the support and solidarity from the bargaining unit members, that we were able to reach these agreements.”

Significant Breakthroughs

With these agreements, PSAC achieved some significant breakthroughs:

Sick leave: The sick leave articles of our collective agreements will remain unchanged. The parties have negotiated a Memorandum of Agreement to establish a Task Force to develop recommendations on measures to improve employee wellness.
Workforce adjustment: the most significant improvements to the Workforce Adjustment agreement since it was first signed as an appendix into PSAC collective agreements in 1998.
Helping workers meet family demands: It has been agreed that a committee will be established to look at childcare needs. Better family leave, including provisions for extended family, have also been negotiated.
Mental health task force: the memorandum that established the task force is also contained in this agreement. The MOU was agreed to earlier in the bargaining process, in 2015, and the task force has already been hard at work ever since

Monetary Gains

The four-year collective agreements, which expire in 2018, provide for across-the-board annual wage increases of 1.25 per cent for each year, plus other wage adjustments made for specific bargaining units and classifications.

FB Group

The Border Services (FB) group was unable to conclude a tentative agreement and is proceeding to a Public Interest Commission.

More Information

For more information on the agreements:

PA
TC
SV
EB

What’s Next

FAQ on collective agreement implementation and retroactivity

Convention Call – CIU’s 18th National Convention

24 March 2017

Banner for the 2017 CIU National Convention, which will take place from September 29 to October 1st, 2017, in Ottawa, with the slogan "united and looking to the future"

The 2017 National Convention of the Customs and Immigration Union will be held September 29, 30 and October 1, 2017 at the Ottawa Marriott Hotel, 100 Kent Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5R7. Convention Committees will meet on September 26 and 27, 2017 and the National Board of Directors will meet on September 28, 2017.

Deadlines

May 29, 2017 – Election of Delegates and Alternates (By-Law 8, Section 5)
May 29, 2017 – Resolutions (By-Law 8, Section 17)
June 29, 2017 – Appointment of Committees (By-Law 8, Section 8)
July 28, 2017 – Delegate Certificate (By-Law 8, Section 6)
July 28, 2017 – Instructions for Committee Members (By-Law 8, Section 12)
July 28, 2017 – General Information Booklet (By-Law 8, Section 13)

May 29, 2017 – A Date to Remember

1. Election of Convention Delegates and Alternates

Convention Delegates are elected by each Branch from amongst its members.
The only qualification required to run for election as a Delegate is that you be a member in good standing.
If you are interested in attending the Convention, ask your Branch President for information regarding the election of Delegates.
Election of Convention Delegates must be completed by May 29, 2017.

2. Resolutions

All resolutions must comply with By-Law 8, Section 17.
The Resolution Form can be downloaded here as a PDF. Additional Resolution Forms may also be obtained from your Branch President or the National Office.
Resolutions will not be accepted unless they bear the appropriate signatures.
Resolutions to the CIU National Convention that deal with Collective Bargaining can only address the collective bargaining process itself. Submitting Collective Bargaining Resolutions should not be confused with submitting Bargaining Demands, as these are handled through another process and at another time.
Resolutions are to be sent by facsimile to 613-723-7895 or mailed to the CIU National Office, 1741 Woodward Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K2C 0P9, and if mailed, must be postmarked no later than May 29, 2017.

Please see the full Convention Call page for an overview of the CIU By-Laws that cover convention. You can also download the PDF version of the Convention Call.

18th CIU National Convention – Sept. 29 to Oct. 1st, 2017

24 March 2017

We are fast approaching our 18^th National Convention. 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.

As the supreme governing body of the Union, the National Convention provides a forum for delegates, elected by their peers and on a per capita basis according to District Branch membership, to represent their Sisters and Brothers in making decisions that govern both the administration and the policies of this Union for the ensuing three-year period.

The National Convention is also the forum where the Union’s National Executive is elected for its three-year term. The CIU By-Laws (By-Law 8, Section 17) provide an opportunity for all members to submit resolutions, within the prescribed format, dealing with all aspects of the Union.

The Convention Call applies to all Union members in good standing and should be considered as an invitation to participate in the future of this Union.

Also available is the Convention Resolution Form. It should be noted that Convention Resolutions pertaining to collective bargaining must refer only to the procedure of bargaining and not actual bargaining demands. Bargaining demands are sought through a different forum and are referred, through the Component Collective Bargaining Committee, to the Public Service Alliance of Canada. Bargaining demands will not be dealt with at the CIU National Convention.

We look forward to your participation and input and expect to greet some of you in September 2017. Any questions or clarification regarding the foregoing should be directed through your Branch Executive.

FAQ concernant les ententes de principe et la rétroactivité pour les groupes TC, SV, EB, PA

15 March 2017

TC, SV, B, PA Groups: Ratification Information

Questions about the various tentative agreements for the TC, SV, EB and PA Groups? Click on the following links to get answers to frequently asked questions, or see below for a general FAQ on retro pay.

TC Group tentative agreement FAQ
SV Group tentative agreement FAQ
EB Group tentative agreement FAQ
PA Group tentative agreement FAQ

FAQ on Retroactive Pay for TC, SV, EB and PA Groups

When will the deal come into effect?

If a majority of members vote “yes” in the ratification vote, PSAC will meet with the employer to sign your new collective agreement. With the exception of wages, which are retroactive, the new negotiated provisions come into effect on date of signing, unless otherwise specified.

Who will get back pay (retroactive pay) for the negotiated economic increases?

PA: The new collective agreement is retroactive to June 21, 2014, expiring June 20, 2018. This means that you are entitled to back pay for the period of time you were employed and a PA member from June 21, 2014.
EB: The new collective agreement is retroactive to July 1st, 2014, expiring June 30, 2018. This means that you are entitled to back pay for the period of time you were employed and a EB member from July 1st, 2014.
TC: The new collective agreement is retroactive to June 22, 2014, expiring June 21, 2018. This means that you are entitled to back pay for the period of time you were employed and a TC member from June 22, 2014.
SV: The new collective agreement is retroactive to August 5, 2014, expiring August 4, 2018. This means that you are entitled to back pay for the period of time you were employed and an SV member from August 5, 2014.

When can I expect the employer to pay the retroactive pay?

The employer has 150 days from the date of signing to implement the provisions of the new collective agreement, including adjusting rates of pay and issuing retroactive pay.

Are increases to allowances retroactive?

Increases to allowances are not retroactive. The employer has 150 days after the date of signing to implement the changes and issue payment of the allowances.

Parts of this article was originally published on the PSAC website.

Online Actions Call on Minister Morneau to Abandon Bill C-27

13 March 2017

Bill C-27, An Act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, is an attack on the retirement security of Canadians.

This bill will allow employers in the federal private sector and Crown Corporations to shift from good, defined benefit plans that provide secure and predictable pension benefits, into the much less secure form of target benefits. If passed, this bill would open the door to a disturbing trend of shifting all the risk of pension plans onto workers and retirees.

In 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that defined benefit pension plans that workers and retirees have already paid into should not be retroactively changed into target benefit plans. Yet, this is exactly what Bill C-27 will do.

Take action

PSAC has always stood for retirement security and opposed any move to eliminate defined benefit (DB) pension plans. We urge our members to send a letter to Finance Minister Bill Morneau to tell him and the Liberal government to abandon Bill C-27.

House of Commons petition: e-695 (Pension system)
Form letter to Finance Minister Bill Morneau

This message was originally published on the PSAC website.

Update on Ratification Meetings for the TC, PA, SV and EB Bargaining Units

2 March 2017

PSAC’s tentative agreements with Treasury Board covering the TC, SV, PA and EB bargaining units will only take effect if they are ratified in a vote by the members. These tentative agreements cover workers from coast to coast to coast.

Hundreds of ratification meetings, which include information sessions, will take place across the country up until April 13. Over 73,000 PSAC members are currently eligible to vote. We encourage participation in this important exercise of union democracy.

When and where to vote

Important information about the dates and locations of ratification meetings is available through the PSAC regional offices and their websites, which will be updated regularly:

Who can vote

Every member in good standing who is covered by these agreements has a right to vote in the ratification process. If you are eligible to become a member of PSAC, but have not previously signed a membership card, you will be provided with an opportunity to sign one at the ratification vote meeting and will then be able to vote.

Ratification kits

More information

Please see the FAQ about the ratification process posted on the PSAC website.

Part of this article was originally published on the PSAC website.

Information on Ratification Votes for TC, PA, SV and EB Groups

27 February 2017

As announced previously, tentative agreements have been reached by the PSAC bargaining teams with Treasury Board for the TC, SV, PA and EB groups. These agreements will only take effect if they are ratified in a vote by the members. Ratification meetings that include information sessions will take place across the country from February 20 to April 13.

Every member covered by these agreements has a right to vote in the ratification process. Further information regarding the ratification process is available on the PSAC website, including the various ratification kits:

Specific information regarding ratification meetings and where to vote is available through the various PSAC regional offices and their websites. You should also review the FAQ about the ratification process posted on the PSAC website.

What about the FB Group?

Unfortunately, due to the refusal of Treasury Board and CBSA to address FB Group priorities, no tentative agreement has been reached and the bargaining process for the FB Group is now at an impasse. As a result, the PSAC has filed for a Public Interest Commission (PIC). For more information on the next steps regarding FB Group bargaining, please see this post.

Part of this article was originally published on the PSAC website.

Influx of Migrants: CIU Calls for More Officers, Creation of Border Patrol

24 February 2017

In order to help Border Services Officers (BSOs) deal with the considerable influx of migrants crossing into Canada, the National President of the Customs and Immigration Union, Jean-Pierre Fortin, is calling on Ottawa to restore jobs cut under the previous Conservative government.

“We’re talking about 1,053 jobs” said Jean-Pierre Fortin. “At this time, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is merely reallocating officers from one station to another. It isn’t sustainable in the long term. With a single refugee case taking up to 8 hours to process, there simply aren’t enough officers present to perform all duties associated with protecting our border.”

Increasing the number of border officers is therefore a crucial step the present government must take if it is serious about handling the current situation in a safe and efficient manner.

Border Officers should be allowed to patrol

In addition, Border Officers need to be allowed to patrol between the 117 different land border ports across Canada. “Border Services Officers are trained and equipped to handle difficult situations at the border,” explained the National President. “Allowing BSOs to take the lead in patrolling the border while continuing to work in collaboration with RCMP officers simply makes sense.”

With warmer weather on the horizon and a continuous flow of migrants entering Canada along the border, it is imperative that the government recognize that the level of staffing is inappropriate to deal effectively with the ongoing situation.

Bargaining Has Reached An Impasse: PSAC Files for a Public Interest Commission

9 February 2017

The PSAC/CIU Bargaining Team for the FB group spent three days in mediation with Treasury Board and CBSA during the week of January 30. Given the refusal of Treasury Board and CBSA to address FB group priorities, the Bargaining Team has declared impasse.

As part of our ongoing campaign for respect for the border services group, PSAC filed for a Public Interest Commission (PIC) for the Border Services group on February 8, 2017. The group’s critical public safety duties deserve the same recognition given to other law enforcement officers.

Next Step

Under federal law, the PIC is the next step in the collective bargaining process when the parties reach impasse. Over the coming weeks CIU and PSAC will be consulting with branches across the country to prepare next steps in our efforts to get Treasury Board and the CBSA to finally address the issues our FB bargaining team have raised in negotiations.

We’ll be sure to provide updates as things progress. Please see the page What If Talks Break Down for more information on the PIC. For more information on FB bargaining, speak with your CIU Branch President, or sign-up for PSAC email updates.

Parts of this article were originally published on the PSAC website.