Tag Archives: FB

Working for a Fair Contract for Border Services Members

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Because the essential services agreement determines which services can and cannot be withdrawn in the event of a job action, resolving the ESA with Treasury Board is critical step in the bargaining process that must be completed before a strike vote can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.

FB Bargaining: PSLREB Appoints PIC Chair

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. CBSA also continued to push for 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 here.

The Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board (PSLREB) contacted the PSAC in April to notify us that the PIC is going forward despite Treasury Board/CBSA asking that the process be delayed by further mediation. Both our union and the Treasury Board have appointed our respective nominees for the Commission. However, once our nominees were appointed we were unable to agree with Treasury Board/CBSA on a Chair of the PIC. As a result, the PSLREB has now appointed one.

The next step is the setting of a hearing date. 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, the CIU National Executive and our Bargaining Team continue to consult Branch Presidents across the country in order to identify mobilization activities that will push 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).

What’s Going On With FB Bargaining?

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).

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

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.

Talks Break Off With CBSA/Treasury Board

We enforce the law. It’s time we were treated accordingly.

Our PSAC/CIU bargaining team for the FB group spent three days in mediation with Treasury Board and CBSA this past week. We made no progress on our key priorities for this round of bargaining. We enforce the law. It’s time we were treated accordingly.

Compensation

Our position reflects wage parity with the RCMP. Management has rejected this proposal and instead tabled the PA wage settlement. This is unacceptable to us as it does not address our wage disparity with the broader law enforcement community.

Retirement Reform

We are seeking a commitment from Treasury Board that the government introduce a retirement regime consistent with other federal law enforcement agencies. Treasury Board has refused to do so. This is unacceptable.

New Protections

We must have new protections against CBSA management in this round – in the context of discipline (PSI and SRI), legal indemnification and against abuse of authority. Management has not addressed our concerns.

Hours of Work

Our team is seeking a paid meal period in line with other law enforcement agencies, as well as protections against management’s unilateral cancelation of compressed work weeks and telework arrangements. CBSA and Treasury Board have done nothing to address these issues. We deserve better.

CBSA Seeking Concessions

Management is seeking serious concessions, from watering down our VSSA protections to making Care and Nurturing leave subject to operational requirements and increasing its duration to a minimum of 12 weeks, to eliminating protections in the context of firearm certification that we have in our current agreement. These concessions are unacceptable.

Given the refusal of Treasury Board and CBSA to address our priorities, we have declared impasse and will be proceeding to the next steps in the process – filing for a Public Interest Commission (PIC). Get more information on the PIC process at http://psacunion.ca/what-happens-if-we-do-not-reach-agreement.

The leadership of the union and representatives from our bargaining team will be meeting in the coming weeks to discuss next steps beyond filing for a PIC. We’ll be sure to provide updates as things progress.

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