CBSA is a Law Enforcement agency. Officers working at CBSA should be afforded the same pension benefit as other enforcement workers.
In negotiations this week with Treasury Board/CBSA our FB Bargaining Team reiterated that we are seeking a commitment from CBSA and Treasury Board that will support an early retirement plan similar to what is in place for other federal law enforcement personnel. In light of the work that we do, and in light of the employer’s legal obligation to place officers that require accommodation, we believe that such a retirement arrangement is not only in the interest of employees in the FB bargaining unit, but is also in fact in the interest of the Agency.
Day Workers
There are a number of locations across the country where CBSA management has been revoking or canceling compressed work weeks and flexible working arrangements – from Inland Enforcement to Trade Compliance to Hearings Officers. Our Team discussed again the need for our new contract to provide new protections in this area.
VACIS and HCVM
This week our Team reminded management that the employer cannot make unilateral changes without first gaining the union’s consent. Consequently we notified the employer that should the Agency attempt to contract out work associated with VACIS and HCVM, we will contact our legal counsel.
Student Work
We made proposals that would require the union to be involved in the assigning of student work, and would protect union jobs from being held by students.
Sick Leave
We addressed the ongoing sick leave issue this week by stating that we continue to seek either a renewal or improvements to the current sick leave regime. We made it clear that any improvements would need to be contained in the collective agreement. We reiterated that the underlying purpose of a sick leave system is to ensure that workers are not forced to choose between going to work sick or collecting a pay cheque.
WFA
We reiterated to the employer that we are seeking significant changes to the Workforce Adjustment Appendix. Our demands seek to preserve and improve public services, enhance protections against involuntary departures and ensure that our seniority be recognized.
We are next scheduled to meet in bargaining the week of April 11th. We’ll be sure to update as things progress.
