Tag Archives: FB

FB National Bargaining Conference brings together first ever women’s caucus

A new round of negotiations for more than 8,500 PSAC-CIU members officially kicked off at the FB National Bargaining Conference — held in Ottawa March 31 to April 2 — where delegates from every CIU branch across Canada discussed the issues that will drive the next round of bargaining.

After issuing an input call for bargaining demands in December, PSAC received over 1,300 proposals from uniformed and non-uniformed members employed by the Canada Border Services Agency. Delegates reviewed and prioritized these submissions and discussed what to expect from the bargaining process.

Key bargaining issues raised at the conference included compensation improvements, pension reform, increases to leave provisions, discipline, early retirement benefits, hours of work, discrimination and harassment, job security, union rights, work-life balance, and health and safety.

Delegates also heard from members who were active in the last round of bargaining, as well as mobilization and organizing experts, to aid them in developing strategies to build on the success of last summer’s unprecedented mobilization actions, which ultimately helped secure a deal.

The conference broke new ground with women representing nearly half of all delegates at the conference and holding its first-ever women’s caucus. There were also many young workers in attendance. Overall, the conference brought together a diverse membership with experience in a multitude of roles, including border services officers, inland enforcement, hearings and intelligence.

It was also the first time the conference was held in a hybrid format that allowed delegates to participate in person in Ottawa and virtually from home.

The newly elected FB bargaining team consists of Michael William Fraser, Marjorie Gavel, Mathieu Landry, Jacqueline Monk, Lisa Morgan, Keith Palmer, Stewart Saunderson, and Jordan Smith. PSAC negotiator Morgan Gay and research officer Darren Pacione will also return to the team.

PSAC served Treasury Board with notice to bargain in February 2022. Following the conference, our newly elected bargaining team will meet at the end of April to finalize our bargaining proposals. We expect dates to be set for the first meeting with the employer in the coming months.

Stay in touch

Please be sure to keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to receive all the latest updates as we negotiate your next contract.

If you have any questions, please contact your CIU branch president or PSAC regional office.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

FB bargaining: PSAC serves notice to bargain, prepares for bargaining conference

PSAC has taken the first step to begin the next round of negotiations for more than 8,500 PSAC-CIU members in the FB group by serving Treasury Board with notice to bargain.

After issuing an input call for bargaining demands, the union received over 1,000 proposals from PSAC-CIU members working for the Canada Border Servies Agency (CBSA). Next month, members from every Customs and Immigration Union branch across Canada will meet in person at our national bargaining conference in Ottawa, from March 31 to April 2, to elect a bargaining team and discuss priorities for a new round of bargaining. Our initial bargaining dates will be determined soon after.

The unprecedented mobilization by FB members during our last round of bargaining was critical in securing important gains — including better protections against excessive discipline, a streamlined grievance process, and additional improvements in line with what other Canadian law enforcement agencies provide. PSAC-CIU is committed to continuing to build on these gains.

Throughout the pandemic, PSAC-CIU members at CBSA have gone above and beyond to serve Canadians and protect our borders. It’s time for the employer to recognize that dedication and hard work by making the CBSA a better and safer place to work.

Stay in touch

Please be sure to keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to receive all the latest updates as we negotiate your next contract.

If you have any questions, please contact your CIU branch president or PSAC regional office.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

REMINDER: FB bargaining conference: Members of equity groups, women and young workers encouraged to apply

PSAC-CIU members who self-identify in one of the groups listed below are encouraged to apply to attend the FB National Bargaining Conference before the February 4 deadline.

Eligible groups:

Indigenous
Racially visible
LGBTQ2+
Member with disability
Woman
Young worker (aged 35 or younger)

Bargaining conferences bring together members to discuss and prioritize the issues that will be negotiated during the upcoming round of collective bargaining. Participation of all groups is critical to ensure important equity issues are represented at the bargaining table.

How to apply

As established in Regulation 15, Section 3.3.3, delegates chosen to attend the bargaining conference must:

be members of the bargaining unit;
be dedicated union activists, engaged in union activities and committed to union principles, including social justice and human rights.

Please submit your application via the PSAC website before February 4 at 11:59 EST to be considered.

Note: Applying does not guarantee a delegate seat at the bargaining conference.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

UPDATED: Bargaining demands Input Call for Border Services (FB) — Deadline extended to January 28

The Public Service Alliance of Canada will soon be approaching the employer to begin negotiations for the renewal of the collective agreement.

During the last round of bargaining, PSAC-CIU achieved important gains at the bargaining table thanks to sustained member engagement. To ensure success this next round, it’s critical that members participate in the process by submitting their bargaining proposals.

Members of the bargaining unit are encouraged to fill out the online form to provide the improvements and changes they would like to see made to the collective agreement.

This form will be open for input until January 28, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. (EST). Members will be prompted to login to access the form.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Signing of the FB collective agreement: A message from the CIU National President

Today, on December 1, the Employer and the Union officially signed the new FB collective agreement.

With new contract provisions now coming into effect, this brings to a close what has been a historic round of bargaining for both our union and our members. Beyond representing years of hard work by our dedicated bargaining team, it is also the direct result of the intense mobilization that took place over the summer, culminating with the work-to-rule action on August 6.

While this is certainly a victory for our union, it is even more so a testament to what our members can accomplish through sheer solidarity. I have no doubt that the effectiveness of our work-to-rule campaign will live on both as a model of union mobilization and as a warning to the employer for future rounds of negotiations.

I want to offer my thanks to all who participated in the series of events leading up to and including August 6. None of this could have happened without you, our members.

I also want to thank Morgan Gay, our National Negotiator, and Darren Pacione, Research Officer for the FB group, along with the entire FB Bargaining team as well as the PSAC and CIU communications and mobilization teams, for their hard work this round.

We now turn our attention to the ongoing PA, SV, EB and TC bargaining processes. I encourage all FB members to stay informed about these tables and find ways to show support for our CIU Sisters and Brothers in these bargaining units.

Thank you, and in solidarity,

Mark Weber
National President
Customs and Immigration Union