Tag Archives: FB

FB bargaining: Parties move to mediation, dates scheduled in June

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As mobilization at worksites across the country continues, the FB bargaining team will continue to push back against concessions and fight for fair wages and better working conditions. Mediation sessions have been scheduled starting on June 3.

The bargaining team is determined to win a fair agreement that includes fair wages, access to telework for non-uniformed members, stronger job protections, protections from contracting out, and equitable retirement benefits.

Treasury Board and CBSA are feeling the pressure

Everything you do in the workplace – no matter how big or small – to show the employer you support our bargaining team makes a difference as we push for a fair contract.

You have the right to wear union materials on the job

This is confirmed by two Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board decisions. You also have the right to be kept informed and take action during non-work time, before or after shifts and during paid and unpaid breaks and lunch periods.

Wearing baseball caps, nametags, or lanyards shows managers you support our bargaining demands and – after two years without a collective agreement – are prepared to take job action to reach a fair deal. Every action is reported up the chain and pushes CBSA to come to the table with a fair offer.

Public Interest Commission hearings complete

PSAC made a presentation to the Public Interest Commission (PIC) on April 10 and pushed back against employer concessions on April 22. In the coming weeks, the PIC board will provide a non-binding recommendation to reach an agreement.  While federal legislation provides for the PIC to issue its recommendation within 30 days of the hearing, the chair may extend that timeline.

PSAC will be in a legal position to take strike action seven days after receiving the report, if a strike mandate is received from the membership.

PSAC to pursue legal action over telework mandate

Telework is currently a critical issue at the table. Any changes to your terms and conditions of work while in bargaining directly undermines collective bargaining rights. In response to the announcement last week, PSAC has filed an unfair labour practice complaint.

Strike vote ongoing

PSAC and CIU continue to hold a nationwide strike vote for the FB group April 10 to May 15. It’s time to show CBSA that we are prepared to take job action to reach a fair deal.

Be sure to keep your contact information up to date to receive all the latest updates. If you have any questions, please contact your Customs and Immigration Union branch president or visit the CIU and PSAC websites.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Watch — Retirement after 25 years of service for border personnel: Brian Masse asks the real questions

Brian Masse asking the real questions about the long-standing issue of retirement after 25 years of service for border personnel.

CIU is thankful to Brian Masse for asking the real questions in the House of Commons on behalf of our members. On April 30, the Windsor West MP brought up the long-standing issue of retirement after 25 years of service for border personnel, putting the spotlight on the lack of action by the federal government.

Treasury Board President Anita Anand seems happy to pretend this is something that’ll be resolved through the PIC process, claiming “all deals are best made at the table”.

Some facts:

  • Equitable retirement provisions — “25 and Out” — require legislative amendments. That doesn’t happen at the table, it happens in the House. TB President Anita Anand can make this happen now. It’s easy.
  • The PIC process takes place after parties reach impasse. Maybe Anita should ask the TB bargaining team what they were busy doing when our team was at the table.
  • The employer does not need to wait for the PIC recommendation to offer a fair deal and an actual wage proposal. They can choose to do the right thing now.

Additional content

FB bargaining: Bargaining team rejects concessions at Public Interest Commission hearings as strike votes continue

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Against the backdrop of a nationwide strike vote for over 9,000 members in the FB group, our bargaining team rejected concessions put forward by representatives from Treasury Board and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) during Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearings April 22.

PSAC-CIU presented our arguments to reach a fair contract for FB members during PIC hearings April 10. FB members deserve fair wages that are aligned with other law enforcement agencies across the country, telework for non-uniformed personnel, better rights around discipline, technological change, hours of work, and equitable retirement.

Employer concessions would roll back gains for members

During the hearing, the employer argued that “compensation levels for the FB group are adequate” based on their ability to “attract and retain a substantial FB workforce.” However, this shows willful ignorance on their part because staffing shortages have created ripple effects throughout the agency as CBSA tries to fill the gaps by denying leave for workers and using untrained workers and machines to replace our members’ work.

The employer also stated that it is inappropriate to compare members of the FB bargaining unit – including Hearings, Programs, Trade, Inland Enforcement, Investigations, Intelligence and Border Services Officers – with other large law enforcement organizations such as municipal, provincial, and federal police forces. This argument doesn’t hold water considering CBSA is Canada’s second largest law enforcement agency.

Toxic workplace culture at CBSA

Treasury Board and CBSA representatives also argued that excessive discipline and management heavy-handedness is not a problem at CBSA. However, this flies in the face of what PSAC and CIU members see and hear in the workplace every day and what has been repeatedly reported in Public Service Employee Surveys. Senior management is completely out of touch with the work we do day in and day out and the toxic workplace culture at CBSA.

The employer also held on to proposed collective agreement changes that would gut our right to negotiate variable shift scheduling agreements, give managers the ability to change shift change notice from seven days to 48 hours, and add restrictions to leave without pay for the care of family.

We have worked to keep Canada’s borders secure, and we deserve to be treated with respect.

Next steps

In the coming weeks, the PIC board will provide a non-binding recommendation to reach an agreement based on the hearings.  While federal legislation provides for the PIC to issue its recommendation within 30 days of the hearing, the chair may extend that timeline.

Strike vote and mobilization continue

PSAC and CIU continue to hold a nationwide strike vote for the FB group April 10 to May 15, ramping up the pressure on CBSA in advance of the release of the PIC report. FB members will be in a legal strike position seven days after the release of the PIC report.

Be sure to keep your contact information up to date to receive all the latest updates. If you have any questions, please contact your Customs and Immigration Union branch president or visit the CIU and PSAC websites.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

The fight for equitable retirement benefits for FB members

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PSAC and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) have been advocating for over a decade for equitable retirement benefits for CBSA law enforcement personnel working at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). In the last round of bargaining, FB members won a commitment from Treasury Board to support this – it’s time the government follows through.

Almost all law enforcement and public safety workers — both provincially and municipally — receive “25 and out” early retirement benefits, with very few exceptions. This includes firefighters, air traffic controllers, RCMP constables, operational employees of the Correctional Service of Canada, and more.

Allowing CBSA law enforcement officers to access the same early retirement benefits would allow our members to retire with dignity after 25 years of service, without any penalties.

CBSA law enforcement personnel work in demanding and physically challenging roles, and face similar physical demands and risks, yet are not afforded the same retirement benefits as their counterparts in other law enforcement agencies.

Instead, many older employees are given limited duties as they near retirement, as firearm and use of force certification become more difficult.

Without the prospect of fair retirement benefits, it can be challenging for CBSA to attract and retain talented workers at a time when the agency is already short-staffed.

It’s time the Treasury Board did the right thing and implemented pension reform.

Providing equitable and early retirement benefits will not only improve the overall well-being and job satisfaction of PSAC-CIU members working at CBSA, but also ensure a sustainable workforce by improving recruitment and retention.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

FB bargaining: Team makes presentation to Public Interest Commission hearing — Download our brief

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The FB bargaining team presented PSAC’s arguments for fair wages that are aligned with other law enforcement agencies across the country, stronger job security, access to telework, new protections for our jobs and equitable retirement at the first of two Public Interest Commission hearing dates April 10.

The team also made the case that there are serious problems with harassment, staffing, and recruitment and retention issues at CBSA that need to be addressed.

Next steps

The employer will present their case to the commission at the next meeting, scheduled for April 22.  The PIC board will then provide a non-binding recommendation based on the hearings.  While the legislation provides for the PIC to issue its recommendation within 30 days of the hearing, the chair may extend that timeline.

Strike vote April 10 to May 15

Our bargaining team is determined to reach a fair contract, one that protects our hard-fought gains and provides new rights and protections for over 9,000 members in the FB group. We deserve to be treated with respect.

PSAC and CIU are conducting a nationwide strike vote for the FB group April 10 to May 15, ramping up the pressure on CBSA in advance of the release of the PIC report.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.