NO-26-2010

DATE : August 27, 2010
PRIORITY : For your information
TO : National Board of Directors

Sisters and Brothers:

Please find enclosed your travel advance cheque in the amount of $300. As previously mentioned in NO-Memo 19/2010, a prepared expense claim form together with a second cheque will be handed to you upon arrival.

Also enclosed for your information is the NBoD Committee Meetings timetable. All Committee meeting rooms are situated in the Ottawa Marriott Hotel. If you are scheduled to attend two committee meetings at the same time, please attend the meeting of your choice.

I take this opportunity to remind you that a reception will be held at the Marriott Hotel on Thursday, September 23, 2010 in the Cartier II Salon between 6:30 and 9:00 p.m.

In support of our troops stationed in Afghanistan, we would ask that you wear something red on the last day of the NBoD meeting, Friday, September 24, 2010.

The Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Annual Memorial Service is scheduled for the morning of Sunday, September 26, 2010 on Parliament Hill. Board members are expected to attend and formal attire is suggested.

We also remind you that you are expected to attend the Montreal demonstration on Monday, September 27, 2010 in support of our CR/AS Sisters and Brothers.

In solidarity,

Ron Moran
National President

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ATTACHMENT – Committee Timetable

CIU met the Honorable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety during a meeting allowing to strengthen the links and share our mutual concerns between the union and the government. On the agenda, subjects like the arming initiative at land port-of-entries and in airports, border patrol as well as the costs to various programs, training and certifications were discussed. The Minister reiterated his wish that the relations between our organization and his office be strengthen and more frequent.

NO-25-2010

DATE : August 13, 2010
PRIORITY : For your information
TO : National Board of Directors

Sisters and Brothers:

As indicated in NO-Memo 17/2010, the CIU Collective Bargaining Committee has now met and reviewed the bargaining demands that have been submitted. I am pleased to say that this was the largest intake in recent memory. The package of demands has been sent to translation in order to be ready to forward to the PSAC by Oct. 1/10.

Since there was some concern about the timing of the deadline and there were some communication problems, the Committee will be accepting late demands until September 21, 2010 and meeting again in Ottawa on Sept. 22/10 to review any late demands that the Branches submit. If, for any reason, your Branch failed to meet the deadline, please take this opportunity to submit demands for the next round of negotiations. We will do our best to get them translated in time for the Oct. 1/10 PSAC deadline.

In solidarity,

Steve Pellerin-Fowlie
CIU Collective Bargaining Committee, Chair
Third National Vice-President

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NO-24-2010

DATE : August 12, 2010
PRIORITY : For your information
TO : National Board of Directors

Sisters and Brothers:

A decision has been rendered in the Fiona Johnstone case. The Tribunal has ruled in favour of Ms Johnstone. As you recall, Ms Johnstone is a BSO from Toronto who had requested an accommodation due to Family Status. CBSA denied her request for accommodation, and instead offered part-time status. The Tribunal has ordered CBSA to cease discriminatory practices against Members who seek accommodation due to Family Status for the purposes of child-care responsibilities. The Tribunal also ordered CBSA to establish written policies to address accommodation requests and that these policies include a process for individualized assessments of those making the requests.

In addition, Ms Johnstone will receive remuneration for loss salary and benefits and the Tribunal has also awarded damages for pain and suffering and also special compensation for CBSA’s willful and reckless conduct. For full details of this judgment, please refer to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal website at http://chrt-tcdp.gc.ca/aspinc/search/vhtml-eng.asp?doid=1021&lg=_e&isruling=0.

Congratulations to Ms Johnstone for her perseverance and to CIU and PSAC Council who represented Ms Johnstone. If any of your Members are having problems, please contact the undersigned.

In Solidarity,

Karen Church
Equal Opportunity Representative

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NO-23-2010

DATE : July 20, 2010
PRIORITY : For your information
TO : CIU Members

Sisters and Brothers:

It’s now been more than 42 days since our Sisters and Brothers at Casino Regina took strike action for a fair and equitable collective agreement following a round of negotiations which began September 22, 2009.

During the July 12th meeting of the CIU National Executive and at the request of the CIU Saskatchewan Branch President, the members of the CIU National Executive considered making a CIU donation and ultimately decided the Union would donate $500 towards the strike fund of these PSAC members.

It is important to note that other Casino workers who are members of the RWDSU (Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union) have been showing their support to these members by refusing to cross their picket-lines.

Via this Memo, CIU urges all of its Branches to join our effort in support and solidarity towards these Union Sisters and Brothers at Casino Regina. Donation cheques may be sent to CIU National Office (a/s Finance) or a request to have said amounts taken directly from check-offs may be made; CIU will accordingly forward all donations.

As well, CIU encourages you to follow our Sisters and Brothers efforts by joining their Facebook page “Casino Regina Strike”.

For more information, visit their blog at http://casinostrike.wordpress.com

In solidarity,

Ron Moran
National President

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NO-22-2010

DATE : July 20, 2010
PRIORITY : For your information
TO : National Board of Directors

Sisters and Brothers:

At the last NBOD, it was reported that CBSA had requested an extension until June 30, 2010 to render their decision on the BFOR Study. Since the Board Meeting, CIU has met once with CBSA to clarify some points. Also during this time, CBSA has requested further clarification of the Unions stand. CBSA has asked for yet another extension until September 30, 2010. Given the amplitude of the task at hand, Brother Moran granted their request, noting that this will be the final request. CBSA has indicated that they would like to meet and consult with the Union the week of August 9, 2010. Arrangements for this meeting are being made. A report of this meeting will be presented at the NBOD Meeting in September.

Lisa Addario will also be present at the NBOD.

In solidarity,

Karen Church
Equal Opportunity Representative

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UPDATE

As of July 5th, 2010, the National Office is now reopened and fully operational. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Sisters and Brothers:

This is to advise you that, while thankfully no injuries of any kind have occurred, as a consequence of the earthquake which hit Ottawa earlier today, the Union’s National Office building may have suffered structural damage and has had its air-conditioning system knocked out. Accordingly, the National Office will be closed for an indefinite period of time.

We will keep you posted of any and all developments as they occur.

In solidarity,

Ron Moran
National President

NO-21-2010

DATE : June 22, 2010
PRIORITY : For your information
TO : National Board of Directors

Sisters and Brothers:

Last week the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights issued its second report on employment equity in the Federal Public Service. The Committee made 13 recommendations, some of which were made on submissions by the PSAC.

The report is attached for your perusal. Lisa Addario, Allison Pilon, Patti Ducharme and Ed Cashman all spoke before the Committee. Please pay special attention to the recommendations which speak to promoting employment equity and tasks the government to make Canada’s Human Rights protection system more effective and accessible.

In solidarity,

Karen Church
Equal Opportunity Representative

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ATTACHMENT – Senate Report

ATTACHMENT – Recommendations

NO-20-2010

DATE : June 22, 2010
PRIORITY : For Action
TO : National Board of Directors and Branch Contacts

Sisters and Brothers:

Recently there have been disputes in CBSA worksites across the country concerning Appendix B of the FB collective agreement. The Employer has taken the position in several locations that management need only recognize employee seniority for line selection and vacation scheduling in locations where a VSSA has been negotiated since the signing of the collective agreement.

We do not agree with this interpretation of the FB collective agreement. Our position is that seniority should be recognized for line selection and vacation scheduling in every FB work location across the country where a VSSA is in place, regardless of when the VSSA was negotiated.

The FB collective agreement states that the seniority language contained in Appendix B applies only for VSSA’s implemented following the signing of the collective agreement. The FB collective agreement also states under Article 25.26 a) i) that the maximum life of a shift schedule under a VSSA is six months. Thus VSSA’s are implemented on a regular basis, as every time a new shift schedule is posted the VSSA is being implemented. In other words, when management posts a shift schedule covered by a VSSA, management is implementing the VSSA. As it has been well over six months since our union signed the current FB collective agreement with Treasury Board (six months being the maximum life of a shift schedule), seniority should now be recognized by management for line selection and vacation leave scheduling in every work location where a
VSSA is in place.

If management is not recognizing employee seniority for the filing of vacant lines or for the purposes of summer and holiday season vacation leave scheduling, then CBSA is in violation of our FB collective Agreement.

We urge our members to enforce their rights and uphold our collective agreement. If you have any questions or concerns please contact your Shop Steward or Branch President.

In solidarity,

Ron Moran
National President

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