Tag Archives: négo

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.

TC bargaining: Frustration mounts with Treasury Board

Treasury Board yet again failed to respond to PSAC’s proposals during the latest round of negotiations with the Technical Services bargaining team March 22-24.

Treasury Board’s stalling tactics are disrespectful, with representatives coming to the table empty-handed for months while also failing to respond to PSAC’s clear demands. This is unacceptable and an insult to TC members who continue to be on the frontlines of the pandemic serving Canadians.

If this were not enough, the few crumbs that Treasury Board has proposed amount to concessions under the guise of “flexible work arrangements.” Their proposals would allow managers to change people’s schedules on short notice or change day-workers into shift workers with little notice. The proposal would provide managers with more scheduling flexibility at your expense.

PSAC expects Treasury Board to put forward their wage proposal at the Common Issues table during negotiations March 29-31.

We put forward our wage offer of 4.5 per cent per year for all Treasury Board members at the Common Issues table last November.

See PSAC’s final wage proposal

The TC bargaining team is also proposing several other important gains for members, including protections for hours of work, improvements to overtime, and fixing the long-broken classification system through the Occupational Group Structure review.

The TC bargaining team will continue to push for fair wages, a better classification system, and reasonable working conditions for all TC members.

Take action and show your support

Your support is critical to our success at the table. As negotiations reach a pivotal moment, it is more important than ever to get involved and put pressure on the government to come to the table ready to negotiate fair wages and working conditions.

Join our April 12 national panel on fair wages with a strong lineup of speakers.

And register now for our April 14 day of action where PSAC members from across the country will be coming together to take action and flood the lines of MPs and cabinet ministers to urging them to come to the table ready to bargain.

Support your bargaining team with our digital backgrounds and talk to your coworkers about bargaining with the tools in our bargaining toolkit:

Video background for all your work meetings
Printable poster for your work area or selfies

Please be sure to keep your contact information up to date to receive all the latest updates about bargaining.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

PA bargaining: Treasury Board stalls talks

Treasury Board continued to delay negotiations with the Program and Administrative Services bargaining team during negotiations March 22-24.

The PA team provided Treasury Board with a trimmed proposal package in February to try and move bargaining forward, but Treasury Board was unwilling to commit to any proposals.

PSAC expects Treasury Board to put forward their wage proposal at the Common Issues table during negotiations March 29-31.

We put forward our wage proposal of 4.5 per cent per year for all Treasury Board members at the Common Issues table last November. The PA pay proposal submitted in February builds on the Common Issues proposals, calling for additional adjustments and allowances for specific classifications within the PA group.

Common Issues

PSAC’s Common Issues bargaining team met with Treasury Board in February to discuss issues that impact members from every table, including work-life balance, wages, and new memorandums of understanding. Check out the full Common Issues update for more information.

Day of Action and stay in touch

Join our April 12 national panel on fair wages with a strong lineup of speakers.

And register now for our April 14 day of action where PSAC members from across the country will be coming together to take action and flood the lines of MPs and cabinet ministers, urging government to come to the table ready to bargain.

Stay informed and engaged during this round of negotiations using our bargaining toolkit.

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.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

CBSA employees, government resume talks after strike mandate

Just hours after announcing that Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) employees had voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action at Canada’s borders, unionized workers and the employer – CBSA and Treasury Board Secretariat – agreed to return to the table to resume negotiations on July 29.

“The government is clearly concerned about our strike mandate and the possibility of major disruptions at the border,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC national president. “We’re going back to the table with an open mind, but we’ve been crystal clear that if they want to avoid a strike, they need to bring a new mandate to address major workplace issues.”

Negotiations resume the day after the Public Interest Commission (PIC) released its recommendations for both parties to reach a deal, including many improvements to the working conditions of CBSA employees. Read more about the PIC’s recommendations.

With the release of the PIC report, The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) can legally call a strike on August 6 if a deal is not reached.

“Going back to the table is a step in the right direction, but the fact remains that we are grappling with systemic workplace harassment issues that the employer must be willing to address,” said Mark Weber, CIU national president. “Beyond needing stronger protections against a toxic workplace culture, our members also deserve parity with the broader law enforcement community.”

CBSA employees have been without a contract for over three years. They are seeking better protections against a toxic workplace culture at CBSA, and greater parity with other law enforcement agencies across Canada. The union declared impasse in December and applied for a Public Interest Commission hearing after CBSA and Treasury Board were unwilling to address these concerns.

This article has also been posted on the PSAC website.

PSAC threatens legal action over changes to inland enforcement work

PSAC has warned the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that the union may be pursuing legal action after the employer announced — in the middle of contract negotiations — that it intends to change its policy on international escorts for inland enforcement officers. The proposed changes, which would take effect on July 15, would force officers to take annual leave under certain circumstances.

PSAC has put the employer on notice that, if CBSA proceeds with these changes, the union will consult legal counsel about filing a complaint against CBSA with the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board.

Labour law clearly states that all terms and conditions of employment are frozen during collective bargaining and until such time as a new agreement is reached, legal strike action is called, or an arbitration award is issued.

In contract talks with Treasury Board and CBSA, our FB bargaining team has repeatedly highlighted work done by inland enforcement officers. We have been clear that we are opposed to the contracting out of escort work done by our officers, and we have presented proposals concerning international escorts.

PSAC and CIU opposes CBSA’s attempt to push changes concerning inland enforcement officers while we discuss their working conditions at the bargaining table. We will continue to stand up for the rights of our members.

PSAC-CIU and our FB bargaining team will continue to update members on this issue and the ongoing strike votes taking place across the country. Please reach out your PSAC union representative or CIU branch president with any questions.

This article has also been posted on the PSAC website.