After long weeks of negotiations the Canadian Border Security Agents are finally unlikely to go on strike this summer as the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) have reached a tentative agreement with the Treasury Board and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
Key Points of the Four-Year Agreement (2022-2026)
- Wage Increases: A total compounded wage increase of 15.73%, exceeding recent raises for other Canadian law enforcement agencies.
- Lump-Sum Payment: A pensionable $2,500 one-time lump sum payment for all employees in the bargaining unit at the time of signing.
- Shift and Weekend Premiums: Increased from $2.00 to $2.25 per hour, making them the highest in the federal law enforcement community.
- Reimbursements and Allowances:
- Up to $500 annually for plain clothes purchases for Intelligence, Investigations, and Inland Enforcement members.
- A new annual Hearings Officer allowance of $500.
- A new annual $1,000 pensionable allowance for non-uniform employees.
- Reimbursement for medical certificate costs up to $35.
Enhanced Leave Provisions
- Vacation Leave: Four weeks of vacation after seven years of employment instead of eight.
- Travel Time: Reduction from 40 to 20 nights to access an additional day of leave.
- Family and Bereavement Leave: Expanded access for family-related responsibilities and bereavement.
Protections Against Technological Changes
The new agreement ensures meaningful discussions with the union on any proposed technological changes, providing protections with the introduction of new systems and software.
Disciplinary and Investigative Measures
For the first time, employees will have guaranteed union representation in all disciplinary, administrative, and investigative meetings conducted by CBSA management, including Professional Standards Investigations. The agreement also ensures that investigations are conducted within a reasonable time frame.
Hours of Work and Shift Scheduling
The union successfully retained the ability to negotiate Variable Shift Scheduling Agreements (VSSAs) at the local level, ensuring members can vote on local VSSAs. A new committee will discuss line bidding by seniority, building on existing language in the collective agreement. Additionally, members retain the right to access Leave Without Pay for Care of Family without operational requirement references.
Implementation and Telework Provisions
If the collective agreement implementation exceeds 180 days and the owed amount is greater than $500, the employer will pay a $200 lump sum per member.
The agreement includes a letter requiring managers to assess remote work requests individually and provide written responses, ensuring equitable decision-making. Unresolved grievances related to remote work can be referred to a new joint union-management panel for review. Furthermore, a national joint CIU-CBSA committee will discuss the hybrid work model at CBSA, with meetings scheduled to start before September 2024. PSAC and the Treasury Board will also review and update the telework policy last updated in 2020.
Next Steps
CBSA employees will soon participate in online ratification votes, with details forthcoming. The bargaining team unanimously recommends a YES vote.