OTTAWA….The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has succeeded in signing a tentative agreement with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA) which recognizes the CCRA and its workforce as being distinct from Treasury Board. The tentative agreement includes additional increments for some groups and levels and a reduction in hours of work for operational employees without a reduction in pay.

"If ratified, we will now have a "made at the CCRA" collective agreement," according to Serge Charette, Customs Excise Union Douanes Accise national president. "This settlement is more responsive to our members’ needs."

"The solidarity of our members who gave us a strong strike mandate, and their active support of their negotiating team, were instrumental in achieving this settlement," says UTE National President Betty Bannon. "And they rejected the employer’s tactics to try to force an inadequate settlement on us."

The PSAC bargaining unit at CCRA consists of employees who were in four bargaining units under Treasury Board until the Agency came into existence on November 1, 1999.

• One collective agreement covering all PSAC CCRA members, effective from November 1, 1999 to October 31, 2000.
• An economic increase of 2% effective November 1, 1999 on the rates in effect on the expiry date of their original Treasury Board agreements. Additional economic increases ranging from 0.48% to 0.73% which will take effect on dates from June 21, 2000 to August 5, 2000, depending on the group. A new step added to the maximum rates of the PM group levels 1 to 4 and the AS group levels 1 to 3 as of August 1, 2000. The value of the new steps ranges from .75% at the highest level to 2.0% at the lowest levels.
• Except for employees in the PM 1-4 and AS 1-3 groups, all other groups will receive lump-sum payments effective March 31, 2000 equal to the lump-sum payments paid to their Treasury Board equivalents.
• A reduction in the weekly hours of work for operational employees from 40 to 37.5, without a reduction in pay, effective the date after the PSSRB has rendered its decision on CCRA bargaining units and recertification.
• Increases in shift and weekend premiums from $1.25/hr. and $1.00/hr. respectively to $1.60/hr., and increases in meal allowance and vacation leave. A new clause which provides for employer reimbursement of professional accounting association fees when related to employees’ job duties.
• A letter confirming that the Agency is committed to giving Customs Officers the necessary training and tools to properly implement the new powers assigned to these officers by legislation.
• Agreement to start bargaining 60 days before the agreement expires, providing the recertification process is complete.

The tentative agreement is subject to a ratification vote later this spring by the 30,000 CCRA employees represented by the PSAC.

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For information:

Betty Bannon, UTE national president (613) 235-6704 or (613) 290-6544(cell)

Serge Charette, CEUDA national president, (613) 723-8008, ext. 304

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