OTTAWA - A majority of the 30,000 Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) members employed by the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA) have ratified their first agreement with the Agency.

The agreement provides for a 2% increase effective November 1, 1999 and additional economic increases ranging from .48% to .73% effective on dates starting on June 21, 2000 to August 5, 2000, depending on the group.

One new increment step has been added to the PM group, levels 1 to 4 and to the AS group, levels 1 to 3, effective August 1, 2000. The value of the new increment ranges from .75% at the highest level to 2.0% at the lowest level. All other groups will receive lump-sum payments effective March 31, 2000, equal to the lump sum payments paid to their Treasury Board counterparts. These payments range from $625 to $800.

The union also gained a reduction in hours of work for operational employees from 40 hours per week to 37.5 without a reduction in pay, as well as improvements in vacation leave, shift and weekend premiums and meal allowances.

The one year agreement, which expires on October 31, 2000, consolidates pay and working conditions which were previously covered under four separate collective agreements with Treasury Board. The members are in two PSAC components, the Customs Excise Union Douanes Accise (CEUDA) and the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE).

Arrangements are underway to sign the new agreement.

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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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