CEIU NATIONAL UPDATE

To the members of CEIU,
This is the second update from the CEIU National Executive being sent to our members so far this week regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today, national union leadership had meetings with executive management in all three departments where CEIU has members. A short summary of these conversations are below. However, your local union executive as well as your local health and safety committees should be demanding regular meetings with the employer at this time. These updates are not complete but will provide you with an idea of the dialogue occurring nationally, and CEIU’s position on certain situations affecting our members during this pandemic.
IRB
CEIU and the IRB have agreed to hold two national calls at minimum, more if required, between the union and management. The IRB agreed to several of CEIU’s requests, including all non-essential hearings being postponed. At this time, amongst other concerns, is the dissemination of information not being shared appropriately across registries. We have also requested that local health and safety meetings occur ASAP so that on the ground concerns can be addressed on site and in a timely way. The IRB advises that they are questioning the sustainability at this point of their offices remaining open, given the large number of employees who cannot work from home, and would need to be authorized other paid leave under the collective agreement.
IRCC
IRCC has proactively closed several offices across the country in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19. That said, we recognize there is inconsistency across the country as the employer scrambles to find the right balance. We are pleased that, as requested, IRCC has postponed in person services such as PR and landing claims. Management has instructs from the Deputy Minister to err on the side of compassion when it comes to authorizing other paid leave for employees. We continue to express our frustration about the lack of local and regional level consultation with the union and have insisted that the employer take necessary measures to consult with local and regional union leadership. However, the Deputy Minister has made herself available at the request of the National President.
Service Canada
Our frustrations with Service Canada, amongst others, are primarily in relation to in person services at Service Canada Centres. Specifically, asking CSO’s to screen clients for illness before they are allowed in the offices. We advised Service Canada that CEIU strongly opposes this measure as it is putting our members at a high level of risk for exposure, and that the union is exploring our grounds for a right of refusal of dangerous work. We further requested that measures be immediately implemented to limit the number of clients allowed at any given time into the offices. The employer has committed to getting back to us within 24 hours. CEIU is prepared to take whatever legal recourses are available to our union, as well as take our concerns again to Minister Duclos, and to the media. ESDC as a whole is struggling with implementing large scale access to telework as their systems are limited. It is CEIU’s position that where possible, employees should be allowed to stay home under other paid leave while they sort this out. We are also frustrated at the lack of public messaging asking clients to refrain from coming to in person centres where possible. We have asked ESDC to consider at the very least limiting the number of offices that are open, a rotation of service centres, and further scaling back of services in person to only those that cannot be done online or over the phone. We have also requested frequent updates regarding the status of telework. We will likely be speaking with ESDC on a daily basis this week.
To our members working with clients, we would like to remind you of the following departmental measures:
To keep a two-meter distance between people as per PHAC
To use protecting equipment (ideally have a glass at the counter)
Ensure frequent sanitization
If you feel that the measures being put in place by the employer are not appropriate, advise your employer and contact your union, and be aware of your right to refuse dangerous work. Local health and safety committees should immediately be –
Increasing awareness about COVID-19 through communication with staff
Evaluating the workplace for areas where people have frequent contact with each other and shared objects
Increasing the distance between desks and workstations as well as employees and customers (ideally a minimum of two metres)
Installing a physical barrier like a desk or plexiglass window to increase distance between staff and clients
As federal public sector workers who deliver important services to Canadians and future Canadians, we wish to remind you that you must also take necessary precaution and prioritize your own wellness during these challenging times.
Tonight, your national leadership was in communication with the Deputy Minister, the ESDC Minister, as well as the leader of the NDP and other Members of Parliament, urging them to help us in applying pressure to the department. Tomorrow, our National Executive is holding an emergency meeting to discuss further strategy on behalf of our members.
CEIU would like to remind our members to please contact your local executives, regional union offices, and regional NVP’s for further assistance. The National office will provide further updates as deemed necessary at this time.
Thank you,
The CEIU National Executive