This communique is being sent to you as a member of the Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU), a component of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).

At the December 2021 CEIU National Executive meeting, a number of National Vice-Presidents raised concerns with harassment that they have been dealing with from some of their members.

The pandemic, which has taken over since March 2020, has made it difficult for everyone.  Some of our members are teleworking from home while others still have to report to their workplace on a daily basis.  This is not easy for a number of people.

However, as a Union, I must underline our need to work together to support one another, now even more than ever.  We need to be working together and not against each other. There is no place for harassment in the Union.

Section 5 of the PSAC Constitution is quite clear: 

• every member in good standing is entitled to be free from any act or omission on the part of the union, or other members, that would discriminate against the member on the basis of age, sex, colour, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, marital status, family status, criminal record, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, language, political belief, social and economic class, or employer
  
  

• every member is entitled to be free from harassment by another member, both within the union and in the workplace, on the basis of any grounds mentioned above.
  
  

We must all take responsibility for our own behavior.  The attitudes and behaviors of those who harass are not caused by the individuals they harass.  They belong to the person who is harassing.

Each individual is responsible for how they act.  Harassment poisons the environment.

Yes, we need and must continue to hold important discussions or debates, but it must be done in a respectful manner. As your National President, and on behalf of CEIU, let me remind everyone that I will not tolerate any member harassing another member, or any of the CEIU National Vice-Presidents, elected to represent you, the members, in their respective regions or departments, as well as any of the CEIU staff.

The Union does not allow our members to be harassed in their workplaces and the Union will also not allow a member to harass another member, an elected officer, or a CEIU staff.

If you need to raise any concerns, do not hesitate to contact your respective National Vice-President(s), Crystal Warner, the National Executive Vice-President, or myself. Our email addresses are available on the CEIU website at www-ceiu-seic.ca under the heading – National Leadership.

In Solidarity,

Eddy Bourque
National President