Vesna Lukic is President of Local 70705 and her highest priority is getting members involved in the union. Local 70705 is the Canada Employment and Immigration Union’s largest local, with over 2,000 members in the National Capital Region working for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

“People who get involved in the union have an internal drive for what’s right and for social justice,” Vesna said. “That’s the most inspiring thing about working in a union – so many people have that.”

Getting involved in Local 70705

There’s no shortage of opportunities to get involved in the local at varying levels of involvement, depending on a member’s capacity.

Some ways members can get involved:

- Writing letters to Members of Parliament about telework.

- Attending union events and rallies in support of telework.

- Getting involved in this round of bargaining.

- Organizing social events or information sessions.

If you’re a member of Local 70705, contact the local to get involved: [email protected]

Vesna’s story

Arriving in Canada as a refugee from Bosnia, Vesna has always had a lens for social justice. She began working at IRCC in 2019 after completing a master’s degree in Women’s Studies from Carleton University.

Vesna began working with her local as a steward and activist in late 2022, while also getting involved in CEIU’s national Human Rights and Race Relations (HRRR) Committee. 

She was elected President of Local 70705 in December, 2023.

“What motivates me the most is obviously not difficulties, but the fact that there is a place that people feel they can go to and that they feel that that their concerns can be addressed,” Vesna said. “Making sure that I maintain that access for members is a goal, and having more people involved would help a lot.”

Today, she coordinates the representation work of Local stewards, manages the Local’s email intake, works with management at all levels to resolve workplace issues both individual and structural, and pursues redress for members through the grievance procedure where appropriate.

As President, Vesna leads the union side in monthly consultative meetings with the directors of three large processing offices, which combined employ more than 600 CEIU members. 

Vesna successfully negotiated four Joint Learning Workshops on Mental Health in the Workplace with the director of a large processing office and has agreement to organize similar workshops with two other offices in the future.

She has been actively seeking to recruit stewards to help with the Local’s work representing members. She personally coaches and guides new volunteers, selects easier cases for them to start with, and guides them through initial stages.

Vesna organized a union representative training course for Local stewards, collaborating with the CEIU National Capital Region’s leadership, who facilitated the training.

In addition to her Local President role, Vesna continues to contribute to the CEIU National HRRR Committee and regularly attends its meetings and conferences, working to advance human rights in our workplaces and in society.