With more nominations received than seats allocated, elections are being held in three (3) different regions, to elect CEIU delegates to the 2022 PSAC Convention. These regions are:

• Alberta/NWT/Nunavut
• Ontario
• Quebec

PSAC and the Canada Employment and Immigration Union are dismayed by the lack of action to address racism and discrimination within Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

We’ve been receiving many questions from our members. You may find the PSAC statement and answers to frequently asked questions on the PSAC web site: Your rights at work: Vaccinations and COVID-19

Since the last update was posted on our site in June 2021, CEIU has held two meetings with the ESDC Labour Relations team on August 18 and June 21 and on September 21, 2021, to monitor the file processing. Here are the highlights of these meetings:   

CEIU leaders met today with the Deputy Minister and senior management of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and demanded answers and action, after a report on workplace racism was published in the media on September 23, 2021. The news article revealed details of an internal IRCC document at that contained shocking examples of racism within the department.

Each year, the federal government marks Gender Equality Week during the fourth week of September. It is a time to recognize the progress that women and gender diverse communities have made in advancing their rights, and it is also a time to recommit to the ongoing struggle for gender justice.

A call for nominations for four (4) positions of Alternate National Vice-Presidents is being sent to all respective CEIU members in good standing for which CEIU has a personal email address.

The 4^th day of Convention commenced with the President Bourque acknowledging, as a guest, Randy Howard, the President of the Government Services Union (GSU).

Delegates, observers, and guests were greeted, upon signing in to the virtual CEIU Convention platform on day three, to the sound of Solidarity Forever and the showing of the accomplishment video. 

The 2^nd day of the 15^th CEIU Convention started out with the showing of a video of CEIU’s accomplishments. 

To the singing of Solidarity Forever in the background, the video was played for the delegation.  After its showing, the National President’s words were, “Wow, what a fantastic video.  I hope that everyone enjoyed it as much as I did.”  He continued by thanking CEIU members for their participation and collaboration in helping CEIU achieve these accomplishments as well as thanking all the ones that had worked on the preparation of the video.

The first day of the rescheduled September 2020 CEIU National Convention started off with a powerful Aboriginal Opening.  This was followed by the CEIU National President, Eddy Bourque acknowledging the land on which he was gathering everyone as the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe People.

Every year, CEIU Manitoba-Saskatchewan Region award a scholarship for up to six students who are CEIU members, their spouses or their dependents. Applicants write short statements on the contributions of the labour movement and the value of public services.

Today, the Prime Minister confirmed that the federal public service will be considering a vaccination mandate for federal employees.

The Summer 2021 edition of CEIU's newsletter, From the Ground Up, is here!

CEIU members at the Immigration and Refugee Board have recently been concerned by media stories about their colleagues and racism in the workplace.

The first ever virtual CEIU National Convention is taking place August 13-20, 2021. We are sure many of you are excited and anxious for the start of the virtual CEIU National Convention, which will be a new experience for many of you. To assist you with your preparations, we have made available some of the Convention materials through the following links:

Current PSAC members working for the federal public service received general damages as part of their March 3 pay. However, several issues remain outstanding:

CEIU members stand in solidarity with Cowessess First Nation after the horrifying discovery of 751 unmarked graves from the Marieval Indian Residential School.

Since the last update was posted on our site in December 2020, CEIU has held three meetings with the ESDC Labour Relations team on May 19 and June 21 and on April 7, 2021, to monitor the file processing. Here are the highlights of these meetings:    

The Canada Employment and Immigration Union is pleased to be able to offer fifteen (15) $2,000.00 National Scholarships to CEIU members in good standing, their spouse, their common-law spouse (including same sex partners) and/or their dependant(s).

Further to the Convention Call sent out back in November 2019, this is a reminder that CEIU is calling for nominations for delegates to attend the 2022 PSAC National Triennial Convention which will be held in Winnipeg, Manitoba from May 28^th to June 2^nd,  2022. 

Are you a PSAC/CEIU member in good standing who works at IRB?  Your Union, the Canada Employment and Immigration Union, a component of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, just put out a Call for Nominations for the position of National Vice-President for IRB.

National Public Service Week is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the work of our members and colleagues across the federal government of Canada who, for the past year especially, have tirelessly done incredibly important work.

On June 6, a senseless attack on a Muslim family occurred in London Ontario, killing four and leaving a young child fighting for his life. This incident once again reminds us that Islamophobia and racism are real threats to our communities.

CEIU expresses the horror and chagrin of its members at the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the Kamloops Residential School, as well as its support for the Tk’emlups te Secwépemc First Nation whose people have been tragically marked by these deaths.

Ottawa, ON – The International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia is an important occasion to mark the long struggle against prejudice, discrimination and violence against LGBTQ people across the world. CEIU members stand in solidarity with that struggle.

Canada Employment and Immigration Union

15th National Convention

August 16-20, 2021

We are moving forward with our National Women’s Conference.

The conference will be held over three full days.

The Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU) joins the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) in supporting the legal action taken on behalf of past and present federal public service workers who identify as Black, Caribbean or of African descent.

Since the last update was posted on our site in December 2020, CEIU has held three meetings with the ESDC Labour Relations team on February 4 and 25 and on April 7, 2021, to monitor the file processing. Here are the highlights of these meetings:   

The Canada Employment and Immigration Union is pleased to be able to offer fifteen (15) $2,000.00 National Scholarships to CEIU members in good standing, their spouse, their common-law spouse (including same sex partners) and/or their dependant(s).

Elections, where needed, are now all complete, and CEIU is happy to provide our membership with a list of the delegates that will be attending the 2021 CEIU Convention to represent them. 

The CEIU National Executive met for their Spring meeting, from March 17^th to 20^th, 2021.  As they have been doing since March of last year, once again this meeting was held virtually.   Even virtually, the National Executive has dealt with number of issues and adopted number of recommendations made by the Finance Committee and the By-Laws Resolutions Committee.

This year, the theme for International Women’s Day is “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”.   International Women’s Day (IWD) is held every year on March 8^th.

The National Executive, at its February 22^nd, 2021 meeting passed a motion that the CEIU National Convention will be held virtually from August 16 to 20, 2021.  The three (3) Committees (Finance Resolutions Committee, By-Laws Resolutions Committee and General/PSAC Resolutions Committee) meetings will also be held virtually – those meetings are the week of May 17 to 21, 2021.

When it comes to mental health in federal workplaces, whether you are working from home or on site, every action counts—big or small. This is especially true in the context of COVID-19.

CEIU has a new phone system to better serve our members.

One toll-free number reaches any of the staff at CEIU.  Much easier for our members to remember.

As part of Service Canada's Transformation agenda, ESDC is revising Job Descriptions (JD) to ensure that the work of CEIU members accurately reflects what they do. For this exercise, ESDC decided to include unions.

Since the last update was posted on our site in October 2020, CEIU has held two meetings with the ESDC Labour Relations team on November 5 and December 24, 2020, to monitor the file processing. Here are the highlights of these meetings:

Friend --

Every year, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against women takes place on December 6th, the anniversary of the Polytechnique shooting in Montreal.

To all CEIU Members,

With the steady rise in COVID cases around the world, we wish to thank everyone for their continued commitment in serving Canadians and in addressing concerns in their respective communities.

CEIU commemorates this day on which, in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

From the 15 candidates who are receiving a $2,000 CEIU National Scholarship, CEIU is publishing a few essays that drew our attention. Here are the essays from 4 candidates:

The 2020 theme ‘Not all Disabilities are Visible’  focuses on spreading awareness and understanding of disabilities that are not immediately apparent, such as mental illness, chronic pain or fatigue, sight or hearing impairments, diabetes, brain injuries, neurological disorders, learning differences and cognitive dysfunctions, among others.

This year, CEIU received a total of 22 applications from across the country. The National Executive approved the following 15 candidates to receive a $2,000 CEIU National Scholarship:

CEIU is appalled with the new direction taken by TBS on the use of 699 leave. It is imperative that we hold the employer at the departmental level accountable for their complacency in this discriminatory application of an entitlement our union earned through collective bargaining. CEIU is looking at this issue. Further information and guidance for locals will be made available in the coming week.  

The CEIU National Executive held their meeting by videoconferencing from October 6^th to 9^th, 2020.

Since the last update was posted on our site in July 2020, CEIU has held two meetings with the ESDC Labour Relations team on August 13 and September 24, 2020, to monitor the file processing. Here are the highlights of these meetings:    

The CEIU National Office with the help of SimplyVoting will be conducting an electronic vote for the vacant position of Alternate National Vice-President for Human Rights (A/NVP for HR).  This position will take effect after the election, up to the close of the CEIU Convention which will be held in August 2021.

With the postponement of the CEIU National Triennial Convention from September 2020 to August 2021, the National Executive has voted to extend the deadline for national, regional or any local meetings of members to prepare and submit their resolutions to the National Office by no later than 9:00 p.m. (EST), on March 31^st, 2021.

With the postponement of the CEIU National Triennial Convention from September 2020 to August 2021, the deadline date to receive nominations for CEIU delegates to the 2022 PSAC Convention is extended to July 19^th, 2021.

With the present pandemic, the CEIU National Executive (NE) held their meeting by videoconferencing with ZOOM, on June 25^th and 26^th, and resumed on July 17^th and 20^th.  For four (4) hours on each of these four (4) days, the NE was hard at work for its membership.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada has organized an anti-racism webinar entitled An Introduction to Antiracism for White Folks. This webinar is open to all PSAC members. CEIU supports this initiative and we encourage all CEIU members to sign up and take this course.

PSAC has reached a tentative agreement that provides fair wages, no concessions, and improved working conditions for the 70,000 members of the PA group, and Treasury Board common issues.

Since the last update was posted on our site in May 2020, CEIU has held two meetings with the ESDC Labour Relations team on May 28 and July 2, 2020, to monitor how the public health situation is affecting file processing. Here are the highlights of these meetings:    

A Call for Nominations is being sent to fill the positions of two (2) Alternate NVP positions, as follows:

• Alternate NVP for Human Rights
• Alternate NVP for IRB (Immigration and Refugee Board)

Every year, National Public Service Week is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the work of our members and colleagues who work in all departments and agencies of the federal government of Canada.

The Canada Employment and Immigration Union is pleased to be able to offer fifteen (15) $2,000.00 National Scholarships to CEIU members in good standing, their spouse, their common-law spouse (including same sex partners) and/or their dependant(s).

While there are still no definitive return to the office dates, CEIU has been meeting with our three departments regarding the topic of return to work plans.

The National Leadership of CEIU joins the chorus of voices in standing in solidarity with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People Of Colour) at this time when we witness yet another escalation of activism denouncing yet another racist murder by police brutality on a black man in the United States; we are shocked and appalled at the murder of George Floyd by suffocation, in public and despite oppositions from the public and protests from medical professionals. This death is unacceptable.

The CEIU National Executive, at their May 13th, 2020 meeting, voted to postpone the CEIU National Triennial Convention to 2021. The CEIU Convention will now be held from August 16th to 20th, 2021, at the Hilton Lac Leamy Hotel in Gatineau, Québec.

The elections for CEIU’s Alternate NVP positions have concluded following a full week of electronic voting, beginning on April 29^th and ending on May 6^th, 2020.

Since the latest update was posted on our site in January 2020, CEIU held two meetings with the ESDC Labour Relations team on March 25^th and April 29^th, 2020 in order to assess the impacts of the public health situation on the processing of the file. Highlights of those meetings are as follows:    

The Canada Employment and Immigration Union is pleased to be able to offer fifteen (15) $2,000.00 National Scholarships to CEIU members in good standing, their spouse, their common-law spouse (including same sex partners) and/or their dependant(s).

CEIU was shocked and saddened to learn of the news of a shooting incident in Portapique, Nova Scotia and in its surroundings on April 18^th, which you have certainly heard about in the news. Our thoughts are first and foremost with the loved ones of those who lost their life in these dramatic events.

With the deadline date of April 15^th now passed to receive nominations for A/NVP positions and alternate delegates, the CEIU National Office would like to start by congratulating the three (3) candidates that were acclaimed to Alternate NVP positions:

Are you thinking of submitting your name as one of the Alternate NVP(s) for CEIU?  Then this is the time to do it. 

The Call for Nominations for Alternate Delegates to the 2020 CEIU Convention has now been sent to the Local Presidents for all locals in electoral districts that have no alternate delegates.

With everything that is happening around the globe, CEIU will be extending the deadline date to submit resolutions to the CEIU National Office from March 27^th, 2020 to May 1^st, 2020. 

The elections for CEIU’s NVP positions have concluded, following a full week of electronic voting, beginning on March 18^th and ending on March 25^th, 2020.

The Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU) is joining other Canadian unions to call on the federal government and the provincial governments to offer immediate supports to all workers who have lost income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including those who do not qualify for Employment Insurance (EI).

Dear CEIU members,

As you may be aware, it is important that we ensure the core business of our union continues so that our structure and operations can continue to support our members. The voting period is currently in effect, and the deadline to vote is March 25, 2020. You must provide us with a PERSONAL email address (not an employer email address), to be able to vote.

Dear members,

Union leadership are working around the clock to protect our members amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We are very concerned about the health and safety of our members and staff, and all the loved ones who are affected by possible exposure to this virus in our work sites and service centres. Our top priority currently is to continue to pressure the employer to implement safety measures, as we continue to deliver essential services to our fellow Canadians.

Ottawa, March 17, 2020 - As the financial impact of COVID-19 forces many Canadians into Service Canada offices to apply for Employment Insurance (EI) and other critical services, we are urging the government to take immediate steps to safeguard the health & safety of their employees and the public they serve.

International Women's Day has become recognized as a day to celebrate how far women have come in society, in politics, in economic achievements, in our workplaces and last but not least, in our union (The Roses of IWD)!

STRONGER THAN EVER

CEIU has launched its first national newsletter, entitled “From the Ground Up”.

PARTIAL RESULTS

Last Friday, February 14^th, 2020 was the deadline date to submit nominations for all CEIU National Vice-President positions.

Black History Month is an opportunity for all Canadians to learn about the many contributions Black Canadians have made to Canada. 

With the upcoming elections of CEIU National Vice-Presidents, Alternate NVPs and delegates to the CEIU Convention fast approaching, the Nominations and Elections Chairperson would like to remind everyone of the DO’s and DONT’s of campaigning, when running for an elected position at CEIU.

In response to the nationwide call for solidarity by Unifor leadership, Canada’s labour movement is responding to the call, and the leadership and members of the Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU) are adding their voices to the message of solidarity.

Since the latest update was posted on our site in October 2019, CEIU met with the ESDC Human Resources team on January 15^th, 2020 in order to follow up on actions in progress, of which the highlights are as follows.

The National Executive, at its September 2019 meeting adopted a new Regulation and made an amendment to Policy 18.

On December 9, 2019, the NCR Region undertook a community outreach activity by way of donated food and sundries to the Gite Ami in Gatineau, Québec. 

Jacques. Claude Mayer and Dan Carrière raided Costco.

CEIU observes Human Rights Day every year on December 10^th, as we commemorate the day on which, in 1948, the United nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Accordingly, on December 10^th we reflect on human rights in Canada and around the world.

We’ve all heard the story of the terrible events on December 6, 1989. It has been 30 years since an armed man walked into an Engineering class at École Polytechnique de Montréal, forced the men to leave, murdered 14 women and injured 10 others before taking his own life.

2020 CEIU National Triennial Convention, Gatineau, Quebec, September 11-15, 2020

In accordance with CEIU By-Law 11, sub-section 11.8, notice is hereby given that the 15^th National Convention of the Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU) will be held at the Hilton Lac Leamy in Gatineau, Quebec, from September 11 to 15, 2020.  

CEIU remembers the millions of lives lost in conflict so that we have the rights and freedoms that we have today. On behalf of all our members, CEIU National President Eddy Bourque was present at the Remembrance Day observance in Ottawa on November 11th. Thank you for your service.

Lest we forget.

The 9^th CEIU National Human Rights/Race Relations (HRRR) Conference was held in Winnipeg, Manitoba from September 14^th to 15^th, 2019.  The conference theme was the following:  Honour, Respect, Recognize and Reconcile.

CEIU’s new logo is the vision of hundreds of members sharing what CEIU means to them.

Our union’s mission is to protect the rights and promote the interests of all workers. Responding to this, our new logo is built on the idea that strength is a result of diversity, community and mutual support.

The following Reports of the National Vice-Presidents from the September 2019 National Executive meeting are available should you wish to read one or more of them by clicking on the respective one below:

From the 15 candidates who are receiving a $2,000 CEIU National Scholarship, CEIU is publishing a few essays that drew our attention. Here are the essays from 5 candidates:

Since the latest update was posted on our site in July 2019, CEIU met with ESDC senior management on October 2^nd in order to deal with several issues of which the following are the highlights.

This year, CEIU received a total of 26 applications from across the country. The National Executive approved the following 15 candidates to receive a $2,000 CEIU National Scholarship:

The National Executive (NE) met in Ottawa, Ontario from Friday, September 20^th to Monday, September 23^rd, 2019, with the afternoon of Sunday and the morning of Monday being In-Camera from 9 am to 11 am to discuss the direction of the Union.  The NE went on record from 11 am to 12 pm on Monday, so that the resolutions discussed would be recorded in the minutes of the NE Fall 2019 meeting.

A call for nominations for two (2) positions of Alternate National Vice-Presidents has just been sent out to all CEIU Local Presidents in the respective regions to post on their Union’s bulletin boards.

The following Reports of the National Vice-Presidents from the April 2019 National Executive meeting are available should you wish to read one or more of them by clicking on the respective links.