3 April 2000

Tentative Labour Agreement Reached Between CCRA and its Union

The CCRA and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), the union representing many CCRA employees, have come to a tentative labour relations agreement. The agreement recognizes that the CCRA is a separate employer from Treasury Board (ie CCRA's status is distinct).

Highlights of this agreement include:

- a single collective agreement covering all PSAC CCRA members, effective from 1 November 1999 to 31 October 2000
- an economic increase of two per cent effective 1 November 1999 o the rates in effect on the expiry date of the original Treasury Board agreements; additional increases ranging from 0.48 per cent to 0.73 per cent take effect on dates between 21 June 2000 to 5 August 2000; new steps have been added to rates in several job classifications
- reduction in weekly hours of work for operational employees from 40 to 37.5, without any reduction in pay (effective after the Public Service Staff Relations Board has given its decision on CCRA bargaining units and union re-certification)
- increases in shift and weekend premiums from $1.25/hour and $1.00/hour respectively to $1.60/hour, and increases in meal allowance and vacation leave
- employer reimbursement of professional accounting association fees related to employees' job duties
- confirmation that CCRA committed to giving Customs Officers necessary training and tools to "properly implement the new powers assigned to these officers by legislation"

This agreement is subject to a ratification vote later in the spring by the 30,000 CCRA employees who are PSAC members.