History

The Canada Employment Immigration Union (CEIU) represents the vast majority of workers at Service Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).

The CEIU came into existence in November 1977 following a referendum vote on the merger of two unions, the Economic Security Employees National Association (ESENA) which represented most of the Unemployment Insurance Commission workforce, and the Manpower and Immigration Union (MIU) which represented Manpower and Immigration staffs.

Component of the PSAC

The CEIU is a component union of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).

The PSAC is the bargaining agent which, in concert with the CEIU and other component unions, negotiates with the Treasury Board for service-wide bargaining units such as the Program and Administrative Services (PA) group.

Structure of CEIU

The membership is the bedrock of the CEIU and the union has more than 200 locals across the country. Each local administers its own affairs, elects its own officers and is responsible for the day-to-day relationship with local management.

The triennial convention of the CEIU determines the union’s policy on all matters affecting the members and their organization. The National President and the National Executive Vice-President are elected by delegates to the convention.

Between conventions, the National Executive, headed by the National President and the National Executive Vice-President, is responsible for the affairs of the Union. The National Vice-Presidents (NVP’s), representing eleven geographic regions, departmental or other constituencies (CIC, IRB, Women’s issues, Human Rights), are elected by their respective members.

Staff

CEIU is the only component of the PSAC to have its own network of union offices across the country. National Union Representatives in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia work exclusively with CEIU members and their local leaders.

National Union Representatives assist members with grievances and other issues, provide training, and help Locals to organize and maintain a strong union presence in the workplace. Staff at the union’s national office in Ottawa carry out research, assist in consultation with senior management, and provide financial, clerical and administrative support.

CEIU staff are represented by the Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union Local 225 which negotiates collective agreements on their behalf.