The Douglas-Peace Arch border crossing is seen in Surrey, B.C., on Monday, March 16, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
OTTAWA - The union representing 9,000 Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) workers announced on Friday that they will delay their strike until at least Wednesday, as mediation efforts continue.
Initially, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) had warned that border workers might strike as early as 4 p.m. on Friday if no agreement was reached. However, a union spokesperson confirmed shortly after 4 p.m.
OTTAWA - The union representing 9,000 Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) workers announced on Friday that they will delay their strike until at least Wednesday, as mediation efforts continue.
Initially, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) had warned that border workers might strike as early as 4 p.m. on Friday if no agreement was reached. However, a union spokesperson confirmed shortly after 4 p.m. that negotiations were still ongoing.
Later on Friday, the spokesperson indicated that a new strike deadline would be announced soon and that job action remains possible if talks fail.
The federal Treasury Board expressed satisfaction with PSAC's decision to stay at the negotiation table. They stated, "Discussions have been productive, and we remain committed to reaching a fair and reasonable agreement for the Border Services group as quickly as possible."
The union has not provided specific details about the progress of the talks.
Three years ago, similar strike actions nearly halted commercial border traffic and caused significant delays nationwide, according to the union's warnings during the latest contract negotiations.
The government maintains that 90 percent of front-line border officers are deemed essential and thus cannot strike. However, union members could employ a work-to-rule strategy, performing their duties strictly as outlined in their contracts. This tactic, while not a full strike, could still cause severe slowdowns given the usual high volume of border traffic.
The CBSA stated that essential service employees must continue to provide uninterrupted border services and cannot intentionally slow down processing. Nevertheless, experts question how the government might manage workers adhering strictly to their duties without causing delays.
A strike could significantly impact not just tourism but the broader economy, said Ian Lee, an associate professor at Carleton University’s business school. Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters warned on Thursday that a strike would disrupt the daily movement of $3.1 billion worth of goods across the border.
"Job action would slow commercial traffic at border points, impact international travel, delay mail and parcel deliveries, and disrupt the collection of duties and taxes," the group noted. "In short, a strike would be massively disruptive to commercial traffic and business travel for manufacturers."
Union members seek pay parity with other law enforcement agencies, stated Mark Weber, the national president of the Customs and Immigration Union, part of PSAC. Other concerns include pension benefits, protection against "heavy-handed discipline," and the encroachment of technology on jobs traditionally performed by officers, such as customs kiosks at airports. They also seek to formalize work-from-home arrangements in the collective agreement.
Treasury Board President Anita Anand assured the House of Commons on Thursday that the government is committed to reaching a fair deal for employees and taxpayers alike. "We are willing to make concessions, but we expect the same from the other side," she said during question period.
