Thousands of employees at the Canada Border Services Agency could begin striking as early as Friday afternoon, potentially causing “major delays” across the country at airports and border crossings.
More than 9,000 members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) will begin job action at Canada’s borders starting Friday at 4 p.m. ET if an agreement is not reached with the CBSA and Treasury Board by then.
“We still hope to avoid strike action and potential disruptions for travellers and commercial traffic at Canada’s borders. But we’ve set a deadline for Trudeau’s Liberal government to get to work on a fair contract for workers,” said PSAC national president Sharon DeSousa in a press release Tuesday.
While essential CBSA workers can’t walk off the job, the union said Canadians will still feel the effects, highlighting a brief strike three years ago that “nearly brought commercial cross-border traffic to a standstill, causing major delays at airports and borders across the country.”
The looming strike could mean Canadians and visitors find themselves in long lines at the border yet again during the busy travel season.
The PSAC says its key demands revolve around higher wages, remote work options, better retirement benefits and stronger workforce protection for CBSA workers.
Mediation sessions between the union and employers began Monday and continue “in a last-ditch effort to reach an agreement,” PSAC says.
“Our members have overwhelmingly told us they are prepared to fight for fair wages, equitable retirement and to make CBSA a better place to work,” said CIU national president Mark Weber in the press release.
“It’s time for the government to step up for CBSA employees.”