CBSA strike averted as union reaches tentative agreement with Ottawa

A looming strike by Canada Border Services Agency workers was averted Tuesday after the union representing over 9,000 employees announced they have reached a tentative contract agreement.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) were in intense negotiations with the federal government over a new contract that were extended last week to allow more time for talks. Both sides were facing down a 12:01 a.m. Friday deadline, when the union said job action would begin if no deal was reached.

“Our bargaining team has been working around the clock to secure the best contract for our members, and this tentative agreement is a testament to their incredible hard work and dedication,” PSAC national president Sharon DeSousa said in a statement, calling the result “a well-deserved victory” for all union members.

Details of the agreement were not immediately released. Members are being told they will see the full deal on Thursday.

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The Treasury Board Secretariat said in a statement the tentative deal will include “wage enhancements and other benefits for employees.”

“The government and PSAC have spent long hours at the bargaining table to find solutions and common ground,” the statement said. “In the end, an agreement was reached that is fair for employees and reasonable for Canadians.”

Union members will still need to vote to ratify and finalize the deal.

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CBSA workers have been without a contract since the last one expired in June 2022. The union had been pushing for higher wages and retirement benefits, including early retirement after 25 years of service, that they argued should be aligned with other Canadian law enforcement agencies including the RCMP and Correctional Services Canada.

They also wanted clear remote work rules and assurances that vacancies won’t be filled with contracted workers.

Job action was set to begin last Friday afternoon, but that deadline was extended at the last minute.

A strike had the potential to affect border crossings across Canada, which the union had warned would affect travellers and the economy.

They pointed to a brief strike three years ago that the union said ““nearly brought commercial cross-border traffic to a standstill, causing major delays at airports and borders across the country.”

About 90 per cent of CBSA workers are considered essential and would not have been allowed to walk off the job, according to the Treasury Board.

Still, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said last week the federal government was “seized” with the potential strike and “very focused” on how it would impact the economy.

Dennis Darby, president & CEO of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, said in a statement its members were “breathing a sigh of relief” that a deal was reached.

“Maintaining full service at all border crossings is crucial for sustaining the health of Canada’s manufacturing industry,” he said.