There could be “significant disruptions” at Canada’s borders this summer after border workers voted in favor of a strike mandate.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada, which represents border officers at ports of entry including the one at Johnstown, says its members voted 96 per cent in favour of the mandate.
That means there could be strikes in the months ahead.
Other positions including inland enforcement, intelligence and trade officers, and investigators would also be impacted.
PSAC says the vote comes with talks with the Canada Border Services Agency stalled.
It notes it has been two years since the workers had an updated collective agreement.
President of the Customs and Immigration Union, Mark Weber, tells The Bridge Newsroom that going on strike would be a last resort.
“It’s not something anyone wants to do but when you reach a point in negotiations where you are treated this unfairly and the answer to everything is just arbitrarily no we’re really quickly running out of options.”
In a statement, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat says “the government is fully committed to reaching a fair and reasonable agreement for border services employees. We have already signed renewed agreements with more than 80% of the public service, and if the union is ready to negotiate in good faith, we can do the same for Border Services group employees.”
It also adds that “However, in the event of strike action, Canadians should know that 90% of front-line border services employees are designated as essential, meaning they must continue providing services during a strike.”
More to come on this developing story.
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