Canada Border Services Agency employees could go on strike next month, which the union warns would cause “significant disruptions” during the summer travel season.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada, which represents 9,000 CBSA employees, says 96 per cent of its members have voted in favour of taking job action as early as June.
“Workers have been without a contract for over two years, yet Treasury Board and CBSA are still not prepared to negotiate an agreement that protects workers,” said PSAC president Chris Aylward in a statement Friday.
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The employer, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, said it “will do everything possible to reach a responsible and competitive agreement” but added most CBSA employees won’t be able to walk off the job.
“However, in the event of strike action, Canadians should know that 90 per cent of front-line border services employees are designated as essential, meaning they must continue providing services during a strike,” the Treasury Board said.
While most CBSA workers won’t be able to walk off the job, the union said Canadians will still feel the effects, highlighting a brief strike three years ago.
“Job action by CBSA personnel in 2021 nearly brought commercial cross-border traffic to a standstill, causing major delays at airports and borders across the country,” said PSAC in a statement.
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