The clock is ticking to avoid a nationwide strike at Canada’s borders by more than 9,000 Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) employees. Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) will begin job action across the country starting June 7 at 4 p.m. ET if an agreement is not reached at the table with CBSA and Treasury Board this week.

“We are still hopeful that we can reach an agreement to avoid strike action and any potential delays at Canada’s borders,” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC National President. “But the clock is ticking for Trudeau’s Liberal government to get to work on a fair contract for our members.”

PSAC members in the FB bargaining group have been without a contract for over two years. Key issues in this round of bargaining include fair wages that are aligned with other law enforcement agencies across the country, flexible telework and remote work options, equitable retirement benefits for CBSA law enforcement personnel and stronger workplace protections.

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 and a marathon 36-hour bargaining session to reach an agreement.

“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 Mark Weber, CIU National President. “It’s time for the government to step up for CBSA employees.”

The two sides remain in negotiations this week with the assistance of a mediator in a last-ditch effort to reach an agreement.

This article was originally posted on the PSAC website.

A potential strike looms at border crossings across the country for more than 9,000 workers at Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) following the release of the Public Interest Commission (PIC) report.

The release of the report – outlining the Commission’s recommendations to reach a settlement – starts the clock on job action and puts workers in a legal strike position as of Thursday, June 6.

CBSA personnel represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Customs and Immigration Union (PSAC-CIU) voted 96% in favour of taking strike action earlier this month.

“The clock is ticking,” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC National President-elect. “At every opportunity, Trudeau’s Liberal government has refused to put the needs of workers first, and time is running out to avoid sweeping job action.”

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 and a marathon 36-hour bargaining session to reach an agreement.

“Taking job action is always a last resort, but the overwhelming support for our strike mandate – with 96% of our members in favour – show that we are prepared to do whatever it takes to win a fair contract,” said Mark Weber, Customs and Immigration Union National President.

PSAC will be in mediated negotiations with Treasury Board and CBSA beginning June 3 in an effort to reach an agreement and avert job action. PSAC is hopeful the employer will return to the bargaining table with a renewed mandate to secure a contract that addresses the key outstanding issues at the table for members.

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, and continue to demand concessions at the bargaining table.

CBSA personnel are calling for fair wages in line with other law enforcement agencies across the country and equitable retirement benefits.

Almost all law enforcement and public safety workers — both provincially and municipally — receive early retirement benefits, with very few exceptions. This includes firefighters, air traffic controllers, RCMP constables, operational employees of the Correctional Service of Canada, and more. FB group members deserve access to the same retirement provisions.

“Treasury Board President Anita Anand and the Liberal government can make this right and put forward the legislative changes required to provide CBSA personnel the same early retirement benefits as other law enforcement agencies in Canada, allowing them to retire with dignity,” said DeSousa.

The full PIC report, containing non-binding recommendations for reaching a new collective agreement, is available at the Federal Public Sector and Labour Relations and Employment Board website.

This article was originally posted on the PSAC website.

PSAC received the Public Interest Commission’s report May 29 with their non-binding recommendations for reaching a new collective agreement. The report follows the overwhelming strike mandate by more than 9,000 FB members announced earlier this month. With the release of the report, the FB group will now be in a legal strike position as early as Thursday, June 6.

• Read the full PIC report.

The report notes that the employer did not agree that there were any recruitment or retention challenges at CBSA, while also noting that the agency admitted to struggling to efficiently deliver services due to “out-of-date and anachronistic collective agreement rules”. The bargaining team will continue to push for changes to the collective agreement that improve the workplace and push back against concessions the employer wrongly believes will solve workplace issues.

The report recommended that the parties meet and resume collective bargaining immediately.

The FB bargaining team and the employer have agreed to return to the bargaining table to resume talks at mediated sessions starting on Monday, June 3. Our bargaining team is hopeful that Treasury Board and CBSA will return to the bargaining table with a renewed mandate to reach a fair agreement for members.

Be sure to keep your contact information up to date to receive all the latest updates. If you have any questions, please contact your Customs and Immigration Union branch president or visit the CIU and PSAC websites.

This article was originally posted on the PSAC website.

The ballots have been counted, and you’ve given our union an overwhelming strike mandate to take job action and show this employer we mean business.

This comes as no surprise. You’ve been without a collective agreement since 2022. Your wages have stalled, and the cost-of-living has risen, yet the Canada Border Services Agency and Treasury Board still aren’t prepared to negotiate a fair agreement, and continue to demand concessions at the bargaining table.

You’ve shown your resolve, and your employer is now fully aware that you’re prepared to do whatever it takes to fight for a fair collective agreement that secures fair wages in line with other law enforcement and public safety workers across the country, flexible telework options, stronger job security, protections against contracting out, and equitable 25-and-out retirement benefits.

Taking job action is always a last resort, but the results of the vote – 96% in favour – show that you’re prepared to take action to demand a fair contract.

Together, we have a lot of power. Our strike in 2021 brought commercial cross-border traffic nearly to a standstill, causing chaos at ports of entry across the country.

Unless they want to see that happen again, Treasury Board and CBSA better be prepared to come to the table with an offer that addresses our key issues.

Our FB bargaining team is committed to reaching a fair contract that protects our members and makes CBSA a better place to work. We have made it clear to the Trudeau Liberal government that our negotiations must be a top priority, and the window to avert a strike is closing quickly.

Mediation sessions are scheduled to begin on June 3, and we expect the Public Interest Commission report to be released shortly before that. We will be in a legal strike position seven days after the report is released – meaning we should be prepared to take job action in June if a deal isn’t reached.

Contact your Branch President or PSAC regional office to find out how you can join mobilization activities to keep the pressure up on the employer and this government.

Please make sure you keep your contact information up to date and watch for more information as we move forward.

Together we can – and we will – win the fair collective agreement that you deserve.

Always in solidarity,

Chris Aylward
PSAC national president

Mark Weber
Customs and Immigration Union national president

This article was originally posted on the PSAC website.