Canada border strike still possible: Union

As the clock ticks on toward a strike at the Canadian border, a union spokesperson has told CTVNews.ca the group remains in negotiations with the government.

They have until 4 p.m. Friday to make a deal.

“If a deal is not reached, a strike will take place.” wrote union spokesperson Pierre St-Jacques in an email.

More than 9,000 Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) members who work for the CBSA, including border guards, secured a strike mandate at the end of May, threatening to slow thoroughfare through Canada’s national entry points.

The Treasury Board says 90 per cent of front-line border officers are designated as essential, meaning they can’t stop working during a strike. In 2021, the union carried out a work-to-rule effort, slowing traffic into long lines of tourist and commercial vehicles waiting to cross. A deal was reached after an extended 36-hour negotiation.

“While the government fully respects the right of employees to gather and demonstrate lawfully, unlawful job action will not be tolerated,” reads a Wednesday release from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

“Negotiation is a process of give and take. The government is prepared to make concessions, but there needs to be movement on both sides,” it reads.

The association of Canadian Manufactures and Exporters (CME) estimates that about $3.1 billion in goods cross the Canadian border each day. Last year, cross border trade totalled $1.6 trillion, it says.

“We need the federal government to take a proactive approach to preventing these disruptions,” wrote CME President Denis Darby in a Wednesday news release. 

The union says it wants “fair” wages comparable to other law enforcement agencies in Canada, changes to its workers’ retirement plans, and “flexible” online and remote work options.

“We are still hopeful that we can reach an agreement to avoid strike action, but the window is closing if the government wants to avoid any potential delays at Canada’s borders,” wrote St-Jacques.