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, (the) 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 and the Treasury Board and CBSA will begin mediated negotiations on Monday (June 3) in an effort to reach an agreement and avert job action.

Without a contract for over two years, CBSA personnel are calling for fair wages in line with other law enforcement agencies across the country and equitable retirement benefits.