Border workers issue strike notice to government

Nearly 9,000 border workers are preparing to begin job action across the country on Friday, August 6th.

The Customs and Immigration Union said travellers should expect major delays and long lineups at border crossings and airports.

Union officials said unionized employees with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) have been without a contract for three years.

The union said they are seeking better protections against a toxic workplace culture at the Canadian Border Security Agency and greater parity with other law enforcement agencies across Canada.

“We truly hoped we wouldn’t be forced to take strike action, but we’ve exhausted every other avenue to reach a fair contract with the government,” said Chris Aylward, Public Service Alliance of Canada national president.

“Treasury Board and CBSA have been clear they aren’t prepared to address critical workplace issues at CBSA at the bargaining table.”

Work-to-rule strikes will sweep across all Canadian airports, land borders, commercial shipping ports, postal facilities and headquarters locations.

The CIU said this could have a dramatic impact on Canada’s supply chain and the government’s plans to reopen the border to U.S. travellers on August 9.

“We’ve continued to serve Canadians throughout the pandemic – keeping our borders safe, screening travellers for COVID-19 and clearing vital vaccine shipments,” said Mark Weber, CIU national president. “Now it’s time for the government to step up for CBSA employees.”

According to the CIU, the two sides will meet on August 6th to discuss a new contract, but strikes will begin at 6 a.m. if a new deal isn’t negotiated.

CIU officials said CBSA employees will obey all of the policies, procedures and laws applying to their work, and perform their duties to ‘the letter of the law’, but long, unavoidable delays may occur.

Josiah Spyker
Josiah Spyker
Josiah is an integral part of our East Kootenay team. Since joining Vista Radio in 2021, he has combined his love of community and sport in his reporting for the news team, while also stepping in as an on-air announcer.

Continue Reading

chnv Now playing play

ckkc Now playing play

- Advertisement -

Related Articles

- Advertisement -

Latest News

Canada Post employees represented by CUPW to give vote on final offers

Members with the Canadian Union of Postal Worker (CUPW) are set to vote on the final contract offer from Canada Post. 

B.C. bearing brunt of tariff war, says Eby ahead of First Ministers’ meeting

Premier David Eby said British Columbia is shouldering a disproportionate economic burden from Canada’s trade war with the U.S., and he’ll be calling for “basic fairness” at next week’s First Minister’s meeting.

B.C. limiting sales of two more diabetes drugs

British Columbia is limiting sales of two more diabetes drugs that are frequently prescribed off-label for weight loss.

Kootenays see low five-year average of human-caused wildfires

The Kootenay region has one of the lowest rates of human-caused wildfires in the province. 

Eby shuffles cabinet, including key jobs, public safety and housing roles

Premier David Eby shuffled his cabinet Thursday in what he called a “strategic” move to respond to a world that has changed since his B.C. NDP were elected last fall.
- Advertisement -