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Canada border guards vote to go on strike just days before reopening the border with U.S.

Canadian border guards and customs officials voted on Tuesday to go on strike on August 6.

United States, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Vancouver, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) work together for border crossing efficiency at Vancouver International Airport NEXUS office processing passengers. (CBP Photographer: Donna Burton). Source - U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Public Domain
United States, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Vancouver, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) work together for border crossing efficiency at Vancouver International Airport NEXUS office processing passengers. (CBP Photographer: Donna Burton). Source - U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Public Domain

In a move that is sure to cause disruptions and hurt businesses, Canadian border guards and customs officials voted on Tuesday to go on strike on August 6, just days before the U.S.-Canada border was set to reopen to fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

CTV News Canada is reporting the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and its Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) announced Tuesday nearly 9,000 Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSC) employees “may strike August 6,” just three days before the proposed reopening of the border.

PSAC-CIU represents 5,500 border services officers, 2,000 headquarters staff, and other workers at Canada Post facilities and in inland enforcement jobs.

It seems negotiations between the unions and the employer, CBSC, have been going on for three years, finally reaching an impasse in December 2020, according to Reuters. This means the union members have been without a contract since June 2018.

The CBSC has deemed most border guards as being “essential” workers, meaning they will still be manning the borders, however, CBC Canada is reporting that the unions said strike action could slow down commercial traffic at the border and ports of entry.

RCMP and CBSA officers in Vancouver, British Columbia. Source –
https://www.flickr.com/people/2010observers/
 – 2010 Legal Observers. BB SA 3.0

The strike will also hit international mail and parcel deliveries from Canada Post and other major shipping companies, and disrupt the collection of duties and taxes on goods entering Canada.

Chris Aylward, the national president of PSAC, told reporters Tuesday, “We’ve been in negotiations for over three years, but the employer has flat out refused to address critical workplace issues impacting our members,” Aylward said.

Between the PSAC and CIU, the grievances range from employees often being under threat of “heavy-handed discipline and abuse” by those in managerial positions, to issues involving protections against excessive discipline and harassment, whistle-blowing protections, and remote work provisions.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it has been a tough year for border guards – having fewer crossings to process while being tasked with carrying out more stringent checks on travelers.

“We will be working very closely with the CBSA union to make sure that we are negotiating, getting to the bargaining table, trying to figure out a path forward,” Trudeau said.

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We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend Karen Graham, who served as Editor-at-Large at Digital Journal. She was 78 years old. Karen's view of what is happening in our world was colored by her love of history and how the past influences events taking place today. Her belief in humankind's part in the care of the planet and our environment has led her to focus on the need for action in dealing with climate change. It was said by Geoffrey C. Ward, "Journalism is merely history's first draft." Everyone who writes about what is happening today is indeed, writing a small part of our history.

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