The union representing over 9,000 Canada Border Services Agency employees has announced that workers will go on strike on June 14 if an agreement is not reached with the federal government by then.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada has decided to extend the strike deadline to June 14 at 12:01 a.m. after ongoing negotiations with the Treasury Board last week.
Initially, border workers were prepared to strike as early as 4 p.m. on June 7. However, negotiations continued past the deadline as confirmed by a union spokesperson.
Sharon DeSousa, the national president of PSAC, stated, “We are still optimistic about avoiding a strike and any potential disruptions at Canada’s borders. No worker desires a strike, but we have set a clear deadline for the government to come to the table with a fair agreement.”
The union has highlighted the impact of a similar job action three years ago, which nearly brought commercial border traffic to a halt and caused significant delays nationwide.
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The government has identified 90% of front-line border officers as essential, meaning they are required to continue working during a strike.
However, union members have the option to work-to-rule, a move that experts believe could lead to significant delays.
