An imminent strike by Canada Border Services Agency workers was averted Tuesday after the union representing more than 9,000 employees announced it had reached a provisional contract agreement.
The Public Services Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Enforcement Union (CIU) were in intense negotiations with the federal government over a new contract that was extended last week to allow more time for talks. Both sides were facing a 12:01 a.m. Friday deadline, when the union said it would begin industrial action if an agreement was not reached.
“Our negotiating team has been working around the clock to secure the best contract for our members, and this tentative agreement is a testament to their incredible hard work and dedication,” PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa said in a statement, calling the result as “a well-deserved victory” for all unionists.
Details of the deal were not immediately disclosed. Members are told they will see the full deal on Thursday.
The Treasury Board Secretary said in a statement that the tentative agreement will include “wage improvements and other benefits for employees.”
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“The government and PSAC have spent long hours at the negotiating table to find solutions and common ground,” the statement said. “In the end, an agreement was reached that is fair to employees and reasonable for Canadians.”
Union members will still have to vote to ratify and finalize the agreement.
CBSA workers have been without a contract since the last one expired in June 2022. The union had been pushing for higher wages and retirement benefits, including early retirement after 25 years of service, which they said should be aligned with other Canadian police agencies, including the RCMP and Correctional Services Canada.
They also wanted clear rules for remote work and guarantees that vacancies will not be filled by contract workers.
The job action was scheduled to begin last Friday afternoon, but that deadline was extended at the last minute.
A strike had the potential to affect border crossings across Canada, which the union had warned would hurt travelers and the economy.
They pointed to a brief strike three years ago that the union said “nearly paralyzed cross-border commercial traffic, causing significant delays at airports and borders across the country.”
About 90 percent of CBSA workers are considered essential and would not have been allowed to leave work, according to the Treasury Board.
Still, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said last week that the federal government was “busy” about the potential strike and “very focused” on how it would affect the economy.
Dennis Darby, president and CEO of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, said in a statement that its members were “breathing a sigh of relief” that a deal had been reached.
“Maintaining full service at all border crossings is crucial to maintaining the health of Canada’s manufacturing industry,” he said.
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