Canada: Unionized border services personnel postpone strike deadline to 00:01 EDT June 14 /update 1

Unionized employees of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are planning to go on strike by 00:01 EDT June 14 if negotiations with management fail to produce an agreement. Thousands of CBSA employees, who are affiliated with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU), are demanding higher wages and improved benefits. Unionized CBSA workers were slated to go on strike from 16:00 June 7 in the absence of an agreement, but union leaders postponed the strike deadline to 00:01 June 14 after mediated negotiations were extended until June 12.

Unless averted, the industrial action will likely cause delays clearing customs at land, air, and maritime border entry points nationwide. Since 90 percent of Canadian border agents are classified as essential personnel and are, therefore, prohibited from suspending work during labor disputes, the strike probably will not be crippling. However, significant slowdowns could still occur and disrupt international passenger and freight transport if CBSA officers engage in a work-to-rule action in lieu of a full walkout.