BUFFALO (WBEN/AP) - The union that represents about 9,000 Canadian Border Service Agency employees voted in favor of striking earlier this week, which could affect travel between Canada and the United States.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada and its Customs and Immigration Union said Tuesday its members may strike as soon as Aug. 6, three days before fully vaccinated U.S. citizens will be able to visit Canada without having to quarantine for two weeks.
"This definitely was on purpose," said immigration attorney Jamie Fiegel. "This is not just a coincidence that the August 9 date and this new push forward are happening simultaneously."
The union represents 5,500 border services officers, 2,000 headquarters staff and other workers at Canada Post facilities and in inland enforcement jobs.
"This union contract that they has has been expired for about two years at this point," Fiegel continued. "They've been trying to move forward in good faith on both sides to get this resolved prior to August 9, but if there is not a resolution before that time, it can make travel difficult into Canada."
The union is now calling on Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair and CBSA president John Ossowski to return to the bargaining table.
The union and the employers have been unable to agree on better protections for staff that the union argues would bring them in line with other law enforcement personnel across Canada and address a "toxic" workplace culture.
Some of the items the union want to discuss include:
-Opening the door for a discussion about a paid, pensionable meal period for union members
-Calling for paid firearm practice time and a fitness allowance for officers
-Recommending new protections for employees in the context of discipline
-Encouraging the parties to negotiate expanded seniority rights for scheduling and parameters regarding student work at CBSA
-Recommending language that ensures officers aren't required to work alone, the grievance procedure is streamlined, and a negotiated increase in shift premium.
"They're an essential organization and there are safeguards in place that will allow for it not to be just completely shut down," said Fiegel. "But, there are ways and there are tactics that will be used by those union employees to be able to make sure that traffic is severely slowed down."
The union warns that the ongoing labor dispute could cause a significant disruption to the flow of goods, services and people entering Canada, while mail and the collection of duties and taxes will be impacted.
On top of allowing fully vaccinated U.S. citizens to visit Canada starting August 9, the government also plans to open the country's borders to travelers from other countries who are fully vaccinated on September 7.
