Canadian border workers begin work-to-rule strike as country prepares to open border to Americans kxlh.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kxlh.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Canadian border officers to strike Friday
The impending strike is referred to as a “job action” by the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the union that, along with the Customs and Immigration Union, represents more than 9,000 Canada Border Service Agency employees. The strike comes just three days before the country is set to allow American leisure travelers across the border for the first time in nearly a year and a half. 5:38 pm, Aug. 4, 2021 ×
U.S. and Canadian flags flutter at the Canada-United States border crossing at the Thousand Islands Bridge, which remains closed to non-essential traffic to combat the spread of the coronavirus in Lansdowne, Ontario, Canada, Sept. 28, 2020. REUTERS/Lars Hagberg/File Photo
Article content
Talks between two unions representing Canadian border guards and staff – the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) – and the federal government reached an impasse in December 2020, and the unions served the federal government on July 27 with a strike notice.
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Try refreshing your browser. Canadian border staff to begin work-to-rule strike action starting Friday: Union Back to video
Both sides came back to the table after the strike notice, but the unions said on Wednesday they had been unable to reach an agreement, and their members would begin working to rule as of Friday.
Nearly 9,000 Canada Border Services Agency workers are prepared to begin job action on Friday at 6 a.m. unless a new contract is negotiated.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) said they served strike notice to the government on Tuesday.
The unions warn of lengthy delays at border crossings and airports for travellers and commercial traffic entering Canada.
“We truly hoped we wouldn’t be forced to take strike action, but we’ve exhausted every other avenue to reach a fair contract with the government,” said Chris Aylward, Public Service Alliance of Canada national president in a news release.
Canadian border officers to strike Friday
The impending strike is referred to as a “job action” by the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the union that, along with the Customs and Immigration Union, represents more than 9,000 Canada Border Service Agency employees. The strike comes just three days before the country is set to allow American leisure travelers across the border for the first time in nearly a year and a half. 5:38 pm, Aug. 4, 2021 ×
U.S. and Canadian flags flutter at the Canada-United States border crossing at the Thousand Islands Bridge, which remains closed to non-essential traffic to combat the spread of the coronavirus in Lansdowne, Ontario, Canada, Sept. 28, 2020. REUTERS/Lars Hagberg/File Photo