Canada's reopening plans could be hindered as thousands of border officers gird themselves for potential strike action. The two unions representing more than 8,500 Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) employees announced this morning that the majority of their members have given them a strike mandate. That means they could begin strike action as soon as Aug. 6, mere days before Canada reopens the border to fully vaccinated U.S. residents, said the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) in a news release.
Many workers would be deemed essential, but the union said strike action could slow down commercial traffic at the border and ports of entry; hit international mail and parcel deliveries from Canada Post and other major shipping companies; and disrupt the collection of duties and taxes on goods entering Canada.
The unions' members — who have been without a contract since June 2018 — include border service officers at airports, land entry points, marine ports and commercial ports of entry; inland enforcement officers; intelligence officers; investigators; trade officers; hearings officers; and non-uniformed members.
Their essential services agreement allows for 2,600 members to take full strike action, while the essential workers can take work-to-rule actions in their workplace.
This was excerpted from the 27 July 2021 edition of CBC News.