Canadian border agents strike looms as unions seek better pay, benefits

A strike looms for more than 9,000 Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) workers, which could disrupt supply chains across North America.

A work stoppage for customs and immigration agents could occur as early as Thursday following the recent release of a federal Public Interest Commission report, which established guidelines for a new collective agreement and gave workers the legal right to strike.

CBSA personnel are represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU).

“The clock is ticking,” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC national president-elect, in a Press release. “At every opportunity, Trudeau’s Liberal government has refused to put workers’ needs first and time is running out to avoid comprehensive labor action.”

Mediation sessions between the union and federal officials are scheduled to begin on Monday. CBSA personnel represented by PSAC and CIU voted 96% in early May in favor of the strike.

“Taking labor action is always a last resort, but the overwhelming support for our strike mandate shows we are prepared to do whatever it takes to win a fair contract,” said Mark Weber, CIU national president, in a statement.

The workers have been without a contract for more than two years, union leaders said.

Key issues that PSAC and CIU are negotiating include higher salaries that are in line with those of other law enforcement agencies across the country, flexible telework and remote work options, equitable retirement benefits, and stronger protections around of discipline, technological change and working hours, according to a release.

CBSA customs and immigration agents are responsible for monitoring more than 100 land border crossings across Canada, as well as airports and seaports.

Along with customs and immigration officers, CBSA personnel include intelligence officers, investigators and non-uniformed personnel.

In addition to customs and border agents, PSAC represents more than 245,000 public service workers across Canada.

Mike Burkhart, vice-president for Canada at CH Robinson, said the Canadian government considers most customs workers essential, “which means they are required to continue providing some services even during a strike.”

“What we have prepared for then is a potential slowdown of work, with workers clocking in and performing all tasks to the fullest,” Burkhart told FreightWaves in an email.

Burkhart said the biggest impact would be on trucking to Canada.

“A border agent must be physically present to review the customs paperwork and scan the barcode on it,” Burkhart told FreightWaves. “We manage more than 650,000 shipments across the Canadian border per year, so we can tell you from experience that a slowdown in this process can create wait times of four to five hours. This is what we saw during the 2021 strike.”

The story continues

As of August 2021, 9,000 CBSA employees have left beat for nearly two days, leaving trucks lined up at Canada’s borders for hours.

PSAC and CIU reached an agreement on August 6, 2021, with the federal government that included salary increases over four years, averaging 2% per year. According to unions, it also included protections against excessive workplace discipline.

Burkhart said that if another strike begins on Thursday, these delays could have a ripple effect on supply chains, particularly disrupting industries such as the automotive industry, which rely on just-in-time delivery of parts and components.

“Many of our automotive customers treat North America as an interdependent supply chain. Therefore, parts traveling to Canada often come from Mexico, and one delayed part can shut down an entire production line,” Burkhart said. “Sea, air and rail cargo would be less affected by a strike because most of these transactions are handled electronically.”

For cross-border operators, the potential CBSA strike is another headache in addition to a potential strike by rail workers in CPKCwho recently voted in favor of strike action.

The Industrial Relations Board of Canada is reviewing whether a strike by CPKC workers could have a negative impact on public safety in the country and has postponed the possible start date.

In the event of a CBSA worker strike, Burkhart advised shippers to speak with their logistics providers about contingency plans.

“Stock up on critical inventory in advance. Consider directing freight away from the busiest intersections, such as Windsor, and away from peak hours. To minimize the amount of freight that needs to be transported by truck, convert your less urgent freight to rail. For high-value and especially time-sensitive freight, start lining up air transportation options,” said Burkhart.

The post Canadian border agents strike looms as unions seek better pay, benefits appeared first on FreightWaves.