Strike votes extended for border services workers amid ‘unprecedented’ turnout

“We’ve had great participation, but we have demand for more,” said CIU national president Mark Weber.

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Published May 17, 2024 • Last updated 11 minutes ago • 2 minute read

Border Services Officers and union officials during a demonstration in Cornwall in July 2021. Photo by Todd Hambleton /Postmedia

The Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Customs and Immigration Union have added two more national strike vote dates, as members have shown up to vote in “unprecedented numbers.”

Votes were previously scheduled to run until May 15. The voting period will now close on May 23 at 10 p.m., with additional votes set for May 21 and 23.

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“We’ve had great participation, but we have demand for more,” said CIU national president Mark Weber, noting that around 1,000 members had shown up to some strike-vote sessions. PSAC said in a statement that members were attending sessions in “unprecedented” numbers. “It’s really encouraging to see how engaged the members are.”

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Weber said the decision to add additional voting dates was also partly due to scheduling.

“Our members do work 24/7 shift work, so it is hard to schedule a lot of meetings at different times to make sure everyone has a chance to attend,” he said. “We added a couple of them just to make sure everyone gets a chance.”

Weber said the outcome of the votes should be available on May 24. He expects to see members vote strongly in favour of a strike.

“I’ll be shocked if it’s not.”

The federal government and the border services bargaining team are expected to take part in mediation sessions beginning June 3. The unions, representing more than 9,000 border services employees, are seeking wage parity with other law enforcement agencies like the RCMP, as well as job security, flexible telework arrangements for those who are able to work from home and a commitment to better retirement benefits.

As part of the conciliation process, both sides presented their concerns and arguments at public interest commission hearings in April. They now wait for that independent third-party body to make its non-binding recommendations.

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“We’ve tried really hard at the bargaining table to see any kind of movement. Unfortunately, the employer has not budged on anything at all,” Weber said. “We reached an impasse without even really being given any kind of salary offer from the employer, which was pretty unprecedented, to give you an idea of how unproductive those sessions were.”

If the union’s members vote in favour of a strike, it will be in a legal position to do so a week after it receives the public interest commission’s report.

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