CBSA workers push for new deal as strike vote wraps up

Hundreds of members of the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) and Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) marched in front of the exit to the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel Monday protesting slow progress in negotiations with Treasury Board in achieving a contract.

"It's been almost two years now. June the 21 or the 22 will be the two-year mark," said 4th National Vice-President of the CIU, Gus Kontogianis.

Marchers carried signs with slogans like, "We protect Canada, who protects us?" and "Back to the Table"

They chanted "What do we want? Contract! When do we want it? Now!", as they marched back and forth along Park Street at the tunnel exit.

Kontogianis said the workers, which include uniformed Canada Border Services Agency officers and non-uniform workers, want wage parity with other law enforcement agencies across the country.

"We are lagging far behind and that's causing a recruitment and retention problem in the CBSA," said Kontogianis.

Others issue include job security and telework for some members.

The union is waiting for a report from the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board, which is expected to issue a non-binding recommendation to reach a deal.

At the same time, union has been holding a strike vote since April, and if a mandate is received, members could be in a legal strike position seven days after the reccomendation is issued.

It's not clear when that report will be released. Hearings took place last month. There is a 30-day deadline to issue recommendations, but the chair can extend it.

Anita Anand, president of the Treasury Board, released a statement on April 10 regarding the hearings into the contract negotiations with the CBSA workers.

"The government is committed to reaching agreements with public service unions that are fair to employees and reasonable to taxpayers.  We have already reached agreements with 17 bargaining units covering over 80 per cent of represented employees in the core public administration and are prepared to establish a similar agreement for the FB group [Border Services Group] as soon as the PSAC agrees to resume negotiations," reads the statement.

The union's strike vote wraps up Wednesday.

A mediation session is scheduled for June 3.