Toronto, August 5, 2021
With more than 8,500 unionized staff with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) positioned to go on strike Friday morning, their unions (PSAC and CIU) have stated work-to-rule action will take place to significantly disrupt travellers and commercial traffic entering Canada unless a deal is reached today.
"Shut this place down to a crawl and you let nothing through," CIU president Mark Weber told a crowd at the Windsor Ambassador Bridge, if there is no contract by Friday, when the two unions are in a legal strike position.
Although almost 90 percent of CBSA employees are identified as "essential" and would continue to work in the event of a strike, they have threatened a work-to-rule by refusing to do non-essential duties of collecting duties and taxes. The unions have warned this action could have a dramatic impact on supply chains.
We will continue to monitor the situation and advise accordingly.
For more information, please call Brian Rowe, Director – Customs Compliance & Regulatory Affairs at (905) 882-4880, ext. 1213.