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The federal government and unionized Canadian border agency employees reached a tentative agreement on a collective bargaining contract for more than 9500 staff, both sides announced June 11.
As late as June 11, employees of the Canada Border Services Agency threatened to strike beginning June 14, a labor action which would have caused long delays at border crossings for trucks.
According to American Trucking Associations, 5.5 million trucks will cross the 49th parallel in a northbound direction by 2023. U.S. truck exports to Canada have risen 140% since 1995.
The unions stated that the full details of the agreement would be announced on June 13 after a ratification package was made available to members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada and Customs and Immigration Union.
The Government of Canada has reached a tentative agreement with the Public Service Alliance of Canada for the Border Services Group. Learn more: https://t.co/nOylXwznT1 pic.twitter.com/PzWPTXiQUI — TBS Canada (@TBS_Canada) June 11, 2024
“Our bargaining group has been working round the clock to secure a contract that is best for our members. This tentative agreement is testament to their incredible dedication and hard work,” PSAC National president Sharon DeSousa stated.
“This is a well deserved victory for our CBSA members who safeguard our nation’s borders and ensure safety and security for all Canadians,” added she.
The unions wanted wage alignment with other law-enforcement agencies, flexible telework options and remote work, improved retirement benefits for CBSA Law Enforcement personnel, and stronger workplace protections.
The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat represented Canadian authorities at the talks and said that the collective agreement would include wage increases and other benefits for the employees. It said that “in the end, a fair agreement was reached for employees and reasonable for Canadians.”
PSAC-CIU has reached a tentative deal with the employer of more than 9,000 employees at CBSA. This agreement avoids potential job action on Canada’s border.
Read more: https://t.co/vXCsbGxGzV — PSAC-AFPC (@psac_afpc) June 11, 2024
“This tentative agreement shows that the best deals are always reached around the bargaining table.” This tentative agreement acknowledges the importance of Border Services employees to the safety and protection of our borders while remaining reasonable for the taxpayers, said Treasury Board President Anita Anand.
The border agency staff started talking on June 3. The unions gave the government an initial deadline of 4 p.m. EST on June 7. As the seconds ticked away from the original deadline, the two sides agreed to continue the talks with the help of a mediator. The original deadline of June 12 has been extended to 12:01 am EDT on June 14.
Before the original deadline, union representatives indicated that discussions were progressing.
DeSousa said in late June that “we are still hopeful” we can avoid a possible strike and disruptions at Canada’s borders. “No worker wants to strike, but we have set a firm date for this government to reach a fair deal.”
C.H. Mike Burkhart, Robinson Worldwide Vice President of Canada, told Transport Topics that as the discussions progressed, carriers should prepare for a slowdown in work. Workers must remain on the clock and perform all duties to their fullest.
Sheri Call, CEO of Washington Trucking Associations, told TT she expected long border lines or increased transportation costs if trucks did not make cross-border trips.
Burkhart, who is the No. 2 on Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest logistics companies in North America, said that during a 2021 labor action, trucks had to wait four to five hours. Transport Topics Top 100 List of the largest logistic companies in North America, Burkhart’s company is ranked No. 2. It manages 650,000 shipments that cross the Canadian border each year.
According to Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the top three U.S. Canada border crossings for trucks in 2023 will be Detroit, Port Huron (Mich.), and Buffalo-Niagara Falls (N.Y.).
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Before the announcement, carriers were frantically preparing to avoid bottlenecks.
Danny Cipollone is the general manager of Purolator International and head of customs brokering. He said in an email that they have contingency plans and are working with their customers and brokers to minimize any impact on cross-border service.
Purolator International, the cross-border package-and-freight arm of Mississauga-based Purolator (ranked No. 20 on TT Top 100 list) is a subsidiary of Purolator based in Mississauga (Ontario). The TT Top 100 list is a ranking of the top 100 for-hire carriers across North America.
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