350 CBSA workers in N.B. to vote on potential strike

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A total of 350 Canada Border Services Agency workers in New Brunswick, most of whom work at the province’s 19 land border crossings, could soon be on strike alongside roughly 9,000 others across the country.

CBSA workers will take a strike vote beginning next week.

The last strike, just three years ago, brought the border to a standstill.

The potential of a new strike could coincide with a spring and summer tourism season that New Brunswick officials are anticipating will see the return of visitors to a level not seen since the onset of the pandemic.

The workers are part of the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Customs and Immigration Union.

Its roughly 9,000 workers across the country include 350 border officers and other law enforcement and non-uniform CBSA personnel in New Brunswick.

That’s spread out among the province’s 19 land borders, as well as New Brunswick’s three major airports in Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John, and the marine port in the port city.

A strike vote across the country starts April 10.

But, if it passes, it won’t be acted on immediately.

While strike votes are underway, the unions are proceeding to public interest commission hearings set for April 10 and 22 with the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board.

Those hearings see both sides of the negotiation present their positions on outstanding issues, with a panel then issuing a report with non-binding recommendations for reaching a settlement.

What holding a strike vote does is allow its membership to be in a strike position seven days after the board releases its report, expected in May.

The union declared an impasse in bargaining last September after what it says was almost two years of negotiations over key issues like wages, better job security and opportunities to work remotely.

“Workers at CBSA have waited long enough,” Public Service Alliance of Canada national president Chris Aylward said in a statement.

“Our members have been without a collective agreement since 2022.”

The border service workers say they are also still waiting for the government to make good on a pledge to provide CBSA law enforcement personnel with the same retirement benefits – something known as 25 and out – as other law enforcement and public safety workers.

The same union briefly went on strike in 2021 just as the country began to slowly reopen.

“The unprecedented work-to-rule action by members across Canada on August 6, 2021 brought international borders to a standstill, both for travellers and commercial operations,” union spokesperson Pierre St-Jacques said in an email.

“Crossing times and services could be similarly impacted during this round, should our members need to take action.”

A deal was reached shortly after the strike began.

Under threat this time around is an anticipated full rebound of New Brunswick’s tourism sector.

“With pandemic-related restrictions fully lifted, New Brunswick’s tourism sector is anticipated to return to the levels of activity last observed in 2019,” reads the Higgs government’s economic outlook document that accompanied its March provincial budget.

The government is anticipating Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park revenue will grow to $5.5 million in the year ahead, $700,000 more than last year.

Similarly, it projects revenues at the province-run Parlee Beach Campground to be up $300,000, with combined revenue of the province’s other parks up a combined $836,000.