Guards vow to 'shut the border down' as tensions soar during Toronto Pearson Airport protest
Border guards vowed to “shut the border down” — or come as close to it as they legally can — at a demonstration at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport Monday.
The demonstration was a show of resolve before the unions that represent some 8500 Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) officers and customs officials are in a legal right to strike position on Friday.
“We screened every traveller for COVID, we kept the border running, our employer won’t even speak to us at the bargaining table,” said Mark Weber, the national president of the Customs and Immigration Union.
That union, and the Public Service Alliance of Canada, say they have the right to strike as of August 6, just days before Canada reopens its borders to vaccinated U.S. travellers.
“We’ve been without a contract for three years,” said Frances Baroutoglou, Toronto’s CIU France president. “Through COVID we’ve continued to keep the border safe. We’ve taken on extra duties. We want a fair contract.”
Dozens of workers, wearing sandwich boards and carrying banners, chanted, “Shut it down! Shut it down!” as they walked around an entrance to the airport Monday afternoon.
“Come Friday, we’re going to wreak havoc on the border,” said Baroutoglou in to the microphone.
It’s not yet clear what the union’s strategy will be if it comes to a strike. There are more than 1200 entry points across Canada that could see an impact.
But despite the rhetoric, many border workers could be deemed essential, meaning they could slow, but not stop, their work.
“The borders will function but there will be a disruption,” Baroutoglou said in an interview. “We’ll be in a position where we can work to rule. Doing our job but only to the letter of the law.”
At issue, according to a public interest commission report, is wages. The employer has posed 2.8, 2.2, and 1.5 per cent increases in the first three years of a settlement.
It says that’s in line with 50 recent settlements in the public service.
But the unions want 4.4 per cent on top of that, arguing they need to catch up to other law enforcement agencies like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The employer rejects the comparison.
Other issues include reducing on-the-job harassment, giving time to practice with firearms, and a guarantee no officer will work alone.
“We need to make sure people feel safe at work,” said Baroutoglou.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.