“Our bargaining team worked tirelessly to secure the best possible contract for our members, and this tentative agreement is a testament to their hard work and dedication,” said PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa.
“This is a well-deserved victory for our members at[Agence des Services frontaliers] who protect our country’s borders and ensure the security of all Canadians.”
— Sharon DeSousa, PSAC National President
Details of the agreement have not been revealed and should be revealed by Thursday, according to the union.
Workers demanded better salaries, better pensions, better working hours and supervision of teleworking.
The Treasury Board Secretariat confirmed Tuesday that the renewed collective agreement “will include salary increases and other benefits for public servants,” but that “out of respect for the ongoing ratification process,” the federal government will not communicate the details. of the agreement immediately.
“This agreement in principle demonstrates that the best agreements are always reached at the negotiating table. Public servants from the Border Services group play an essential role in the safety and security of our borders and this agreement in principle recognizes the importance of this work while remaining reasonable for taxpayers,” declared the President of the Treasury Board in a press release. , Anita Anand.
President of the Treasury Board of Canada Anita Anand (Patrick Woodbury/Archives Le Droit)
Strike threats
This agreement comes after multiple strike threats from union members.
The union was due to call a strike last Friday, but instead chose to postpone it to give mediation another chance until June 12.
Then, on Monday, the management of the largest union of federal civil servants drew a new line in the negotiations by threatening to walk out on Friday if no agreement was reached by then.
The 9,000 PSAC members who work at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) have been without an employment contract for more than two years.
These include border services officers at airports, land border crossings, and maritime and commercial ports of entry. These workers are also law enforcement officers in inland offices and intelligence and trade officers. There are more than 2000 civilian members of the national office.
If this agreement in principle is ratified by the members, the federal government will have concluded agreements with 18 bargaining units covering more than 84% of the public service.
