Yesterday, the Public Interest Commission (PIC) released its recommendations for reaching an agreement between the Treasury Board Secretariat and the Public Service Alliance of Canada for the Border Services (FB) Group. Importantly, the PIC recommends that both sides resume negotiations immediately and start to reduce the number of outstanding issues. The Commission also urges the parties to use improvements achieved during negotiations at other PSAC tables to determine "how those resolutions might be adjusted or adopted" to reach an agreement for the Border Services group.
The employer welcomes the report and looks forward to entering into mediated discussions beginning June 3. We remain at the bargaining table, committed to negotiating a deal that is fair to employees and reasonable to the Canadian taxpayer. We are optimistic that an agreement can be reached quickly with a shared commitment to good faith bargaining.
Without question, employees in the Border Services group provide important services to Canadians. We are fully committed to reaching an agreement at the table that is fair for them, fair for their colleagues across the Public Service for whom agreements have recently been signed, and reasonable for taxpayers.
We have already reached agreements with more that 80% of the public service and we are committed to doing the same for the Border Services employees.
Quick Facts
- The Border Services Group is comprised of approximately 11,000 positions at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that are primarily involved in the planning, development, delivery, or management of the inspection and control of people and goods entering Canada. 9,500 members of the Borders Services Group are represented.
- 90% of frontline Border Services Officers are essential to the safety and security of Canada. They cannot strike and will continue to staff ports of entry in the event of a strike.
