Canadians are being warned to give themselves extra time for travelling as a strike by border workers Friday, followed by reopening borders to vaccinated American travellers Monday, created a perfect storm for chaotic conditions at the border.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada confirms that as of 6 am EST on Friday 06AUG, 9000 Canada Border Service Agency workers have begun job actions at the country’s border crossings.
90 per cent of frontline border workers are classified as “essential,” so work will continue even with the strike.
Open Jaw reported that the union gave the government strike notice earlier this week, and indicated a work-to-rule slow down of operations would result.
Friday after the strike deadline passed at 6 am, the border workers’ union revealed the job action will involve a “sweeping” series of actions at airports and land crossings as well as commercial shipping ports and even postal facilities.
It says the job actions will continue until the border workers reach a deal with the federal government.
On its part, the CBSA says it, “will respond quickly to any job action/work disruption in order to maintain the safety and security of our border, ensure compliance with our laws, and keep the border open to legitimate travellers and goods,” according to spokesperson Jacqueline Callin.
Nonetheless, anyone travelling by air or land should pack their patience.
Officials at YYZ already were warning of extended delays and wait times in anticipation of increased traffic at the airport when fully-vaccinated Americans are permitted to enter Canada beginning 09AUG. In a statement, they recommended that beginning Monday, pax, “should be prepared to wait three hours or more to complete the arrivals process.”
With the launch of Friday’s job action by CBSA workers, authorities at Canada’s busiest airport added a new warning on social media:
“Airport operations may be impacted today as a result of a peaceful labour demonstration by CBSA workers represented by @psac_afpc. If you are departing from Pearson today, please consider leaving early to account for potential delays.”
That’s advice that applies to all of Canada’s land and air border crossings until the labour action is over.
