Canadian border guards and other officials voted Tuesday to strike, in a walkout that would take place three days before Canada opens its borders to fully vaccinated Americans. The border has been closed for 20 months and will open Aug. 9, if current Canadian plans hold.
Read: Alaska Life Hack: Canadian border to open to Americans Aug. 9, but with requirements
According to CBC, some 8,500 members of the two unions representing the guards and officials said bargaining has stalled since December. Now, the union is going after elected officials.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada union wrote:
“We’ve organized a targeted phone campaign to hold MPs’ feet to the fire in several key ridings. We want to send a clear message that a labour dispute at Canada’s borders would damage their election campaign and take away from the issues that matter most to voters.
“Let’s send Vance Badawey [member of Parliament] a clear message that a labour dispute at Canada’s borders would damage his election campaign and take away from the issues that matter most to voters. Next to Niagara and Fort Erie, this swing riding is not a consistent Liberal seat. In 2019, this was a close election, with the incumbent Liberal MP narrowly defeating the Conservative candidate by less than four per cent.”
The Canada Border Services Agency said that the strike would slow down commercial traffic at the border and ports of entry, would impact international mail and parcel deliveries form Canada Post and other shipping companies, and impact the collection of duties and taxes on goods entering Canada.
