Customs Protests Could Mean Long Waits This Summer

(Phil Couvrette — Canwest News Service)

Drivers could face long and galling lineups at border crossings this summer as customs officers involved in a contract dispute guarantee their pressure tactics, currently targeting truckers and commercial vehicles, will “get worse,” a union official said.

There are fears that the backlog will increase wait times for vacationers and that the havoc might even extend to airport border crossings.

Customs excise union vice-president Jean-Pierre Fortin says the last offer from the Canada Border Services Agency is a “slap in the face” and “ridiculous.” Fortin says border officers have been applying pressure tactics on commercial traffic at various locations across the country. Border guards have been taking more time to process trucks as they try to clear customs.

“The employer is trying to provoke our people,” Fortin said. “Our people were so shocked by the offer that they’ve already started using pressure tactics, we’re trying to calm things down.

“Truckers have been targeted and (protesting officers) guaranteed it would get worse.”

Pressure tactics have been used on commercial traffic in various large border crossings across the country including Fort Erie, Ont., Niagara Falls, Sarnia, Ont. and in New Brunswick. So far the West has been largely spared, but Fortin said it was likely the movement would extend to major border crossings such as those south of Vancouver.

“I’m sure that’s going to escalate, as the frustrations grow,” said Dan Leibel, who represents the union in southern British Columbia. “I’m feeling frustrated myself.”

Leibel said he suspects several guards have probably already started their own personal protests, “some directed at commercial traffic, some at other travellers, daily shoppers.

“My estimation is that it’s going to get very ugly,” he said. “I think you’re going to see small pockets of rebellion from our members, not instructed by the union but taking it upon themselves. Several people will maybe muster together the troops and say ‘let’s do something about this’.” He suspects this would most likely happen in places where they would have the most impact and “would get noticed.”

While the union isn’t currently in a legal strike situation, this would likely follow in the fall, Fortin said. The protest movement could extend to ports and airports as well.

As of June 21 customs officers will have been without a contract for a year, Fortin said. Read the complete article.