Border strike will start Friday afternoon if mediation fails: union

The union representing thousands of Canadian border workers says they will begin job action Friday afternoon if no deal is reached by then.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada says it still hopes to avoid strike action and border disruptions but has set a deadline of Friday at 4 p.m. eastern time.

More than 9,000 union members who work for the Canada Border Services Agency have been without a contract for more than two years.

The two sides went into mediation on Monday.

The union says key issues include pay parity with other law enforcement agencies, flexible telework and remote work options, pension benefits and stronger workplace protections.

It says job action three years ago by border agency personnel “nearly brought commercial cross-border traffic to a standstill, causing major delays at airports and borders across the country.”