Truck lineups grow as work-to-rule actions start at Canadian border crossings

Windsor, Ont. -

The Public Service Alliance of Canada says work-to-rule actions have started at border locations across the country, causing delays at many locations, including the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor-Detroit.

In a post on social media, PSAC said “Our FB bargaining team has been at the table all night, and we're giving them a bit more time to negotiate. In the meantime, work-to-rule actions have started across the country.”

There are reports of long traffic backups at the Ambassador Bridge over the Windsor-Detroit border Friday morning. The government’s border wait times website said there was a 45 minute delay heading into Canada at the Ambassador Bridge, but no delay at the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel.

By Friday afternoon truckers were reporting a 3.5 hour wait at the Ambassador Bridge.

Truck driver Mubashar Ahmed explains, "It was all the way up the bridge, like five miles deep before I get to their border. The lines getting bigger and bigger, and longer and longer, unbelievable. Way too much. And it’s not going to get better, they said it’s going to get worse. So I hope it won’t but who knows."

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens says anything that disrupts the auto sector and tourism sector is not a good thing.

"It’s my hope that the government can come to a resolution with the union as soon as possible so that when Aug. 9 rolls around, we don’t have have backlogs of cars trying to cross the Canadian border backed up down the I-75...Layering this border difficulty on is only a bad thing for our local economy and ultimately our national economy."

Trucks lineup to cross the border at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., on Friday, Aug, 6, 2021. (Rich Garton / CTV Windsor)

Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters president Dennis Darby issued a statement Friday urging an end to the work-to-rule actions.

“Delays at the border will hurt already fragile global supply chains and impede the movement of food, medicine, workers, and critical goods vital to the manufacturing industry,” said Darby. “We have seen the damage caused by disruptions to our rail and port systems over the past year, a country-wide slowdown at the border will inflict more damage and hinder Canada’s economic recovery.”

He said delays caused by work-to-rule activities, on top of the current COVID-19 restrictions, will disrupt the flow of goods and that all 90,000 + manufacturers in Canada are very worried about this situation.

"For the manufacturing industry, for international trade, and for the entire Canadian economy, it is imperative that work-to-rule strike action at the border end. CME urges the federal government and the CBSA union to come to a resolution now.”

 

Delays and lineups are expected at land and air crossings. Toronto Pearson Airport is warning travellers on social media about potential delays.

A rally was held at the bridge on Wednesday in support of the CBSA officers, who have been without a contract for three years.

The job action comes three days before fully vaccinated U.S. citizens will be able to visit Canada without having to quarantine for two weeks.

There are about 500 CBSA workers at the Windsor-Detroit land border. PSAC and its Customs and Immigration

The union says it has three demands for their employer:

• Address discrimination and workplace violence
• Salary parity with other law enforcement
• Telework

CBSA says they expect officers will continue to fulfill their duties with the highest level of integrity and professionalism.