CTV News has learned contract talks will resume for Canada Border Services Agency employees next week.
Back in January, the Customs and Immigration Union held a rally in Windsor to back contract demands.
CIU National president Jean Pierre Fortin says the employer, The Treasury Board of Canada called the union back to the table last Friday and now negotiations will resume on Monday, March 19.
“We were a little bit surprised of this, but they did call us, and we're certainly prepared,” Fortin said.
Border Service Officers, Including 540 people in Windsor have been working without a contract for nearly four years.
Fortin says their number one outstanding issue the wage disparity between border guards and other law enforcement agencies like the RCMP.
He says RCMP constables make about $12,000 more annually than the armed agents at Canada's border crossings.
“In the early 80's and early 90's we were collecting a lot of taxes at the border, that was our main duty, seizing cigarettes, seizing liquor,” Fortin said, noting it may have made sense back then. “Since 9-11, our role significantly changed to become the second biggest armed force in Canada.”
