More than 9,000 Canadian border agents are set to strike on Friday. The union representing them says if a deal isn’t reached with the federal government by Thursday at midnight, the strike begins Friday at 12:01 a.m.
CTV News says the Public Service Alliance of Canada moved the deadline after extending negotiations with the Treasury Board last week. Border workers were set to strike last Friday at 4 p.m. While the government notes that nine of every ten border officials are essential and can’t strike, supply chain slowdowns are still likely. The union has said it would “work to rule.” That means they won’t do anything over what’s required by their contract.
Canada gets 37 percent of its fruit and 75 percent of its vegetables by refrigerated truck freight from the United States. If there’s a slowdown, that could put the perishable objects in danger if they can’t be delivered on time.