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Customs Workers
Protest at Halifax International Airport The picket is set to take place at the airport starting at 2 p.m. Customs Officers will distribute leaflets to motorists. The dispute between the border staff and the feds has been brewing since 2000, when the duties of Customs Officers were expanded to include Criminal Code enforcement responsibilities. At the time Ottawa pledged that the added duties would be accompanied by a pay review. However, Ron Moran, National President of the Customs Excise Union Douanes Accise (CEUDA), says "Government has failed to live up to its promise and has ignored border security and the pay concerns of our members for far too long. It’s bloody well time that the federal government listened to our members concerns about security risks and the greater dangers they face on the job." Moran, whose union is part of the 150,000-member strong Public Service Alliance of Canada, adds, “As a result, we're losing a countless number of recruits to police forces who pay upwards of $20,000 more per year." PSAC Atlantic REVP Jeannie Baldwin charges that the federal government is being hypocritical in its failure to resolve Customs Officers' concerns. "While they've stonewalled the workers on the front-lines," she says, "Canada Border Services Agency managers have received pay boosts of 30 per cent, and performance bonuses of $10 million in 2003 alone." Moran cautions there will be delays at the airport, and says that CEUDA and its members express regret for any inconvenience to the public and commerce. Eunice Trainor and Jean-Pierre Fortin, CEUDA National Vice-Presidents, will also be on hand at the picket. CEUDA represents about 10,000 members, of whom 5,000 are front-line, trade, investigations, and intelligence Customs Officers. - 30 - |
