Members of the union representing most Canadian Food Inspection Agency employees have voted overwhelmingly to strike if stalled negotiations do not produce a settlement.
But a senior CFIA official insisted April 19 that food safety would not be jeopardized, even if a strike happens.
“We’re hopeful that we’ll be able to settle this without a resort to a strike,” said CFIA labour relations director Stephen Black.
“But food safety will not be compromised. Enough inspectors will be designated (essential) to make sure that will not happen.”
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The two sides met with a conciliation officer April 19.
Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, which represents 4,000 CFIA employees, voted 89 percent in early April to strike if there is no settlement favourable to members. Yves Ducharme, president of the PSAC agriculture union, said his members are unhappy with an agency offer of a one percent per year salary increase for three years.
Other issues include vacation leave, maternity time absence and parental leave.
Because most of CFIA’s food inspection staff will likely be designated essential and ineligible to strike, clerical and administrative employees would be the bulk of striking employees.
Any job action is likely months away, if it happens.
If talks break down, the union can ask for a conciliation board to resolve the issues, which could take months.
“I would guess a strike wouldn’t happen until the end of summer, although that is just speculation,” Black said.
