Security officers at the Bank of Canada, represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada, have been on strike since June 23, after labour negotiations broke down over the issue of worker benefits.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
The union representing striking Bank of Canada security guards has filed a complaint with the federal labour board alleging that the central bank is continuing to use contract guards despite an order from the board last week to stop the practice.
The unfair labour practice complaint was filed with the Canadian Industrial Relations Board on Tuesday morning by the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
The complaint, viewed by The Globe and Mail, states that union members observed individuals performing security checks around the perimeter of the Bank of Canada building in Ottawa as recently as Monday, and that these individuals were not identifiable as employees of the bank.
Approximately 50 armed security guards represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada have been on strike since June 23, after negotiations between the bank and the union broke down over a disagreement about worker benefits. In their absence, the central bank contracted security guards from GardaWorld Security to perform the duties of the striking workers, a practice which is illegal under federal labour law.
On July 7, after multiple complaints by the union, the Canada Industrial Relations Board issued a directive to the bank to stop using the services of Garda security guards during the strike, stating that the bank had contravened Section 94 of the Canada Labour Code. The board gave the Bank of Canada 48 hours to obey the ruling.
Bank of Canada told to not use replacement workers
In a statement to The Globe, a Bank of Canada spokesperson said that the central bank complied fully with the CIRB ruling by the deadline.
“The bank will not comment on its security posture. The bank respects the collective bargaining process and is ready to negotiate a fair agreement at any time,” the statement read.
But PSAC claims the bank has yet to comply with the order.
A July 13 letter from the union’s lawyers to the bank, obtained by The Globe and Mail, states that on Monday morning, days after the labour board’s ruling, there were people patrolling the Bank of Canada building.
“This morning, there were two black Ford SUVs parked in the loading dock driveway facing Bank Street. The staff in the SUV appeared to perform walking security checks around the perimeter of the building,” the letter, from PSAC’s lawyer Paul Champ, to the bank stated.
“These individuals did not appear to be employees or managers from the Bank of Canada, and are presumed to be private security contractors,” Mr. Champ wrote. He went on to request that the bank explain who the individuals performing security checks were, and why they were doing them after the CIRB ruling.
Due to the strike, the Bank of Canada has cancelled the lockup for Wednesday’s decision, which grants journalists early access to the decision before it’s released to the public at 9:45 a.m. ET.
The central bank had previously planned to host journalists at Statistics Canada’s offices in Ottawa – rather than the usual location of the central bank’s headquarters – but said in a statement that it couldn’t “guarantee that everyone will be able to access the building without difficulty.”
The decision will still be released at 9:45 a.m. ET.
Wednesday’s rate decision itself is expected to be uneventful, with the central bank widely expected to hold its benchmark interest rate steady at 2.25 per cent for the sixth consecutive time.
In an interview, PSAC’s regional executive vice-president Ruth Lau MacDonald reiterated the union’s stance about the bank’s alleged use of replacement workers.
“We’re asking for yet another order from the CIRB directing the bank to stop using scab labour.”
Central banks usually employ armed security guards to protect physical reserves of currency and gold. The Bank of Canada, however, no longer possesses physical gold reserves, having sold off its last coins a decade ago.
PSAC Local 71250 (which represents 49 security guards) and the central bank have been in contentious negotiations over a new contract since December, 2024.
While both sides have come to an agreement on wages, according to Ms. MacDonald, the outstanding issues on the negotiating table are related to benefits. “We are just asking the bank to keep provisions that were in place under the existing collective agreement. But they are trying to claw it back,” she said.
Bill C-58, or the anti-replacement worker bill, came into effect last July, much to the chagrin of federal employers who had, for years, campaigned against anti-scab legislation.
Unions argue that allowing replacement workers undermines the economic pressure generated by a strike, and removes the incentive for employers to negotiate fairly. Anti-replacement worker legislation in Canada only applies to federal employers, who are governed by the Canada Labour Code. British Columbia and Quebec are the only other provinces that also ban the use of replacement workers.
With reports from Mark Rendell