OTTAWA — In a major victory for the Canadian labor movement, the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) has ordered the Bank of Canada to immediately stop using contracted security workers from Garda during an ongoing strike by its own security force.
In a decisive ruling issued on Tuesday, the federal labor board stated that Canada’s central bank contravened the Canada Labour Code by deploying third-party contractors and utilizing the services of union members to maintain operations during the legal strike.
The security officers, represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), walked off the job in June after collective bargaining failed to secure a new agreement. The workers are demanding better wages, improved benefits, and stable, predictable schedules. According to the union, 63 security officers across the Bank of Canada’s Ottawa and Montreal offices are participating in the strike, with the employer also locking out the Montreal workforce.
Violation of Anti-Scab Legislation
The dispute escalated and reached the labor board after PSAC alleged that bank management was contacting striking workers directly and actively planning to bypass the picket line by hiring a third-party security firm.
The board’s ruling heavily leverages a milestone federal law passed in 2024, which strictly bans federally regulated workplaces from bringing in replacement workers—commonly referred to as “scabs”—during a legal strike. These stringent anti-replacement rules officially came into effect last year.
Responding to the verdict, the Bank of Canada released a brief statement on Tuesday affirming that it respects the CIRB’s decision. The central bank stated it will comply with the order “as soon as it can put in place the necessary measures to maintain the required level of security for its people and facilities.”
A “Major Win” for Workers
Alex Silas, national executive vice-president of PSAC—who began his career as a security officer at the Bank of Canada in 2010—called the ruling a monumental victory. Describing an emotional phone call with picket captains following the announcement, Silas expressed immense pride in the workers’ 15-day resolve against what he called an “unjust employer.”
“Folks are feeling overjoyed, justified in this fight,” Silas said. “I’m just happy that the labor board did the right thing here.”
The union has indicated that its members are eager to return to work, provided the employer shows respect for their work-life balance. PSAC is now calling on the Bank of Canada to drop its demanded concessions, return to the bargaining table, and finalize a fair deal to protect the reputation and integrity of the nation’s central bank.
