The Union of National Employees criticizes passport job cuts

The Union of National Employees (UNE) criticizes the job cuts at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).

According to a statement from Friday, May 23, by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), 800 jobs will be eliminated in the passport program. Another 280 employees will be laid off within the CRA.

“The concern is that we are going back to a time where it is going to take even longer for people to get their passports,” said Alisha Kang, national president of UNE.

In an interview with 1130 NewsRadio, she recalls the immense lineups during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She says that the ESDC had to surge its capacity at that time. With these layoffs, the department lets go of trained and capable passport officers.

“There are still extensive wait times going on right now to get passports,” Kang warned. And cutting jobs will only make things worse the UNE says.

“Canadians are going to be quite concerned about the availability of being able to get a passport promptly,” Kang added.

The layoffs are scheduled for June 27

She also explained how the ESDC defines wait times:

“The way that they are counting the lineups is only once you are actually in the passport office, and not the wait time that you have outside building,” she explained. “I had to get a new passport myself. And have waited quite a bit to be able to even get into the office itself.”

ESDC argues that the cuts are due to a projection of reduced passport application volumes for 2025 and 2026, according to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the federal department responsible for Canadian citizenship.

But frontline workers telling a different story.

“We are not anticipating that this is going to be reduced. If anything, we are expecting this to increase,” Kang said.

The layoffs are scheduled for June 27.

The union is now calling on the new federal government to stop the job cuts, consult with unions, and develop a plan to strengthen the public service.