Arbitration still an option for Clement as striking foreign-service workers" deadline nears Treasury Board President Tony Clement continues to consider heading to arbitration with Canada's striking foreign-service workers, with the union's self-imposed deadline set to expire. After beginning rotating strikes in April, the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers offered binding arbitration to the federal government last Thursday. At the time, they said the offer expired at noon (ET) on Tuesday. On Monday, a spokesperson for Mr. Clement said the minister "is still reviewing the request." Mr. Clement has pledged not to give in to the union, which in turn has criticized the government for refusing to negotiate. The union said Monday evening it had yet to receive a reply from Mr. Clement's office about its arbitration offer. The two sides are at odds over the pay scale for Canada's foreign service, a group of roughly 1,350 workers that are, the union says, underpaid compared to comparable professions in the federal government. The difference ranges from $3,000 to $14,000 annually. Topping up the salaries would cost roughly $4.2-million per year, according to union estimates. But Mr. Clement - the federal government's point man in dealing with its civil service - says the jobs are in high demand and are already well paid, and the government's offer of 1.5 per cent annual raises to the existing pay scale is in line with other recent deals. He left little room for negotiations last week, exchanging barbs with the union on Twitter and urging them to simply accept the government's offer as-is. I want to convey I am not a soft touch on these issues. So, if you strike, you have to know that is not going to be a way to get me to the bargaining table," Mr. Clement said in an interview last week. The rotating strikes have slowed visa processing internationally, with the union claiming that, at some major centres, the rate of application processing has fallen 65 per cent - a figure the government says it can't corroborate. The Tourism Industry Association of Canada estimates that $280-million in tourism revenues could be lost this summer, and has urged both sides to reach a deal. Visa delays could also affect international students hoping to study in Canada, potentially forcing them to miss the start of the fall semester due to delays in processing student visas. That backlog is growing slowly. As of July 3, Citizenship and Immigration Canada was averaging 66 days to process student visa applications sent by mail, and 25 days to process those submitted online. But, as of July 17, the process was taking 73 days and 32 days, respectively. A spokeswoman for the department said it had no numbers on how many applications are being processed during the strike, but that offices remain open. "Students, as well as anyone applying for any type of visa, should submit their application as far in advance as possible," Nancy Caron said in a statement. The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations has called on both sides to settle the matter quickly and clear the backlog of visa applications before it derails the start of the fall semester. "It has the potential to hurt Canada's brand and image as a magnet for attracting international students," national director Jonathan Champagne said in an interview. In making the offer last week, the foreign-service officers" union said its noon deadline was firm. "If we do not receive acceptance in writing from the employer by then, we will deem the government to have rejected the offer," it said in a statement, adding it will continue to target visa processing in major cities, as well as teams working on major trade deals, in an effort to push for a deal. Union president Tim Edwards said last week each union member "takes no joy whatsoever" in the impacts of the strike, but that he sees no other option after 22 months of stalled negotiations.