News
Toronto screeners reject contract offer from Garda

“The employees have rejected this unacceptable offer and have authorized the machinists union to take strike action,” said IAM general chairperson Barry Barnett. “We have not served strike notice at this time and, accordingly, we will continue to serve the flying public with our usual professional standards.”

Garda is a private company that is a service provider on behalf of the Canadian Air Transportation Security Authority (CATSA), a crown corporation that collects fees from the travelling public to provide pre-board security screening for flights.

“The annual amount of money spent by CATSA comes from the Air Traveler’s Security charge. Millions of dollars that are collected are not utilized for security only, and is used for general revenue. The monies being collected should be used to provide security, and security only,” said Barnett. “Hopefully, Garda and CATSA will realize that this offer must be improved. There continues to be more and more pressure on the workers to maintain the high standards of work and trying to provide for their families.”

IAM is among the largest industrial trade unions in North America, representing more than 500,000 active and retired members, and administers more than 5,000 contracts in transportation, woodworking, aerospace, manufacturing, service, health services and public services workers. IAM is the largest aviation union in Canada representing aircraft engineers from Air Canada, Field Aviation and Air Transat and now Sunwing.

On August 9, 2018, 60 Sunwing Aircraft Engineers and supervisors at Pearson Airport certified to join IAM. Sunwing Airlines is a Canadian low-cost airline headquartered in the Etobicoke, Ontario, describing itself as the second-largest tour operator in Ontario.