Machinists Now the Largest Representative for Pacific Screeners!
Vancouver, BC – The Canada Industrial Relations Board has decided that the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) is the bargaining agent for airport screeners employed by G4S at 11 airports in the Pacific Region.
In January 2011, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) issued a request for proposal, seeking contractors to provide passenger and baggage screening services at 89 airports in Canada. The airports were divided into four regions: Pacific, Prairies, Central and East. G4S Secure Solutions was the successful bidder in the Pacific Region. With G4S becoming the new employer, unions, including the IAMAW, representing security screeners at airports in the Pacific Region had to re-sign the members they had previously represented.
The CIRB awarded representation rights to the IAMAW for screeners at Vancouver International, Victoria, Kelowna, Comox, Cranbrook, Nanaimo, Fort St John, Prince George, Penticton, and Campbell River, British Columbia. The Board also awarded the IAMAW the right to represent non-union employees working at the airport in Castlegar, BC. The IAMAW now represents 1,111 of the 1257 screeners in the Pacific Region.
“Now that we have this behind us, we can proceed with obtaining a new collective agreement for these members,” said IAMAW Canadian General Vice President Dave Ritchie.
The IAMAW represents more than 18,000 workers in Canada’s Air Transport Sector.
