Air

TORONTO – Unifor aviation members are gathering today at Pearson International Airport during the busy holiday travel season to bring awareness to poor working conditions in the sector that lead to delays, cancellations, lost baggage, and packed airports.

“We all know that travel chaos is common, even without the holiday rush,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President.

Editorial by Lana Payne, Unifor National President

Holiday travel often comes with dread and anxiety for many. Delays, lost baggage, packed airports. 

As a union representing aviation workers from baggage handlers to air traffic controllers, we and our members understand that these busy times expose and amplify many of the underlying problems in the sector. 

We reiterate our call for the federal government, airports and airlines to work together to tackle the root problems causing disarray in the aviation industry.

Unifor members in the aviation sector are rallying at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport on Dec. 18 as a Day of Action for better working and travelling conditions.

Low wages, unpredictable hours, multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet and harassment are just a few of the issues faced by thousands of air transport workers at airports across the country.

These issues are wreaking havoc across the industry causing a worker attraction and retention crisis that industry and government refuse to properly address.

Unifor extends a warm welcome to 38 new Porter Airlines employees based out of Ottawa International Airport (YOW).

“At a time when Canada’s aviation sector needs more workers, not fewer, I am thrilled to have Unifor fighting on behalf of these new members,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President.

“These workers are concerned about job security, wages, and decent work – the same issues in aviation Unifor has been consistently vocal about. We are ready to fight for them.”

TORONTO – Unifor has released its own Air Transportation Workers’ Charter of Rights asserting that the actions taken by the federal government and airport authorities to solve travel chaos are not enough to solve the root of the problem— inadequate working conditions. 

“Our members’ working conditions are the public’s travel conditions,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. 

A tentative agreement was reached between the Air Traffic Specialists Association of Canada (ATSAC), who are members of Unifor Local 2245, and NAV Canada today.

Details of the Agreement will be distributed to the membership tomorrow, Oct. 6, 2023.

In solidarity,

ATSAC Executive Board and Advisory Committee

TORONTO – Unifor is fighting Air Canada’s decision to lay off more than 50 Jazz members in Newfoundland and Labrador as the company makes changes to its services in Gander, Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Deer Lake.

“Unifor is committed to fighting vigorously for our aviation members at Jazz,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.

“Companies like Air Canada can’t just be cavalier about bringing in new contracts and expect our union to sit by on the sidelines. Our members are dedicated to their jobs and deserve respect.”

CALGARY—Wage gains, seniority protections, vacation time, and pension increases are all features of a new collective agreement signed by Unifor members working as screening officers at the Calgary airport for Gardaworld.

“Unifor is a strong union for airport workers,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “First contracts can be tricky to negotiate, so we’re proud of the work done by the committee to get the job done.”

TORONTO – Unifor believes the government’s new Air Transportation Accountability legislation doesn’t address the root problems of air passenger travel – working conditions in the sector.

“They’re missing a huge piece of the puzzle,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.