Winnipeg airport workers on strike

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This article was published 24/07/2017 (3008 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg airport workers began a strike Monday morning after their union failed to reach an agreement with the Winnipeg Airports Authority.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada’s Union of Canadian Transportation Employees served the authority with a 72-hour strike notice Thursday, stating its members would begin striking at 3 a.m. today if there was no agreement.

About 150 airport employees — including duty managers, administrative workers and various tradespeople, among others who’ve been without a contract since June 30, 2016 and in bargaining negotiations since October — are on strike. Roughly 40 people were walking the picket line as of 8 a.m.

Representatives of the airports authority and the union had been negotiating for the last week with the help of a federally appointed mediator. Outstanding issues include wage discrepancies, pension plan changes and the contracting out of work to non-union employees. The airports authority denied contracting out any more union work than what is allowed under the expired agreement.

At the start of the mediation process, the airports authority tabled an offer it said included a five per cent wage increase over the course of a five-year agreement, along with a commitment to no layoffs. On Sunday, before negotiations broke off, the authority upped its offer to a 7.5 per cent increase.

The union is asking for a 5.5 per cent increase for all employees in each year of a two-year agreement, retroactive to 2016, according to the airports authority’s release.

An official statement from the union stated the offer “failed to address almost all of those issues” the negotiations were meant to resolve.

“PSAC is committed to a successful strike action if that is what is necessary to ensure that these important workplace issues are resolved and employees work is protected,” said Marianne Hladun, executive vice-president for the alliance’s prairies region.

The airports authority said the proposed changes would increase the salary range for unionized employees from $25 to $56 to $28 to $65 per hour.

“Under (the union’s) proposal, the lowest salaried full-time employee would move from $49,000 a year to $54,500 a year, while those at the top of the range would move from $109,000 to over $126,000 a year,” the authority’s statement said. “Overtime and shift premiums are over and above this amount.”

The airports authority and the union each claim the other side was the one to abandon negotiations and walk away from mediation.

Hladun, who was on the picket line Monday morning, said the airport’s claim that union representatives walked away was “completely untrue.”

Even with the 72-hour strike notice, she said union negotiators were awaiting an updated offer or any form of communication from the airport until 2 a.m. Monday, but hadn’t heard back since the last offer was made Sunday night.

When asked whether union representatives left negotiations as stated in the airports authority’s statement, Tyler MacAfee, the authority’s director of corporate communications and public affairs, said it was more accurate to say that “talks broke down.”

Hladun said the strike is not meant to disrupt anyone’s travel schedule, and the picket line allows travellers a clear path to and from airport entrances and exits.

“Our mandate is to operate our airport in a fiscally prudent manner in the best interests of our community,” said airports authority president and CEO Barry Rempel in a release. “We are confident our offer would keep (the airport) as one of the most sought after places of employment.”

The airports authority doesn’t anticipate the strike will result in significant disruption to airport operations, stating it has plans to deal with issues that arise.

Their habitual use of temporary and contract workers goes against their declarations of respect. Today, it might be one person, and tomorrow it might be someone else.

Some workers, including duty managers, will continue to work during the strike, MacAfee said, adding that essential roles will continue to be filled.

He said the airport will bring in temporary workers, both from Manitoba and outside the province.

“We’re in a position now where we just need people in place,” he said.

Union negotiators wanted to address the use of temporary workers, Hladun said.

“Their habitual use of temporary and contract workers goes against their declarations of respect. Today, it might be one person, and tomorrow it might be someone else,” she said.

Hladun confirmed a duty manager will be at work at all times in accordance with the airport’s essential-services agreement, and that other tradespeople, such as electricians, are on standby in case essential repairs or maintenance work are needed.

Until an agreement is reached, picketers will be out at the airport seven days a week, likely starting at 5 a.m. each day, Hladun said.

ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca