Vancouver Screeners Find Common Ground with Garda Screeners at Pearson!

Toronto, ON – Garda Airport Screeners at Toronto’s Pearson Airport found that they have much in common with their counterparts in Vancouver. They made this discovery during a surprise visit Tuesday night by IAMAW Local Lodge 16 President Rick Singh, Shop Steward Derek Rose and Zaineb Ghlayem – airport screeners from Vancouver employed by Aeroguard. The Vancouver trio, are on a three-day visit to Toronto for talks with the Garda screeners, promoting the advantages of being members of the IAM.

The Toronto Garda screeners are seeking affiliation with the IAM because they are frustrated not only with the lack of transparency in dealings with their current union but also its failure to deliver their concerns to their employer.

Garda screeners have been hard hit by the recent budget cuts to service providers by the Canadian Air Transport Security Agency (CATSA). The result has been more than 400 layoffs while the majority of the remaining screeners have had their hours cut. They found that after talking with the Vancouver screeners, they faced similar problems such as reduced training, reduced hours and fatigue due to understaffing. They discovered that it pays to be a member of the IAM because the union has been able to minimize the layoffs in Vancouver as well as negotiate a new collective agreement.

The Vancouver screeners now have better wages, better health care coverage, and improved notification of shift schedules as well as increased full-time representation funded by the employer. The Vancouver trio will meet with more Garda members Thursday.