Pearson baggage, ground crews and Swissport reach tentative deal

A tentative deal has been reached between Swissport and baggage handlers and ground crew at Pearson International Airport, the Teamsters union confirmed on Wednesday.

The deal, once ratified, will bring an end to a 10-week long work stoppage.

About 700 employees of Swissport, whose ground crew workers service 30 of Pearson’s 74 airlines, have been on strike since July over wage and benefit disputes.

There is no word on when the ratification will take place; however, Teamsters Local 419 is urging its members to ratify the contract.

The union said Swissport wanted to impose a three-year wage freeze on the majority of the workers, require staff to work a minimum of 30 hours a week to qualify for full benefits, and was seeking the right to change schedules with 96 hours advance notice.

Details of the contract have not been released, so it is not known if an agreement was reached on those issue.

Workers had rejected previous offers in July and August. At the time, workers said the strike caused some significant delays with baggage handling, but management called it “an initial hiccup.”


Related stories:

Striking Pearson ground crew vote against new offer

Pearson ground crews on strike after rejecting latest offer

Striking Swissport worker protests block traffic at Pearson Airport

Pearson ground crew claims strike has caused significant baggage delays


With files from The Canadian Press

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