Air Canada wildcat strike over, union says

TORONTO, Ont. – Despite a small number of workers refusing to return to work, union officials say a wildcat strike by Air Canada ground workers that started in Toronto and spread to other airports is over.

According to union spokesman Bill Trbovich, three workers were suspended after Labour Minister Lisa Raitt was heckled while walking through the airport late Thursday.

Trbovich said when word of the suspensions spread their colleagues staged an illegal walkout, prompting the firing of 37 workers.

The ground workers returned to their posts later Friday morning after an arbitrator told them that everyone would be reinstated and there would be no punishment.

The illegal job action led to several flight delays and cancellations for travellers. According to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) website, over 100 Air Canada flights were delayed or cancelled at one point.

Earlier Friday, Ashley Kelahear, the press secretary for the Minister of Labour, said “the government of Canada is opposed to this illegal strike action that is disrupting travel for Canadians. Law enforcement agencies have been contacted, and will be deployed if necessary.”

“If IAMAW’s [International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers] job action is later ruled by the CIRB to be an illegal strike, employees could face fines of up to $1,000 a day and the union could face fines of up to $100,000 a day,” Kelahear added.

The ground workers, which include baggage handlers and gate agents, walked off the job late Thursday night.

The workers said they’re angry that Raitt brought in back-to-work legislation and sent their contract dispute with the airline to arbitration.

Many people had to leave flights already on the tarmac until management was able take over some baggage handling duties and allow the delayed flights to continue to their destination.

Travellers expressed their frustrations on social media. On Facebook, one person wrote: “Air Canada doesn’t care about their passengers. I think they should be shut down.”

Another wrote: “Too one has any job security or great increases this days. Fire them – there are many unemployed people who would be happy to have those jobs.”

Meanwhile Air Canada ground crews at Montreal-Trudeau Airport also walked off the job, Friday. On Twitter, the airline said change fees were waived.

680News in Toronto received several phone calls, Thursday evening, reporting that workers gathered as a group and just left the airport together around 10 p.m.

GTAA confirmed the illegal job action late Thursday. The striking workers then held a demonstration outside Terminal 1.

Many people had to leave flights already on the tarmac until management was able take over some baggage handling duties and allow the delayed flights to continue to their destination.

In Ottawa, passengers on a flight bound for Ottawa Thursday night were told to get off and return to the terminal.  

People stood in front of the gates trying to figure out where to go and what they’re going to do next. A lot of people asked where their luggage was at that point.

Air Canada has been plagued with labour troubles over the last year.

The airline and its pilots and mechanics have been in a bitter contract feud that prompted the federal government to recently step in with legislation banning strikes or lockouts at the airline.

Raitt had insisted the government had to act to protect the national economy.

Ottawa also had to intervene in contract disputes involving the airline’s flight attendants and its customer service agents.