Tag Archives: IAM

IAMAW Canada – Fighting Machinists team up, get crucial protections for pre-board screeners

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Fighting Machinists team up, get crucial protections for pre-board screeners

The airline industry in Canada has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Thousands of airport workers have been laid off, airlines have grounded fleets and associate airport business have been shuttered. For those still employed and going to work at the airport, it can be an unnerving experience as the virus has not stopped it spread.

“Some airport employers have been better than others when it comes to providing personal protective equipment (PPE). We have been working closely with our allies at the United Steel Workers (USW), fighting for our Members, employed as pre-board screeners across the country to get service providers to provide the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) they require as front line workers in this pandemic.  It looks like our collective hard work over the last couple of weeks has paid off as the Canadian Air Transportation Security Authority (CATSA) will now supply face shields to our screening officers across the country,” said IAM District 140 General Chairperson Tania Canniff. “Our pre-board screeners have been demanding the proper PPE from their respective employers since this pandemic started. Through our collective hard work, we were able to get the screeners the protection they deserve,” said IAM District 140 General Chairperson Tayeb Lharti.

On April 17, 2020 Transport Canada issued an emergency guidance mandating that effective April 20, 2020, all passengers wear a face covering while travelling. Also contained in that guidance was mandating proper PPE for screening officers. This guidance mandated that any screener who could not maintain a 2-metre distance through the performance of their duties was to be given a mask. This week, through discussion with the unions, CATSA agreed to supply face shields to all pre-board screeners, throughout the country. Canniff added. “The cooperation between the IAM and the Steelworkers on the fight to protect our pre-board screeners has been amazing. It’s incredible what we can accomplish when we are all focused and working towards a common outcome, like the health and well-being of our Members.”

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers represents the largest number of airport workers across Canada.

CLC Campaign – Working for the Community

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Working for the Community

Greetings,

I hope this email finds you well.

The Canadian Labour Congress is pleased to share with you that we will be launching an important new project to pay tribute to Canada’s essential workers this coming May Day. We will need your help to make it a success.

This campaign aims to spotlight workers in various sectors who are helping to keep our communities running throughout this pandemic, demonstrating what it really means to be a team player.

The project will highlight photos and stories of essential workers from across the country on the CLC’s website and on social media, acknowledging the strength these workers are showing in the face of crisis.

A selection of the photos we receive will be transformed into colouring pages that can be downloaded and displayed in home windows as a way for the public to show solidarity and appreciation.

At the end of the series, a commemorative colouring book and frameable posters will be available from the CLC to help mark this historic moment in labour history.

We invite you to reach out to workers in your networks and invite them to participate in this exciting project. They can send a photo and a brief description of their work to us through our website here. (Please copy fsaptel@iamaw.org)

Help us to ensure that these workers’ stories are remembered long after this pandemic has faded from our collective memories.

Thank you for your consideration. Be well.

In solidarity,

Hassan Yussuff
President, CLC