For Immediate Release
Winnipeg, MB – Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Union of Canadian Transport Employees (UCTE) at the Winnipeg Airport will be holding a public rally at City Hall today (Wednesday, September 27, 2017) at 12 noon.
Several conferences and events have been cancelled or postponed since the strike began and those economic impacts are felt by Winnipeg’s business community along with the members on strike .
"The Airport's refusal to table a credible offer that addresses the contracting out if our members work means less traffic through the airport and less customers for local businesses,” said Marianne Hladun, PSAC Prairies Regional Executive Vice-President. “We are taking this opportunity to call on civic leaders like Mayor Bowman and City Council to call on the Winnipeg Airport Authority to offer a fair deal for airport workers.”
The approximately 150 employees represented by UCTE Local 50600 who work as duty managers, administrative workers, various tradespersons, IT workers, airfield maintenance, and labourers at the Winnipeg Airport have been on strike since July 24, 2017, and without a contract since June 30, 2016. Despite the best efforts of members and their negotiating team, the Winnipeg Airports Authority refuses to back down on contracting out employees’ work and putting jobs at risk.
“Our members are solid citizens of Winnipeg and deserve to have their voices heard," said Hladun. "They've shown they are willing to stay out for as long as is necessary for that to happen. Mayor Bowman: use your voice to bring Barry Rempel back to the table with a fair deal."
PSAC represents more than 170,000 workers across Canada, including nearly 8,000 in Manitoba and 150 employees at the Winnipeg Airports Authority. UCTE is a component of PSAC, which represents workers in both the public sector—Transport Canada, Canadian Coast Guard, Parks Canada—and private sector—Airports and NAV Canada.
For more information please contact:
Thomas Linner
Regional Communications Officer
Phone: 204-943-5499
Email: linnert@psac.com