

Chris Fox, CP24.com





No significant delays have been reported after hundreds of baggage handlers at Pearson International Airport walked off the job on Thursday night.

Members of Teamsters Local 419 walked off the job just after 10 p.m. after 95 per cent of those who cast a ballot chose to reject the latest offer from their employer.

As of noon on Friday there was not a significant uptick in delays at Pearson with the vast majority of flights departing on time.

The airport, however, is warning travellers that some flights could be affected and is urging everyone to check their flight status before leaving home.

Speaking with CP24 on Friday morning, the Vice President for Teamsters Local 419 said that while the strike hasn’t impacted operations yet, it could.

“As I understand it, the management team is out there loading the aircrafts and doing our work along with some replacement workers. I also understand that some replacement workers have begun to quit because they didn’t realize they were here for that. I am sure it will start affecting things and taking a toll throughout the day,” Harjinder Badial said.

Negotiators for Teamsters Local 419 and the employer, Swissport, are not currently at the table but Badial said that the union is “more than willing” to resume negotiations.

He said that while there are still a number of unresolved monetary issues on the table, the biggest issue is the lack of respect being given to his members.

“Our members have been so disrespected and I am just talking about common courtesies and simply being a human,” he said. “It has gotten so bad that our members are fed up.”

In a statement issued on Friday morning, the Vice President of Operations for Swissport’s Toronto division Pierre Payette said that “properly trained resources” are in place to keep people moving at Pearson and that is has been “business as usual” so far.

“We are working with airline partners and the GTAA to minimize any disruptions to travelers,” he said. “So far, it is business as usual and we will be keeping a close watch to ensure that it remains this way.”

Teamsters Local 419 has previously alleged that Swissport is attempting to impose a three-year wage freeze on its members and also wants staff to work a minimum of 30 hours a week to qualify for benefits, something the union objects to.

Swissport is contracted to service 30 of the 74 airlines at Pearson.

About 80 per cent of the airlines serviced by the company operate out of Terminal 3, where a informational picket was set up early Friday morning.