Category Archives: News

Membership Letter: District 140 Supervision

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Membership Letter:
District 140 Supervision

Dear IAM District 140 Family,

As a member of Canada’s largest and most powerful airline union, the IAM, you have a right to expect world-class representation. And while our long-standing solidarity and strength have gotten us to this point, it has become clear in my visits with you – our proud membership – that more needs to be done to move us toward a brighter future.

Today, I am proud to announce that we are taking significant steps toward ensuring the good and welfare of our District 140 membership.

Upon approval from the IAM Executive Council and in accordance with the IAM Constitution, we are placing District 140 under supervision. This is an internal process within our union that allows us to assist the District in serving our membership. It does not remove any officers, make any changes to district or local elections, or change any financial operations of the district.

Our goals, which come directly from meetings with our membership, are the following:

Informing Our Membership
Ensure communication is flowing at all levels of our organization and making it to the shop floor. Our members have a right to transparent, consistent communication.

Mobilization for Bargaining
We must be united as we head toward critical bargaining with Air Canada and other employers. We will only succeed if we are together as one.

Structural Improvements
We heard from you that you feel the District structure is not serving the best interests of our membership. We will examine our bargaining committees and District board structure to ensure our members are being heard.

Real Representation
We must ensure that every region and workgroup has a strong voice in our union. This is a union that serves all members.

Top-to-Bottom Review
We will review all District processes, including our bylaws, and make changes that put the members first.

All of these actions are being taken with the good and welfare of you – the membership – at the forefront. We look forward to continuing to keep you informed as we move District 140 into the brighter future that every member deserves.

In solidarity,

David Chartrand
IAM Canadian General Vice President

IAM Canada – IAM Sounds Alarm on Contract Flipping at Canada’s Largest Airport

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IAM members working for TBH Services at Toronto Pearson airport are concerned for their future as their contract with the Greater Toronto Airport Authority has gone through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process. Some IAM members have worked for TBH Services at Canada’s largest workplace, Toronto Pearson Airport, for over 20 years.

The membership is very concerned with the lack of information and are on edge waiting to find out what will happen to their livelihoods should the contract change to a new employer. The RFP process was extended by one month and has left the membership on edge. They are very worried that it may change to a non-union employer that could drastically change work rules, wages and benefits.

The IAM has been pushing the airport authority to move away from the RFP process as this impacts workers rights and keeps wages low. The IAM also suggests poor working conditions and reduced wages due to contract flipping damages service levels as staff turnover becomes a major problem.

The IAM has been made aware that within the RFP documents there was no language about labour standards or Canadian Labour Code rights and protections for the existing employment group. This is despite the Toronto Airport Workers’ Council succeeding in 2016 to push the Greater Toronto Airport Authority to include labour standards and expectations within the RFP documents.

“Contract flipping is a destructive practice that needs to stop. The impact this is having on our membership is shameful. Workers at Toronto Pearson deserve better. Our members deserve better. The IAM will continue to lobby all levels of government and fight to eliminate this practice,” said Dan Janssen, General Chairperson for IAM District 140.

The IAM represents the greatest number of workers at Canadian airports.

For more information:
Dan Janssen
General Chairperson
IAM District 140

IAM Canada – Workers at MVS Design outfit themselves with the IAM

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MVS Design located in Bolton Ontario has been producing promotional items, including jackets, hats and shirts for sports teams, businesses and unions for many years.

Mark Pacilla, of IAM Local 2323, recently organized their workers into the IAM Union. “Both the workers and the management of MVS are excited to be working with the IAM”, said Pacilla.

Pictured above are IAM Local 2323 executive members, who toured the facility, along with the IAM’s newest members of Local 2323.

IAM Canada – New IAM members at Pearson vow to take collective action

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Between 30-40 new IAM members attended their first meeting with their representatives and to ask questions. Almost immediately, they discovered the benefits of joining the IAM. The group of about 110 workers becomes part of IAM Local 2413.

From standardising shifts to health and safety concerns to favouritism, the new members asked many questions about their rights and how they could move forward in the upcoming bargaining with the employer. Due to being classified as workers in the federal sector, the new members discovered they were entitled to a host of rights they didn’t know they had.

Dan Janssen, General Chairperson for IAM District 140 and the new servicing representative chaired the meeting and fielded questions. “It is inspiring to see these workers come together with strength and solidarity in order to push back on their employer in an effort to demand decent working conditions and fair wages. The issues raised at tonight’s meeting are concerning and range from terrible working conditions to a complete lack of respect for these workers”.

Also present at the meeting were Kushang Shah, Shop Steward with IAM Local 2323 and Sam Jabbar, GLR with IAM Canada both played a major role in showing the workers the benefits of joining the IAM.

“They brought with them a wealth of questions and curiosity. But mostly were glad that they joined IAM and taking the first step towards a better future. With each passing moment, their faces lit up with hope and anticipation, knowing that their lives were about to change with significant improvement,” Shah said.

Officers and staff of IAM Local 2413, District 140 and the IAM Canadian Office were also on hand to welcome the members.

The new members work for Logixx Security providing security and monitoring services. They joined the IAM at the end of July 2024.

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For more information:
Dan Janssen, General Chairperson
IAM District 140

See all the photos on our Flickr album:

Their first union chant: