I wanted to reach out with some updates and reminders. June was a very busy month for bargaining and our meeting dates with the Company were positive and productive. Your Bargaining Committee is dedicated and hard at work representing your needs and rights at the bargaining table.

Myself and a few members from your Health and Safety Committee, Jennifer Crichlow and Michelle Twidale, met with the Company last week to discuss critical concerns in the workplace. We advocated hard for improvements on your behalf and highlighted key concerns over members physical and mental wellbeing due to the issues we are facing due to the poor working conditions on the floor.

We discussed topics such as how to better manage staffing levels and addressed concerns over access to water and the high heat conditions on the floor. Many ideas were brainstormed and some plans are already being put into action. The Company agreed to place a water cooler down in access 7 as a way to address one of the limited access to water concerns. Due to consistent pressure from the Union, the Company has finally become compliant with their responsibility to provide menstrual products per the Canada Labour Code. They were placed in the C lunchroom. The Union also provided thermometers to the Health and Safety Committee to distribute to every checkpoints to make it easily accessible for members to check the heat levels while working and is always pushing for more fans to be installed. Be sure to report all Health and Safety concerns with the digitized Health and Safety form.

I want to remind everyone that bathroom and water breaks are not to be denied or delayed. Inform your manager of the need for one, and if one is not provided in a timely manner, ask a coworker to cover your position and go. The Company has assured that there shall be no discipline for leaving to use the washroom or getting water if the request is unduly delayed or denied. Please do not leave the position open or unattended, we do still have a duty to protect the travelling public. If a manager is denying or delaying a bathroom or water break please send an email statement to the Union email d266@unifor2002.org and report the incident. Be sure to include all relevant information.

The Company has contacted the Union with concerns over members not participating and signing up for the new CT X-ray training. They are pushing for forced measures and we are adamant that they need to find alternative measures. To be clear, this is mandatory training, and every member will need to have completed it prior to the opening of the central screening checkpoint coming soon. If you are able to attend a class, either by sign up or on shift if the Training Department approaches you, please be sure to complete this training as soon as possible. The more voluntary participation we have from members, the less the company will be able to substantiate the need for stricter enforcement measures.

This past Thursday, news outlets reported that several major airports across the country received bomb threats, YYC being one of them. This led to heightened security measures and some delays in operations. Nav Canada and local police services were swift and diligent in their response. Incidents like these are stressful, so we want to thank all members for their dedication and commitment to this very crucial, critical role we perform every single day to protect the travelling public from threats like these.

We know that summer is busy and between the stress test, Stampede and the G7, the breaks situation has escalated to unacceptable levels. Even if it is busy, that is no excuse, you need the breaks that you are entitled to for your health and wellbeing. Be sure to file a member report form for any denied breaks and for all times that you go more than 4hrs with no break. There is a process in place for managers to be able to close lines and accommodate the breaks does not appear to be currently happening. A meeting was had yesterday with the acting Director and it was made clear that change needs to happen. He assured that they are making major changes to address the breaks issues. We also discussed the lack of transparency surrounding Stat shifts and they are looking into ways to improve the system. We will be setting a date to finally have the scheduling audit that we’ve been asking for, that they have been putting off for months. We will not stop advocating on your behalf until these concerns are addressed and resolved.

If you are feeling that the working conditions on the floor are affecting your mental health, the Homewood health EFAP line is always available to everyone who needs support. This program provides a variety of free, confidential services, including counselling, coaching, health and wellness support, as well as family or individual assistance. You can reach them by phone 24/7. The code to sign up under Paladin Security is PS2686. The number is 1-800-663-1142 or visit Homeweb.ca

A bulletin was sent out earlier this week about the Stampede BBQ that the Unifor National is hosting next week. This is an expansion of the locals Stampede BBQ that happened last year, that was first thought of in our very own Union office! I have clarified that the deadline of registering by today, July 3rd, is not a deadline in order to attend, it is solely to gauge attendance levels to ensure adequate stock of food items. All will be welcome, even without a RSVP, and we hope to see you there!

I want to give a shout out to the great work some of our Vice Chairs that have gone above and beyond these past few weeks. Kaitlin Mazzei has been an amazing advocate for addressing the excessive heat at the checkpoints and was apart of the final push to have the menstrual products finally provided. Alex Popa advocated on behalf of our NPSV members and his hard work in part contributed to more backfills were provided for NPSV members. A huge thank you to all of the Leadership Team that are always assisting members with submitting grievances, answering questions and addressing concerns, both on and off the floor. We appreciate your dedication to helping the membership.

Summer is always a busy time for us. Report any concerns to the Union email, so we have the documentation we need to address these concerns with the company. Be safe and protect yourselves while working. Inform your managers if you are unwell and need to take a moment for your well being. This is not only to safeguard your health but to protect the integrity of Aviation Security by ensuring you are focused and complying fully with all SOPs and procedures. Remember to be kind and supportive to one another, and stay united.

In Solidarity

Your Leadership Team

Hey everyone,

We heard there is some talk of decertifying and changing Unions. We want to be straight with you: decertifying/changing Unions doesn’t fix those problems — it just creates new ones. This talk is actively undermining your Bargaining Committee and all of the hard work we have put in, to fight for a better contract. We need to show a united front and give the Bargaining Committee full support so we can achieve what we need to in bargaining. You elected us for a reason and we will work relentlessly on your behalf to represent your rights and concerns, with the Company, at the bargaining table.

The problems we are facing in our workplace are not unique to Calgary Airport alone. We know that all other Screening Officers under Paladin are facing the exact same issues, regardless of which Union is representing them. The lack of breaks and issues surrounding scheduling, pay, lack of timely responses and working conditions are prevalent at every Paladin base. The common denominator is the company, Paladin.

What happens if we change Unions? It might feel like a reset, but you lose the progress we have made. The issues that frustrate you now don’t go away if we decertify/change— they get harder to deal with. We have several policy grievances pending settlements and some scheduled for arbitration and we are in the middle of active bargaining. The bottom line is if we walk away now, we lose the ability to fix what’s wrong and we give the Employer the upper hand. You have elected the right people and we are in the best place to enact actual change, have faith in us. Let’s keep fighting to make the union better — not give up on it when we need it most. Remember, United We Bargain, Divided We Beg.

In Solidarity,
Your Bargaining Committee

As we prepare to welcome a New Year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the one we’ve just shared. This year brought its fair share of challenges, yet through it all, we remained united. Together, we navigated transition uncertainties, celebrated wins, and grew stronger as a team.

All your hard work, resilience, and support for one another have been nothing short of inspiring. Our commitment and ability to come together as a team to fight to improve our workplace makes me honoured to work with all of you as Screening Officer and represent you as your District Chair.

I am proud to announce that we raised $2000 for Byron’s Road to Recovery 50/50! Congratulations to Matt Prizeman for being the winner of the 50/50. Further congratulations goes to Alex Popa for winning the gift card draw for filling out the bargaining survey.

We look forward to everyone’s participation in the upcoming proposal meetings. This round of bargaining is crucial for securing improved working conditions, so it is imperative that everyone remembers that United we Bargain, Divided we Beg. Now more than ever, we need to show our collective strength.

As we step into the year ahead, let’s carry forward the strength, unity, and optimism that have defined us. I’m optimistic about the changes and successes waiting for us in 2025, and I’m grateful to have each of you on this journey.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and prosperous New Year. May your checkpoint lines be small, and your pay cheques be large!

In Solidarity

Your Leadership Team

Anyone can contact the Distress Centre to speak with a highly trained responder, receive emotional support, and feel heard. They are available 24/7 by phone or text at 9-8-8 or 403-266-HELP (4357). This is a free, confidential service.

We have a Crisis Advocate who can be reached confidentially by email at dlunz@unifor2002.org and can assist you with finding resources within the workplace and community.

We have a new digitized grievance form, it can be accessed through the MEMBERS REPORT FORM. This can be used for OT bypasses, denied breaks, and payroll issues. We encourage members to use this form, but you can still go to a Vice Chair to submit it as well. For all other grievances, these still need to be submitted by a member of the leadership team.

Your bargaining committee has completed training and the bargaining survey was sent out. It is now closed and we had a good response rate, thank you to all that participated! Proposal meetings will commence in the New Year.

We hope everyone supports each other during this busy holiday season. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to those that celebrate.

In Solidarity,

Your Leadership Team

As reminder, the Membership Bargaining Survey is out. In preparation for upcoming contract negotiations, your Unifor Bargaining Committee would like to better understand where you stand on certain key bargaining issues. Your elected bargaining committee is encouraging your participation in completing this survey by offering a District 266 member the chance to win a $100 prepaid Visa gift card. In order to be eligible, you must meet all of the following criteria:

1. be a Unifor Local 2002 PASS D266 member in good standing

2. complete a survey no later than the deadline

3. include your first name, last name and your email address.

The winner will be contacted on December 23, 2024

Survey deadline:

Friday, December 20, 2024 (1200 local time)

Click here to begin the survey

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