TORONTO, July 24 /CNW/ - Approximately 900 CAW members at the Greater
Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) have ratified a new collective agreement by a
margin of 87 per cent.
After an extremely difficult set of negotiations, the GTAA bargaining
committee negotiated a strong collective agreement that will be in effect
until July 31, 2013 and includes progressive aspects for all members,
including a twelve percent wage increase.
"It was the CAW's reputation a strong commitment to workers that
initially brought this group into our union," said Leslie Dias, president of
CAW Local 2002. "In spite of the numerous obstacles that workplace activists
and leadership have faced over the past two years, we were determined to
provide the best agreement and workplace representation possible."
The GTAA applied to the CIRB in March 2007, to consolidate three existing
bargaining units into one. A year later, the CAW, who represented one of the
units at the GTAA, won the vote to represent workers throughout Toronto's
Lester B. Pearson International Airport, including maintenance, skilled trades
and professionals, baggage handling, operations and office and technical
administration employees.
In October 2008, the bargaining committee then began the formidable job
of consolidating three existing bargaining units and a newly included group of
employees into one collective agreement. After numerous meetings with the
employer, Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) and labour mediator Tom
Hodges, a tentative agreement was reached and subsequently, ratified
overwhelmingly by the membership.
"It was extremely challenging to consolidate three very different
collective agreements and fashion a contract that would most benefit the
entire membership. I think the bargaining committee should be commended for
achieving that complex objective," said Dias.
For further information: please contact CAW Local 2002 President, Leslie
Dias, (cell) (416) 315-2134 or CAW Local 2002 Communications, Delia Gaskill,
(office) (905) 678-1551
