The union representing some 800 striking workers at a large airline catering company says it has “health and safety” concerns as replacement workers seek to keep snacks and meals moving onto flights departing from Pearson Airport in Mississauga.
Teamsters Local Union 647 said in an email to insauga.com it’s raising concerns “as replacement workers and managers attempt to maintain operations” at Gate Gourmet, which is located just steps from the airport in Mississauga and prepares and delivers in-flight snacks, meals and drinks to hundreds of daily departing flights at Pearson.
“Gate Gourmet’s attitude throughout this process utterly disregards passengers, too. Now, if passengers out of Pearson find some hair in their next airline meal, it’s because Gate Gourmet would rather compromise on hygiene than give their experienced workers a raise,” Martin Cerqua, president of Teamsters Local Union 647, said in the email statement sent by Teamsters Canada.
“We are also deeply concerned for the safety of the replacement workers themselves, who are clearly unfamiliar with safety protocols and are taking serious risks trying to do our jobs.”
The union, which said it has several photos that raise specific concerns, contends, among other things, that:
some replacement workers and managers are not wearing hair and beard nets in areas where food is being handled
wheel chocks are not being used correctly in some cases, which the union said could lead to workers falling and being hurt. Wheel chocks prevent the accidental movement of high-lift catering trucks that deliver food and other items onto aircraft. Accidental movement of catering trucks can also damage the plane, leading to delays or cancelled flights, according to the union
in some cases, guard rails are not being fully extended while a manager is servicing a plane from a high-lift catering truck, “creating a fall risk”
some replacement workers are not wearing steel-toed boots or safety vests
Photo shows some replacement workers not wearing proper gear while in food preparation area, the union says. (Photo: Supplied to insauga.com)
In a statement emailed to insauga.com, Gate Gourmet insisted it takes “health and safety extremely seriously and we continue to comply with all safety regulations and standard operating procedures.
“We will investigate these isolated allegations and if proven credible, they will be resolved immediately,” the statement continued.
Also by email, a spokesman for Gate Gourmet Canada said the company has presented its best offer to the union, “which reflects the constraints we face as a business and factors in the costs for Gate Gourmet Canada to perform its obligations under its agreements with customers.
“As the strike continues, we are becoming less optimistic about a negotiated settlement,” the spokesman continued. “We have made clear to the union the consequences of a strike that lasts any longer than it already has. A prolonged strike threatens our work at Pearson. In addition, Gate Gourmet takes health and safety extremely seriously.”
As it seeks a negotiated settlement, the union says the dispute has already caused significant delays and disruptions at Air Canada and other airlines, “with some airlines, sadly, forced to wait hours for catering instead of departing without food.”
Cerqua said the union is again calling on Gate Gourmet “to align their wage rates with industry standards. Pay our members on par with other airline catering workers at Pearson, or even other Gate Gourmet workers in Vancouver, and this strike will be over in a minute.”
In addition to Air Canada, other potentially affected airlines include WestJet (Canada’s second-largest carrier), United Airlines, Delta Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Air India, Aero Mexico, SAS Scandinavian Airlines and Canadian carrier Jetlines.
Spokespersons for WestJet and Air Canada told insauga.com earlier they have contingency plans in place during the strike to ensure passengers don’t feel the impact.
