OTTAWA - The United Steelworkers said Friday that pre-boarding screeners at Ottawa International Airport have voted 98 per cent in favour of a strike if they can't reach a collective agreement with Aeroguard Eastern Ltd.
Outstanding issues include wages, benefits and pensions, said Wayne Fraser, director of the United Steelworkers Ontario-Atlantic division.
Bargaining committees representing the 250 screeners and Aeroguard will meet with a federal conciliator on June 10, Fraser said in a news release. Talks have been ongoing for three months.
"Our members do important work and are on the front line of airport security in the nation's capital," said United Steelworkers staff representative David Lipton.
"Our goal is to achieve a fair and equitable collective agreement without any disruption. But we will not settle for anything less than what our members deserve."
Despite the government's stated priority on national security, the union said the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority recently implemented cutbacks in pre-board screening across Canada.
