A dispute is brewing between workers and authorities at Pearson International Airport, where almost 300 employees are slated to lose their jobs as a result of what their union calls “unethical” contract flipping.
The terms refers to a practice by employers of awarding contracts to different service providers every few years. Workers must then re-apply for their jobs, often losing any wage increases and benefits earned under their previous employer.
Leslie Dias, a national representative for private sector union Unifor, said the group was concerned for the fate of 282 employees of the customer assistance program at Pearson, which helps passengers with mobility issues embark and disembark their flights.
Since 2004, the contract for that service has been tendered to a new company every three years, the union says. The latest successful bidder is Toronto Ground Airport Services, which will take over in May. All former employees of the program previously administered by Air Canada and Swissport will have to re-apply for work under the new contractor.
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