GVP Chartrand’s letter to Minister Alghabra on Canadian Airports and Mandatory Vaccination Policies

16 September, 2021
By Email: Omar.Alghabra@parl.gc.ca

Honorable Omar Alghabra
Minister of Transportation
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0A6

Re: Canadian Airports – Mandatory Vaccination Policies

Dear Honourable Minister Alghabra,

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) represent twenty two thousand workers in air transportation and aerospace in Canada. We represent a majority of workers at Canadian airports.

I am writing you today asking your help with a troubling issue about mandatory vaccination policies by Canadian Airports authorities, which are arm’s length from government. A number of Canadian airports are implementing vaccination policies, taking any possibility of consultation and negotiation on this critical health and safety issue away from unions. Any policy put forward without consultation with recognized bargaining agents could potentially be an infringement on our members’ rights, but more importantly, we are concerned about workers whose legitimate accommodation needs may be unrecognized.

If the federal government is going to mandate vaccinations in the federal sector, consultations are essential to ensure there are mechanisms for accommodation. The IAMAW believes that, your government presented this and has shed responsibility to involve individual union/employers and bargaining agents.

I am therefore requesting a meeting, as soon as possible, to discuss airport authorities mandating vaccine policies.

Thanks in advance for your consideration and assistance in this regard.

Yours Truly,

 

David Chartrand

GENERAL VICE-PRESIDENT 

C.c.       The Right Honourable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
              The Honourable Minister of Labour Filomena Tassi