May 25, 2006
We appreciate the opportunity to present the views of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers to the Panel charged with the statutory review of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority Act.
The IAM has a longstanding interest in air transport security. We are the largest union, representing 16,000 active workers in the Canadian air transport sector, and we have represented Canadian air transport workers for close to 70 years.
We represent workers at Air Canada and other air carriers, as well as workers at a wide range of service companies in the sector, including workers providing security screening at 15 airports across the country.
While an effective system of air transport security is important to the traveling public, it is particularly important to our members. It not only affects their safety and that of their families, but the successful future of this industry (and our members’ continuing employment) depends on a security system that works.
As a representative of workers across the air transport industry, we are disturbed by a continuing tendency among the various air security authorities to treat airline and airport workers as a security problem, rather than an essential part of the solution. Workers and unions are not included on airport security committees. There is no mandated training on security for airport workers including cargo agents, baggage handlers, maintenance technicians and cleaners, who are directly at risk, and should be the first line of security.
After almost 20 years and recommendations from a range of authorities including the Security Intelligence Review Committee, there is still no independent appeal process for workers denied their jobs because their security passes have been removed or suspended by airport authorities, Transport Canada, CATSA or any of the other agencies involved.
The lack of respect for workers in the sector is further evidenced by the government’s unwillingness to appoint to the CATSA Board a nominee of the Canadian Labour Congress, Canada’s main labour central.
The air transport security system in this country was a concern of the IAM long before the advent of CATSA. We have for decades decried the low priority placed on air transport security by the federal government – in particular, the practice of downloading passenger screening - the front line of security, to air carriers, who then contracted the work out to the lowest bidder.
If the job of passenger screeners, the front lines of security, is truly important, they deserve to be regular employees of the federal government. The public deserves a service provided by workers who are treated with respect, with decent wages and working conditions and employment stability.
The low-bid system caused serious problems. It led to inconsistent standards, high turnover of poorly-paid screening personnel, a lack of accountability, and unresolved conflicts between commercial and security considerations. In addition, the offloading of control over federal airports onto local airport authorities during the 1990s added another set of players, and further diffusion of accountability. The accompanying reduction in the RCMP complement at airports also had a negative impact, slowing response times for airport incidents.
It has even been suggested that the screening system was designed for little more than cosmetic effectiveness - dissuading “amateur” terrorists.
When the tragic events of 9/11 highlighted the weakness of the screening system, the Canadian government responded badly. Rather than cutting bureaucracy and increasing accountability by bringing direct responsibility for airport security back into the federal government, they created CATSA, another player, another layer of bureaucracy (and, not incidentally, another layer of insulation from accountability).
CATSA has continued the process of contracting out screening work to the lowest bidder, with all of the attendant problems. The combination of unaccountable airport authorities, the CATSA structure, and the contracting-out process raises major concerns about the potential for conflicts of interest and self-dealing. In particular, we would oppose any further shift of security screening responsibilities to unaccountable airport authorities.
There continues to be far too many players involved in air security. At the major airports there are several local police forces, the RCMP, CSIS, some provincial police forces, the airport authorities and their security forces, as well as CATSA and their contractors, and Transport Canada. This creates wasteful duplication, problems of coordination and accountability, and generally undermines the effectiveness of the system.
The practice of contracting out screening work to the lowest bidder creates instability and insecurity for the screening workforce, and labour relations problems.
While screener wage levels have improved somewhat post-CATSA, the contracting process remains a problem affecting the quality and stability of the program. It is essential that, when a screening contract is transferred, the unions representing the screening workers maintain successor rights, do not have to re-sign their members and renegotiate their collective agreement. Screeners must retain their full rights, including seniority and benefits, when a contract is transferred.
We will not respond to all of questions posed by the Panel in its Consultation Guidance Document, but we will briefly summarize our recommendations to the Panel.
- With respect to CATSA’s mandate, we see no reason for CATSA to exist at all. The federal government should take back direct responsibility for security, including screening, the pass system and funding. This is essential for accountability and the coherence of the system.
- CATSA (and its Board) does not represent, or respond to, the concerns of workers in the air transport sector. As we have pointed out, the Board does not include a true labour nominee. In our consultations with CATSA, we have had little indication that our concerns have been heard and responded to.
- The long-awaited independent appeal process for air industry workers for actions by CATSA, Transport Canada and the Airport Authorities with respect to airport security passes must be introduced as soon as possible.
- Passenger screeners should be direct government employees, for stability, control, accountability and effectiveness.
- If the system of contracting-out the passenger screening function does continue, we need to ensure that there is stability and security for the workers doing the screening, with employment guarantees, the continuation of collective agreements, and union successor rights
- We strongly oppose the handing-over or contracting out of security screening to unaccountable Airport Authorities. Their past record on accountability is very poor, as shown by the many press releases of many of the world’s large airlines and associations representing their best interests and the IAMAW fully agrees.
- Finally, the role of workers in the air transport industry in security must be respected. Unions need to be included on airport security committees, and a culture of cooperation needs to be instilled in airport security personnel. The IAMAW is most willing to participate.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dave Ritchie
General Vice President
IAMAW
