The Manitoba Teachers’ Society has expressed solidarity and taken actions in support of striking workers at the Winnipeg International Airport.
The Winnipeg Airports Authority (WAA) has been told all MTS staff and Provincial Executive would be boycotting the airport until the strike of the Public Service Alliance of Canada is settled.
In a letter to Barry Rempel, president and CEO of the WAA, the president of MTS said that the Society would make alternative arrangements for flight from Manitoba.
Norm Gould pointed out that as of mid-August MTS representatives had traveled to Regina, Saskatoon, Fargo and Grand Forks to take flights rather than cross the picket line in Winnipeg.
“On average, MTS books roughly 300 flights out of Winnipeg annually,” Gould said. “While I appreciate that this boycott will pose logistical challenges for the MTS team, we feel that it is a small price to pay to show support for our friends and neighbours who are on a legal strike and have been without a contract for over a year.”
The strike, which involves about 150 employees began July 24. Those on strike include duty managers, administrative staff, tradespeople, airfield maintenance workers and labourers.
Gould called on the airports authority to return to the bargaining table.
He noted that the airport has publicized that it is one of the top employers in Manitoba, a designation it could support by showing more respect to the employees on strike.
“As president of Manitoba’s 15,000 public school teachers, I urge you to return to the bargaining table immediately and treat your employees with the respect you claim to have for them and behave in a fashion that befits the title one of Manitoba’s top employers.”