News Releases

Toronto, ON – The IAMAW and their legal counsel Hugh O’Reilly of Cavalluzzo Hayes Shilton McIntyre and Cornish, met with interested investors seeking to restructure Aveos Fleet Performance Inc. earlier this week in Montreal. “The IAMAW has a strong interest to assist and work with potential investors interested in restructuring Aveos Fleet Performance Inc.,” said IAMAW District 140 Western Region Directing General Chairperson Fred Hospes. “We have approximately 2600 members out

Toronto, ON – The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers says government support of Aveos is not just an economic issue but a moral issue as well. In a submission in Ottawa this morning to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities on the closure of Aveos Fleet Performance, the IAMAW asked if the government was prepared to stand by and watch the demise of

Toronto, ON – The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers announced today it has launched a court challenge to the legislation known as Bill C-33, used by the Conservative government to deny Machinists members to right to strike Air Canada and to send them into a biased arbitration process. The government’s heavy-handed use of this back to work legislation prevented 8,300 Machinists members at Air Canada from taking legal

Toronto, ON –“Thomas Mulcair has been a strong supporter of the Machinists on past issues and we’re confident we can work with him in the future,” said IAMAW Canadian General Vice President Dave Ritchie. Ritchie made that statement moments after Thomas Mulcair won the federal NDP Leadership on the fourth ballot at the NDP leadership convention in Toronto over the weekend. “He has been in our corner throughout the Air

 TORONTO – The Aveos shutdown breaches key sections of the Air Canada Public Participation Act, New Democrats argued today. The Act mandates that Air Canada’s overhaul operations must remain in Winnipeg, Mississauga and Montreal. This ensured that Canadians would continue to benefit after the privatization of the airline. The overhaul work was previously contracted out to Aveos, which ceased operations this week. New Democrat critic for Transport, Olivia Chow, spoke

Toronto, ON – “The Layoff of 2,600 aircraft maintenance workers at Aveos Fleet Performance Incorporated is a direct violation of the Air Canada Public Participation Act,” explained an angry Dave Ritchie – Canadian General Vice President of the IAMAW. “The act stipulates that Air Canada must maintain aircraft heavy maintenance facilities or have such work performed at facilities in Winnipeg, Mississauga and Montreal,” said Ritchie. Air Canada complied by having

News Conference 3 pm EDT Toronto, ON – The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers will hold a news conference today in response to the closure of AVEOS Fleet Performance Inc, which employs 2,600 IAMAW members. “We feel this closure is a direct result of Air Canada pulling its heavy aircraft maintenance business from AVEOS and sending it to other service providers,” explained IAMAW Canadian General Vice President Dave

Toronto, ON – United Airlines Customer Service Agents at Pearson International Airport, members of the IAMAW, have ratified their first collective agreement. The forty members of IAMAW Local Lodge 2323, formerly of Continental Airlines, joined the Machinists in October 2010 after Continental and United Airlines merged. The three-year agreement provides wage increases of 2.5 per cent retroactive to July 1, 2011, 2.5 per cent upon ratification March 15, 2012, and

Toronto, ON – “This is a significant organizing victory for the airport security screeners at Pearson Airport,” declared a very happy Dave Ritchie. “We are now representing more airport security screeners than anyone else in Canada.” The Canadian General Vice President of the IAMAW was reacting to news that the Machinists were victorious in a Canadian Industrial Relations Board authorized vote which decided who would represent the 1,624 airport screeners

Toronto, ON – “The rights and wages of our members at Air Canada are being attacked by the federal government,” stated a disappointed Dave Ritchie. “It’s a sad day for any federally regulated worker in Canada because this legislation says you do not have the right to strike period,” said Ritchie. “This will undermine free collective bargaining and poison labour relations across Canada.” The Canadian General Vice President of the