Ajax, ON – Canadian GVP Stan Pickthall welcomed Aerospace GVP Mark Blondin to the Canadian Territory for a site visit to Safran Landing Systems, based in Ajax, Ontario.
“This was a great opportunity for us to meet some of our IAM members and see the high-tech and skilled work being done here at Safran,” said Pickthall, who is touring the many aerospace facilities represented by the IAM in Canada.
GVP Blondin was impressed by the facility and the work done by LL905 members, “The members in Local 905 build the highest quality landing systems in the world. I have visited hundreds of Aerospace workplaces around North America, and Safran certainly is second to none!” he concluded.
Following the site visit, Pickthall and Blondin had the opportunity to meet with the Local 905 bargaining committee, who took a break from negotiations to update them on progress at the bargaining table.
Local 905 President Dave Thompson and Grand Lodge Representative Gary Hynes were pleased to see the support from both Pickthall and Blondin, which gave a boost to the morale of the membership.
GVP Pickthall also promoted the ground-breaking IAM aerospace strategy released early in 2019 entitled Grounded Potential, which was endorsed by Safran in March 2019. The IAM represents close to 10,000 members working in the Canadian aerospace sector.
Local 905 members joined the IAM in 1959 and work on landing gears, avionics and controls, surface finish technologies and protective packaging and enclosures.
From left to right: Neil Giroux, Grand Lodge Representative; Stan Pickthall Canadian General Vice-President;
Mark Blondin, Aerospace General Vice-President; Gord Falconer, Canadian Chief-of-Staff; Mark Johnson, Aerospace Coordinator
– 30 –