Toronto, February 1, 2014 — Teamsters Local Union 647 representing workers at Gate Gourmet has called for Information leafleting starting on January 31st at various times, at 2498 Britannia Road East. The reason for this is the company’s refusal to comply with provincial hours of work laws and the continuing outsourcing of union jobs to a third party provider.
Teamsters Local 647 represents nearly 800 Gate Gourmet workers, who prepare, package and deliver meals of the company, from a facility located at Pearson International Airport. Gate Gourmet a subsidiary of Switzerland-based Gate Group serves 300 million passengers of 270 airlines each year.
Local 647’s is outraged that the Company is outsourcing and laying off employees with up to 13 years service. Gate Gourmet is replacing these hard working, long service employees with minimum wage employees that will be allowed in sensitive airport security areas.
Local 647’s information leafleting in Canada begins as Teamsters in the U.S. enter federal mediation for a contract for more than 7,000 union members. About 5,000 are represented by the Teamsters Union at 20 facilities in the U.S.
“Our members are part of an International effort to protect full-time jobs with a living wage, & health benefits” said Gerry Cadeau, President Teamsters Local 647. “We will not sit by and allow this company to disregard fundamental employment standards and labour laws in Canada, and we proudly stand with our American Sisters and Brothers as they seek to protect workers’ job security.”
If the Company does not sit down with the Union and resolve these issues the Local Union will continue information leafleting at locations where the Company carries on business.
“Gate Gourmet has an obligation to be a good corporate citizen no matter where it operates, said Steve Vairma, International Brotherhood of Teamster Warehouse Division Director and International Vice President. “An injustice to one is an injustice to all.”
GateGroup earned $3.3 billion in revenues in 2012. Gate Gourmet operates 122 flight kitchens in 28 countries, as well as for customers such as Air Canada, Jazz, Via Rail, and Amtrak. The company serves 309 million passengers annually.
The Teamsters Union represents 115,000 members in Canada in all trades. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, with which Teamsters Canada is affiliated, has 1.4 million members in North America.
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Information:
Martin Cerqua, Union representative
Teamsters Local Union 647
Cell: 647 969-3087
[email protected]
Facebook.com/TeamstersCanada ▪ Twitter.com/TeamstersCanada ▪ Teamsters.ca
