[QUOTE=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/03/23/air-canada-wildcat.html]
An illegal work stoppage by Air Canada baggage handlers and ground staff disrupted dozens of flight schedules across the country and threw Canada's busiest airport into confusion and chaos.
By the time the workers ended the 12-hour walkout on Friday morning, the job action had caused at least 84 cancellations at Toronto's Pearson International Airport and another 80 delays.
Passengers spent much of the day trying to find their baggage and a way to reach their destinations, and the unrest quickly spread to airports in Quebec City, Montreal and Vancouver.
The workers had apparently applauded sarcastically and heckled as Labour Minister Lisa Raitt walked through the airport on Wednesday. Her press secretary released a statement late Thursday that said Raitt was followed through the terminal at Pearson Airport and harassed by union members.
Raitt has angered workers by bringing in back-to-work legislation and sending their contract dispute with the airline to arbitration.
The employees were suspended for 72 hours. The striking workers said Friday morning that that's how long they would keep up their protest.
After several hours of noisy protests outside Terminal One, the striking workers relented and went back to work, but not before Air Canada had to cancel dozens of flights and left hundreds of passengers searching for their luggage.
Union officials said the two sides agreed that if everyone went back to work, no one would lose their jobs, including the workers who reportedly harassed the labour minister. Raitt's office said the minister didn't file a complaint with police or with Air Canada.
The union also revealed that a further 37 workers were fired for participating in the illegal strike. They will be reinstated as well.
Before the arbitrator's ruling, the labour minister's office told CBC News in an email that if the illegal walkout continued, "employees could face fines of up to $1,000 a day and the union could face fines of up to $100,000 a day."
In Montreal, hundreds of baggage handlers and other Air Canada workers walked off the job Friday morning for several hours in a show of support for their colleagues in Toronto.
A passenger on her way to Fort Lauderdale from Montreal told CBC News she was already seated on the plane Friday morning when all the passengers were told to get off.
A similar situation developed at the Vancouver International Airport. Air Canada workers walked off the job for a short period. It isn't known if any flights were affected by the action.
Newfoundland and Labrador MHA Gerry Rogers said her flight from St. John's sat on the tarmac at Pearson for an hour before she could get off the plane, and she had yet to collect her luggage.
"We can't continue to have government interfering in these ways and breaking the backs of unions. This is about workers' rights, and I totally support this. If I have to wait in this airport for 10 hours for my luggage, so be it."
In a separate show of support, about a dozen protesters from various labour groups occupied Raitt's Milton, Ont., constituency office Friday.[/quote]
[url]http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/03/23/air-canada-wildcat.html[/url]
Strikes with an impact are the best kind.
I thought wildcats attacked a bunch of people.
[QUOTE=Griffster26;35274642]I thought wildcats attacked a bunch of people.[/QUOTE]
Wildcat strikes are strikes that occur without union support.
Worker-organised strikes.
Unless you meant like actual wildcats. Which is..bad reading.
[QUOTE='[Seed Eater];35274678']Wildcat strikes are strikes that occur without union support.
Worker-organised strikes.
Unless you meant like actual wildcats. Which is..bad reading.[/QUOTE]
Wildcats on a Plane. :v:
I've had it with these mother fucking cats on this mother fucking wild plane
80 cancelled flights and 84 delays.
Yeah, that'll make people sympathize with you.
[QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;35276248]80 cancelled flights and 84 delays.
Yeah, that'll make people sympathize with you.[/QUOTE]
It's not about sympathy, it's about forcing the company to give you what you need.
The point is to lose the company money as leverage.
[URL="http://www.military-aircraft.org.uk/ww2-fighter-planes/grumman-f4f-wildcat.htm"][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/v0PRN.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
I was...confused, to say the least.
Oh man, I thought the title meant one of these wildcats:
[img]http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/navy-future-lynx/images/2-future-lynx.jpg[/img]
Lynx, aww yeah.
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