Handlex airport workers accept new collective agreements

Lock-out ends for 400 staff in Toronto, Montreal

Handlex ramp, cargo, passenger check-in and handling employees in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver have come to terms on a new three-year collective agreement. All 1,200 employees at Handlex, which is wholly owned by Air Transat, have accepted the offers, including 400 workers in Toronto and Montreal who have been locked out since Feb. 15, 2011.

Ramp and cargo employees in Toronto and Montreal are members of Teamsters Local 419 and voted this weekend to accept their agreement. Earlier in the week, 80 per cent of Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) Local 2002 members voted to accept their offer.

"Handlex always enjoyed excellent labour relations with its employees and their representatives, and we are pleased with the agreement," said Handlex President and General Manager Jean-Luc Paiement in a statement.

Under the CAW agreement, employees will see a two per cent wage increase annually until 2012, a retroactive one per cent bonus for all workers employed in 2010, and overtime pay starting on the third overtime hour. Improvements were also made to the company’s RRSP plan.

The Teamsters have not released any details regarding their deal, but indicated that a return-to-work protocol would be implemented to put an end to the current lock-out.

Handlex provides ground services for many airlines, including passenger reception and check-in, baggage- and cargo-handling, aircraft cleaning and ramp services, at Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver international airports.

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