November 9, 2025 at 11:00 PM
QUICK GLANCE: What You Need to Know About CAWU
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CAWU’s record: Formed in 2009 after raiding Teamsters at YYZ. Lost members to IAM by 2012 and has repeatedly failed to maintain stable representation.
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Repeated failures: CIRB dismissed CAWU’s 2018 raid attempt for unreliable membership evidence — decision upheld by the Federal Court.
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YYZ experience: CAWU members rejected their own agreements twice in 2024; final improvements came from arbitration, not bargaining.
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Current situation: CAWU represents Paladin screeners in Edmonton but has not achieved a first collective agreement.
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Promises vs. results: CAWU claims they can deliver quick gains, yet YYZ was in conciliation and YEG has no deal.
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Starting Over: CAWU can not pickup bargaining from where Unifor currently is with YYC. The conciliation period would end, and all timelines would start over once a new application is filed with the Canada Industrial relations Board (CIRB) with the Labour Minister.
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Your voice with Unifor: We are already at the table for Calgary Screening Officers, backed by 320,000 members nationwide and decades of aviation bargaining experience.
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Your action: Recommit to strength and stability — sign your Unifor membership card.
Stop and consider this before signing a membership card with the Canadian Airport Workers Union (CAWU). It is important to understand who they are, their history, and what is at stake for Screening Officers today.
A Short History of CAWU
CAWU’s involvement in Canada’s aviation sector is not new, but their record raises serious questions about stability and credibility.
In 2009 CAWU first appeared when it raided Teamsters Local 847 to represent Screening Officers at Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ).
By 2012 workers became dissatisfied with CAWU’s representation and voted to replace them with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW).
In 2015 CAWU attempted to raid the IAMAW again and failed.
By 2016 CAWU had lost its last remaining bargaining unit. At that time, IAMAW publicly stated that CAWU’s interference during active bargaining at Pearson and Billy Bishop airports was a huge distraction and not in the best interests of Screening Officers.
In 2018 CAWU made another application to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to represent the same group. The CIRB dismissed the application because CAWU’s membership evidence was unreliable and insufficient to demonstrate majority support. This decision was later upheld by the Federal Court of Appeal.
Recent Developments at Toronto Pearson (YYZ)
In June 2024 CAWU members at Toronto Pearson overwhelmingly rejected a tentative agreement negotiated by their own leadership with GardaWorld.
The rejected deal included a wage increase over three years, but members said it failed to address fair pay for all hours worked and other core workplace issues.
This was the second time that CAWU members at Pearson voted down a tentative agreement, showing deep dissatisfaction with the union’s leadership and bargaining approach.
When a union cannot secure the confidence of its own members or ratify a deal twice, it raises serious concerns about internal transparency and leadership effectiveness.
Despite this, CAWU has since tried to take credit for the eventual outcome one that was not the result of renewed negotiations, but of binding arbitration imposed after the failed ratification votes. The improvements members received were determined through that arbitration process, not through successful collective bargaining by CAWU.
Empty Promises and Guarantees
CAWU organizers have been making bold promises about what they can achieve for Screening Officers at PASS, but their record does not support those claims.
CAWU currently represent Screening Officers employed by PASS at Edmonton Airport. However, they have yet to achieve a first collective agreement.
The contracts that CAWU promotes as major wins were not achieved with PASS but with GardaWorld, a different employer. Anyone suggesting that the same results can be guaranteed with PASS is not being truthful.
Unifor respects every worker’s right to make an informed choice about union representation. However, we are deeply concerned about the false promises being made and the serious delays that would result if Calgary Screening Officers had to start from the beginning with new bargaining.
Questions Every Screening Officer Should Be Asking
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Who is CAWU today? They represent Screening Officers at Toronto Pearson Airport and Edmonton Airport.
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Who leads them and what are their backgrounds?
Members deserve to know who is managing their dues, grievances, and negotiations, and whether they have the financial and legal resources to back those commitments.
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What is their strike fund? How much is strike pay per week? Can CAWU sustain members financially during a dispute or defend grievances effectively if challenged by the employer?
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How do they fund representation? With limited membership and no established national infrastructure, it is unclear how CAWU can provide the same level of legal, bargaining, and strike support that established unions like Unifor can offer.
The Bottom Line
Screening Officers deserve a union with the experience, resources, and credibility to defend and improve their working conditions — not one with a history of failed raids, internal divisions, and unfulfilled promises.
CAWU’s track record shows that they struggle to deliver results even where they are certified. Workers at Pearson already experienced this once and chose to move on from CAWU. Now, we are hearing from YYZ Screening Officers again stating that they wish they had not gone back to CAWU.
Stronger with Unifor
We recognize that it has not always been smooth since joining Unifor. We have made changes and worked to resolve issues as they have come up. We are always here to support you and continue to fight for the best wages and working conditions in the sector.
There is no mistake that Unifor, with 320,000 members, is the largest private sector union in Canada and a leading voice for aviation workers nationwide. Unifor sets industry standards in wages, benefits, and working conditions, and we remain committed to continuing that work with you.
We encourage you to recommit by signing your Unifor membership card and showing your support for making the gains you seek. It is difficult to make real progress if unions are continually switched.
We also encourage you to ask questions directly to your Unifor organizing representatives, workplace representatives, local representatives, and national staff supports. They are here to answer any questions you may have and ensure that every member has the full picture before deciding.
Unifor Leadership Team
Billy O'Neil - Unifor National Organizing Department
[email protected]
Lucy Alessio - Unifor National Organizing Department
[email protected]
Joanne Goulet – Unifor National Service Representative
Tammy Moore – President, Unifor Local 2002
Harold Bateman – Assistant to the Unifor Local 2002 President
25-11-09 What You Should Know About CAWU.txt