December 11, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Unifor has been pushing the Employer and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) to implement long-overdue changes that would allow drinking water for PASS Screening Officers at Calgary Airport; access that Screening Officers in other parts of the country already enjoy.
Since Paladin Airport Security Services (PASS) obtained the contract at Calgary Airport on April 1, 2024, the Employer has compounded this problem with unreasonable restrictions denying access to water bottles on the job, along with deplorable limitations on the ability to use restroom facilities.
Earlier this week, CATSA issued a Screening Operations Bulletin (SOB) outlining specific requirements for drinking water at screening checkpoints. This important update ensures that our Unifor Local 2002 members can access water without risking damage to equipment or compromising screening capacity and effectiveness.
Unifor Local 2002 has sent three separate communications to CATSA seeking assistance in resolving this policy grievance with PASS. Throughout this process, the Employer claimed that its hands were tied due to CATSA’s policy, yet could not explain why Screening Officers at other airports had access to water on the line. After our most recent message on Friday, December 6, 2025, which included photos of Screening Officers in other airports with water at the checkpoints, CATSA responded, and a new Screening Operations Bulletin was issued the following business day.
"Unifor has been advocating on behalf of members for more than a year now, with a policy grievance filed specifically pertaining to the water restriction issue," said Tammy Moore, President of Unifor Local 2002. "Our Union has yet to receive an acceptable response from PASS management on the grievance settlement. However, we do welcome the news from CATSA that our hard-working Screening Officers will finally have access to water while actively performing their workplace duties and not require permission from a manager before taking a drink."
Additional information can be found in CATSA SOB 523, issued December 8, 2025.
We will continue to keep you updated on this policy grievance and trust that the Employer now has what it needs from CATSA to settle this matter without any further delay. We have requested a meeting with the company’s counsel next week.
In solidarity,
Your Unifor 2002 Bargaining Committee
Kelly Wilson – Bargaining Committee Chairperson/District Chairperson
Harold Bateman – Assistant to the Unifor Local 2002 President
Tammy Moore – President, Unifor Local 2002
Joanne Goulet – Unifor National Service Representative
25-12-11 PASS CATSA water mandate EN.txt