UPDATE: BLUE PASS AWARD for the former Handlex Passenger Service Agents

UPDATE: BLUE PASS AWARD for the former Handlex Passenger Service Agents

March 29, 2022 at 5:43 PM

Unifor Local 2002 has worked diligently over the past 10 years to resolve and settle the arbitration on the Blue Pass Award, belonging to the former Handlex members employed as Passenger Service Agents in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.  As we previously communicated on April 7, 2021, our Unifor Legal team has been involved in numerous discussions over the years with the Company lawyers and the Arbitrator on how to move forward and accept to share the Award monies as determined in the expert report.  A decision was made to accept to share the Award monies with all of the four Locals: Teamsters # 1999, 931, 419, and Unifor Local 2002. We are pleased to announce that this process is nearing its conclusion.
 
BLUE PASS AWARD MONIES
Unifor was informed on Monday, March 28th, 2022, that the final legal document between the parties was finally signed and a cheque will be sent to each of the four Locals in the coming days. As per the award, Unifor Local 2002 will receive a total amount of $285 445,07.
 
Unifor Local 2002 will begin distributing the award money to every member that was entitled to it according to the membership list provided by the Unifor Legal department, as well as, the membership lists gathered by the District Chairperson in 2018.
 
Membership lists were created based on the following criteria:
  • Employee status (Full- time or Part-Time) between 2010 and 2015
  • The expiration date of each Passenger Service collective agreement up to April 2015 in these locations Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.
 
For Unifor to start the distribution of funds, over the coming weeks a further communication will be sent out to every Unifor Local 2002 member that was employed by Handlex. An email will be sent out asking for members to provide their contact information. 
 
HISTORY OF THE BLUE PASS AWARD
 
  • On May 24, 2012, Unifor (CAW-Canada) filed a grievance numbered 418-11-12(covering Passenger Service Agents in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver) with respect to travel benefits under the Blue Pass Policy.
  • On October 16, 2012, Teamsters Local 419 filed grievance 6549 with respect to benefits under the Blue Policy. Arbitrator Claude Martin was seized of all of these grievances, except Teamsters Grievance 6549, Local 419
  • On May 21, 2013, Arbitrator Martin rendered a decision upholding grievance 418-11-12 (Unifor), B 49116, 67687 and 67688 and reserving his jurisdiction to resolve any difficulties arising from the implementation of that award. 
  • On June 22, 2015, the Employer and Teamsters, Local 419 signed an agreement to the effect that the principles established by Arbitrator Martin with respect to damages for the other grievances regarding the Blue Pass Policy would also apply to grievance 6549.
  • On July 22, 2018, Arbitrator Martin ordered the Employer to pay $907,838 to the four bargaining agents, plus the legal interest calculated on half of that amount.
  • Since then, many issues arose regarding the distribution of the award monies. During that time the money was kept in a Swissport Trust account.
We would like to thank our members for their continued patience throughout this long and tedious process.  A special thanks to the workplace representatives for supporting and providing information to their membership as well as the Unifor Legal team.

In Solidarity,
Theresa Amicarelli
Josée Genois
Assistants to the Local 2002 President