Vancouver International Airport travel disruption looms Monday after employer
Servisair walks away from talks without waiting to hear from union;
"outrageous" lockout of refueling supervisors could happen at midnight

VANCOUVER, July 18 /CNW/ - Negotiators for employer Servisair walked away from negotiations Sunday night without waiting to hear a response to their proposal from the union for refueling supervisors at Vancouver International Airport, leaving potential travel disruptions looming Monday morning.

The union called the Servisair actions outrageous and irresponsible because the employer left the bargaining table despite its ongoing threats to lockout all refueling supervisors as of midnight Sunday.

"Servisair is obviously a large multinational employer that could care less if Vancouver International Airport travelers face disrupted flights as of midnight Sunday," said Stephen Dunsmore, Regional Vice-President Pacific of the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees - a component union of the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

"To walk away from bargaining without even bothering to listen to a union response to their offer is outrageous and irresponsible," Dunsmore said. "Servisair is damaging the reputation of Vancouver International Airport world-wide because it believes bullying a small number of supervisors and administrative staff is more important."

Dunsmore said Servisair - which he says is hiding its internationally-known name by issuing news releases under "GroundGlobe Fuel Services" - is falsely claiming that there will be no disruption of flights if the lockout proceeds.

"Servisair is gambling on replacing well-trained and experienced Vancouver International Airport refueling supervisors with untested workers without risking both safety and the disruption of complicated fueling services for hundreds of flights a day," Dunsmore said.

"This union continues to attempt to bargain a first collective agreement without any disruption of services at YVR but if Servisair locks out workers, we will take appropriate actions to pressure Servisair to reach a contract," said Dunsmore.

Dunsmore noted that Servisair used similar lockout threats in April against refueling workers but that the union was able to negotiate a contract without a disruption of services.

Employer Servisair is a Paris-based company that provides fuel to Air Canada, WestJet and other airlines at Vancouver International Airport as well as at more than 128 locations worldwide.

For further information: Stephen Dunsmore, UCTE at cell 778-998-1491; or Bill Tieleman, West Star Communications at cell 778-896-0964, or 604-844-7827; Website: http://www.psacbc.com