Montreal-Trudeau screening officers and checkpoint supervisors protest at airport

Security screening officers and checkpoint supervisors at the Montreal-Trudeau International airport held a demonstration on Friday demanding a wage increase.

In a press release, Local 9554 of the United Steelworkers, the union representing the 1,200 workers said the protest comes after nearly three-fourths of its members rejected an offer made by their employer Garda.

“GardaWorld Aviation is continuing its discussions with the United Steelworkers union, Local 9554. We have taken note of our employees’ decision and remain committed to a constructive dialogue to reach an agreement that is satisfactory to all parties. Our priority remains to ensure safety and minimize disruptions for all users of YUL Airport,” the employer stated.

There are no plans for a strike at the moment. The union announced that these union members were scheduled to demonstrate during their break on Friday.

The Canada Industrial Relations Board must first determine which essential services must be maintained in the event of a strike. Therefore, no strike can take place until the Board has ruled on this matter.

Recently, these control agents and search point managers rejected the overall and final employer offer by a proportion of 74.7 per cent.

Negotiations have not broken down.

“The work of our members is essential for passenger safety and air transport. The intensity of their work is significant, and the level of vigilance they must maintain is high. Our members have not had a salary increase in two and a half years. We fervently hope for a resumption of negotiations and for budgetary parameters that reflect the work of screening officers and checkpoint supervisors,” commented Nicolas Lapierre, Quebec director of the United Steelworkers. 

The union says the workers have been without collective agreement since April 2025. They have also not had a wage increase since March 2024.

“It’s important to these guys, don’t have a lot of money on the bargain table,” said Lapierre. “They need more money. We need to show the population they are so important to run this airport.

A future strike is possible once the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) determines the level of essential services that need to be maintained at the airport, according to the union.

“We say to the employer we need to go back to the bargaining table, we need to put more wages on the table, more pension plans, more insurance,” stated Lapierre. “They are doing a great job, they are in charge of the lives of the passengers, they make sure everybody is looked after at the airport.”

Officials say the demonstration had no impact on passengers.

The demonstration will take place near the airport from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.