CATSA stated that the investigation uncovered instances of incomplete security screening at a non-passenger checkpoint
Several workers, including 27 security screeners, have been fired at Victoria International Airport following an investigation by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA). The investigation lasted for several weeks and ended with the termination of 27 screening officers and nine other employees within the screening department.
CATSA stated that the investigation uncovered instances of incomplete security screening at a non-passenger checkpoint, leading to concerns about the individuals’ ability to fulfil their core responsibility of protecting the traveling public. While CATSA informed the employer that their services could no longer be billed under the current circumstances, it clarified that it did not directly order the terminations.
“The investigation identified multiple instances of incomplete screening at a non-passenger checkpoint,” CATSA said in a statement .
“The findings indicate that the personnel involved did not fulfil their core responsibility to protect the travelling public. As such, CATSA commenced its process to review the continued certification of these individuals as screening officers and advised the employer that their services could not be billed to CATSA under the current circumstances.”
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, representing the screeners, criticised CATSA for allegedly interfering with the subcontractor’s internal employee review process. The union claimed that the subcontractor had intended to reinstate the affected employees with a corrective action plan, but CATSA’s intervention led to their immediate removal.
The union expressed concerns about the lack of procedural fairness in the termination process and appealed to the federal transport minister to allow the subcontractor to manage its own employees. Meanwhile, Transport Canada declined to comment on the specifics of the Victoria airport investigation or similar cases, emphasising its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of Canadians.
