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Over the past several weeks, Unifor Local 531 has heard your concerns loud and clear. We’ve received numerous reports from members regarding injuries and near misses associated with closing the Main Cabin Door (MCD)—and we want you to know how the union is taking action. While this issue is not currently a direct violation of the Collective Agreement, it falls under Occupational Health and Safety and that’s where we are focusing our efforts.
What the Union Is Doing
We are treating this as a serious workplace safety issue and have initiated the following steps:
Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Committee Action
Karen Berry, our Local Union President has personally directed all three of our base-level OHS Committees to:
- Add Main Cabin Door closing to the next meeting agendas
- Review all reported injuries and near misses
- Begin collecting critical data, including:
- Internal Hazard Reports (IHRs)
- WCB/WSIB forms
- Time-loss injuries (TDIs)
- Any related lost time or modified duties
Corporate Health & Safety Committee
Karen has also requested that this issue be placed on the agenda of the Corporate Policy Committee for Health & Safety, on which she sits. She is pursuing a comprehensive review of the physical demands and job requirements of this task.
Request for Company Data
The union has formally requested the company provide:
- A summary of injury data related to MCD closing
- The total number of reports, lost time, and modified work claims
- Details about physical demands assessments conducted
Why Is This Happening?
The change in procedure originally stemmed from a serious rodent issue in YVR, where rats have entered aircraft and caused significant damage. Other bases, including YYZ and YYC, have also reported birds and other wildlife incidents.
In our recent Labour Relations Headquarters meeting, the company explained that when animals get on board, the aircraft must undergo an expensive and time-consuming process including being ferried to a location where it can undergo a full cabin fogging and extermination and technicians must inspect every wire and component for damage. Each of these incidents costs tens of thousands of dollars and grounds the aircraft from service.
The company has introduced the CSA MCD closing training to minimize these risks. The union asserts that this cannot be at the expense of our member's safety.
Who’s Responsible for the Door?
We want to reassure members: CSAs are not the only employees trained or responsible for closing the MCD.
Others who are trained include pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers (AMEs), grooming crews and ground handling crews. CSAs are only expected to close the door when they are the last person at the aircraft. If there is any doubt about your ability to safely perform this task or if assistance is needed it is your right to refuse unsafe work and report the hazard immediately.
If you have experienced a near miss, discomfort, or injury while performing this task, please report it immediately through your leader and fill out an IHR and WSIB / WCB form and notify your union rep.