Passenger flights resume at St. John's airport, but officials say fix is temporary
A rotational worker in Newfoundland says a swath of flight cancellations at the St. John's airport prompted by a labour dispute with firefighters has cost him at least a day's pay.
Thomas Johnston works on a ship in the Great Lakes region and lives in the town of Holyrood, N.L., on his time off. He said he was supposed to head back to work on Wednesday, flying from St. John's to Toronto at 5 a.m. and then to Windsor, Ont.
But Johnston said his flight was among those cancelled Wednesday morning due to staffing shortages at the airport's firehall.
"This should not have come to this level," Johnston said in a Facebook message to The Canadian Press about the dispute. "It should have been dealt with before bringing civilians into it."
The St. John's International Airport Authority announced Tuesday that all flights except cargo, medical evacuation and planes with fewer than 20 seats would be suspended as of 8 p.m. that night due to staffing shortages at the airport firehall.
In a tweet Wednesday morning, the authority said, "normal commercial operations" had resumed at 8 a.m., though many of the morning's flights were listed as cancelled or delayed.
"This solution is not permanent," officials wrote. "We encourage passengers to confirm upcoming travel plans with their airline as we continue to work through this issue as a matter of priority."
The Union of Canadian Transportation Employees claims that a "campaign of harassment and discrimination" against firefighters has stifled concerns around safety and regulatory compliance and ultimately thinned their ranks. In a news release Monday, the union said staff were being told by their doctors to stay home because of the "toxic workplace."
Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said the situation is "completely unacceptable."
"This airport provides an essential service to Newfoundland and Labrador," Alghabra said in a statement Tuesday. "Both parties must take any necessary steps to find a solution that will keep operations ongoing and safe."
Federal Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan weighed in on Twitter, saying Tuesday the situation is "unsustainable."
On Wednesday morning, O'Regan said mediator Barney Dobbin had been brought in and would be working with the parties through the night.
"(Dobbin) is from St. John's and he knows the ground here well," O'Regan said in a tweet.
As for Johnston, he said he's been rescheduled on a flight heading out of St. John's on Thursday. But Johnston said he's not holding his breath.
"I'm not gone yet," he wrote. "Anything can happen between now and tomorrow morning."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 19, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.