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
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Minister 'outraged' after AFN national chief's headdress taken from Air Canada cabin
The federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is calling on Air Canada to 'make things right' with the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, who said her headdress was removed from an airplane cabin during a flight this week.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Canada recognizes housing as a human right. Few provinces have followed suit
As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country's smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.