Mayor Urges Airport/Union to Return to Negotiations

The Mayor of St. John’s is urging the St. John’s International Airport Authority and the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees (UTCE) to return to negotiations in the three-week old labour dispute.

“The City of St. John’s has definitely been impacted by this strike,” says Mayor Dennis O’Keefe. “The City’s economy is extremely dependent on the airport and we have already seen definite economic repercussions from the current labour dispute.”

The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour convention was scheduled to take place in the City from Oct. 28 to 30 and has been cancelled as a result of the strike. The convention would have brought an estimated 300 delegates and guests to the City and the economic loss to the local business community for that one convention alone is approximately $300,000. Other large meetings have also been cancelled and moved elsewhere due to the ongoing labour dispute at the airport.

“There is also the inconvenience to the traveller - visitor, resident and business - to take into consideration,” says Mayor O’Keefe. “We have a thriving tourism economy and depend on the airport as our first point of contact with many visitors to our community.

“I really just want to encourage both parties to get back to the table,” adds Mayor O’Keefe. “This dispute can only be solved if everyone returns to negotiations in good faith and works to find an agreement acceptable to both sides. The City of St. John’s has a lot at stake when it comes to our international airport and I hope for the good of the City that a quick and equitable resolution to this labour dispute can be found.”

For further information:
Jennifer Mills
Communications Officer
City of St. John's
Phone: (709) 570-2037
Cell: (709) 690-7586
E-mail: jmills@stjohns.ca

Dennis O'Keefe
Mayor
City of St. John's
Phone: (709) 576-8477
E-mail: dokeefe@stjohns.ca