One minute late.

A sick day.

A warning letter.

A new workplace policy.

A disagreement with management.

Small events can have big consequences when workplace rules aren't applied reasonably or consistently.

That's why representation matters.

A union should understand the collective agreement, investigate concerns, challenge unjust or arbitrary discipline when warranted and make sure negotiated rights mean something after the ink on the contract dries.

USW describes union dues as a form of job insurance because they finance the resources members need to protect wages, benefits, dignity, job security and contractual rights.

At an airport, security procedures are serious.

So is protecting the people who perform them.

Every airport screener deserves dignity at work.

Period.

USW believes workers should be able to raise workplace concerns and have meaningful representation when problems arise.

That includes addressing unfair treatment, harassment, health and safety concerns and workplace practices that undermine dignity and respect.

It should come standard with the job.

Wages aren't an abstract number at a bargaining table.

They're housing.

Groceries.

Child care.

Gas.

Tuition.

Retirement savings.

And every hour you've already worked.

USW understands that airport screeners deserve serious representation on wages, benefits, scheduling and working conditions.

In fact, USW already represents airport security screeners elsewhere in Ontario and Atlantic Canada. In 2025, USW publicly backed those screeners’ fight for fair wages, protected benefits and improved working conditions.

In July 2026, those USW members secured new three-year collective agreements through binding arbitration that included retroactive wage improvements and benefit gains.

So when we say USW understands airport screening work, we're not speaking hypothetically.

We've already got screeners on board.

Part-time workers aren't part-time union members.

A strong union listens to every classification and every shift.

At bargaining, members identify their priorities and elect co-workers to represent them. That creates an opportunity for the people actually doing the work—including part-time workers—to shape bargaining demands.

Wages.

Hours.

Scheduling.

Benefits.

Premiums.

Job security.

Retirement.

Work-life balance.

Those priorities should come from members.

Because whether you work 20 hours or 40 hours, your bills still arrive at full-time speed.

Collective bargaining works best when members are engaged.

USW members have a role in determining bargaining priorities, electing representatives and ultimately voting on their collective agreement.

But member democracy needs professional bargaining capacity behind it.

USW provides bargaining expertise, research and other professional resources to support local unions.

That combination matters:

Member priorities + trained negotiators + professional resources + democratic decision-making.

That's how you build bargaining power.

Sometimes achieving a fair agreement requires more than another meeting.

USW backs its members with one of the most significant strike and lockout resources in the labour movement.

District 6, which includes Ontario, also provides additional strike-related support for eligible participating members and families.

Why does that matter?

Because bargaining power changes when an employer knows workers aren't standing alone.

Nobody wants unnecessary conflict.

But your union should always be prepared for turbulence.

Airport screening is demanding work.

Repetitive movement. Long periods standing. Passenger interactions. Workplace stress. Shift work. Operational pressure.

Health and safety shouldn't be something workers think about only after someone gets hurt.

USW provides health and safety expertise and member education, and District 6 has an Injured Workers Assistance Program that provides participating locals with specialized support for workers' compensation matters.

When your job is protecting the public, your union should be protecting you.

Joining USW doesn't mean YYZ screeners become a number in a distant organization.

USW District 6 has offices and representatives across Ontario, including dedicated resources in the GTA.

The USW District 6 office in Etobicoke.

And both our Mississauga and Toronto offices have security-sector resources.

And there’s a much larger union structure standing behind those local resources.

USW represents more than 225,000 workers in Canada and more than 1.2 million active and retired members across Canada, the United States and the Caribbean.

That's the advantage of having representation close to home backed by the resources of a major international union.

Local crew. International fleet.

We're called the United Steelworkers, but our membership reaches far beyond steel.

USW members work in security, transportation, airports, manufacturing, mining, telecommunications, universities, health care and many other sectors.

And Pearson isn't unfamiliar territory.

In 2026, 146 Porter Airlines customer-service workers at Toronto Pearson joined USW, seeking a stronger collective voice around wages, hours of work, benefits and working conditions.

USW also represents airport security screeners elsewhere in Ontario and Atlantic Canada.

Imagine YYZ with knowledgeable shop stewards on every shift.

Representatives who understand grievance handling.

Members trained in health and safety.

Bargaining committee members who understand negotiations.

Local leaders who understand union finances and governance.

Workers who know their collective agreement and know how to enforce it.

That's the kind of union USW education is designed to build.

The goal isn't to make members dependent on somebody else.

It's to give workers the knowledge and resources to build power themselves.

Because the strongest union at Pearson won't be built for screeners.

It will be built by screeners.

Members have a voice in their union, their bargaining priorities and their collective agreement.

Education in grievance handling, bargaining, health and safety, workers' compensation and more.

Experienced union professionals supporting members and elected workplace representatives.

Support to enforce negotiated rights and challenge workplace decisions where appropriate.

Professional resources supporting member-driven bargaining priorities.

A major union has specialists available when workplace issues become complicated.

Regular professional auditing and financial information accessible to members through the union's accountability structures.

Training, advocacy and specialist resources to help members build safer workplaces.

District 6 offers specialized assistance for participating locals and injured members navigating the compensation system.

Resources that help local unions understand and negotiate important long-term issues.

USW maintains a VERY HEALTHY strike and lockout defence fund.

USW already represents airport security screeners and other airport workers.

More than 225,000 USW members across Canada.

District 6 resources and offices are already located around the Toronto and Pearson area.

Because lasting workplace power comes from an informed, involved membership.