December 9, 2025
The Canada Labour Congress (CLC) is a labour organization affiliated with various unions in Canada, including the International Association of Machinists (IAM). On December 3, the CLC sought permission from the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to intervene in the IAM’s pending request for reconsideration and challenge the Board’s decision to fragment the former TMOS bargaining unit.
The CLC’s request to intervene is likely too little and too late. It consists of general criticism of the fragmentation decision and basic restatements of the Board’s past precedent, which was already carefully analyzed in the Board’s prior decision. This is not the type of argument that the CIRB usually considers at this stage in the certification process.
The CLC’s own constitution recognizes that employees “can be served best when they join a union that has proven itself by representing workers in the same industry, service (public or private) or trade.” ALPA and CUPE, also affiliates of the CLC, represent trade-specific bargaining units of pilots and flight attendants. Pilots are not generally subordinated to the interests of flight attendants. Nor more so should AMEs be subordinated to the interests of baggage handlers. AMFA is the only craft union dedicated to representing skilled maintenance employees in the airline industry.
Ultimately, the Board may deny both the CLC’s request to intervene and the IAM’s request for reconsideration. AMFA looks forward to a prompt resolution of both the reconsideration process and the IAM’s judicial review application now before the Court of Appeal.
Thank you for your continued support and dedication. We believe that critical work belongs in the hands of qualified, unionized professionals—like you. AMFA will continue to provide updates on the certification process as new information becomes available.
Rui Leonardo
National Secretary/Treasurer
