CEIU members support striking SERCO workers

January is a rough time to strike in Labrador, but PSAC members employed by private contractor SERCO at the Canadian Forces base had no choice. Supporting them on the chilly picket lines are CEIU members from local 90107 (Happy Valley – Goose Bay) along with Alliance members from the PSAC Area Council.

“We’re a pretty tight community” said CEIU Local President Debbie Morris, “and we’ll help the base workers see this strike through.” National Vice-President Denise Richey applauded their work, saying “In Newfoundland & Labrador, we have a solid track record of helping out where it’s needed, and our local is proving this once again.”

SERCO is a private contractor hired by the federal government to provide services at the civilian and military airports in Goose Bay. Part of the agreement sees SERCO getting paid by the government even if a strike is taking place. Most see this as a no-lose proposition for the foreign contractor and its shareholders.

SERCO does more than manage airports. In Ontario SERCO took over the operation of Driver Examination Centres while in Weyburn, Saskatchewan and Ingersoll, Ontario they ran recreation facilities (In both towns, unhappiness with SERCO led to recreational activities being brought back under public management). Any government service is fair game, and as the head of SERCO publicly stated: “Historically, the thing that has driven our business is the Government needing to save money.”

In Labrador, it is SERCO that is saving money while PSAC members are on strike. And it is CEIU members, like Morris and others, who are giving important support to the strikers. CEIU National President Jeannette Meunier-McKay praised the work of local 90107 members, adding “They are providing important help to strikers and they are also helping to send a message to all government workers about SERCO.”