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Striking Swissport worker protests block traffic at Pearson Airport

Sep 3, 2017 | 5:00 PM

TORONTO — Police say union protesters who blocked traffic access to two of the busiest terminals at Toronto’s Pearson Airport on Sunday afternoon left peacefully in the evening.

Cst. Mark Fischer of Peel Region Police says there were no arrests, and police are not aware of any incidents during the protest.

Demonstrations at Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 caused backups from Hwy. 409, which leads to the airport, all the way down to the intersection of Hwys. 401 and 427, according to Fischer.

He says that during the protests, police had to urge people not to get out of their cars and walk toward the airport, which he says is “very unsafe.”

Pearson officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

About 700 employees of Swissport, whose ground crew workers service 30 of Pearson’s 74 airlines, have been on strike since July over wage and benefit disputes.

 

The Canadian Press