What's a Wildcat strike
 

Strike at Pearson International airport by Air Canada baggage handlers over

1 hour, 1 minute ago Business - Canadian Press



TORONTO (CP) - Wildcat strike at Pearson International airport by Air Canada baggage handlers over, workers going back to work, union spokesman says.

Wildcat strike pretty much means a walkout, generally unexpected if a strike hadn't been threatened previously. It's been a while since one had to deal with the labour side of the biz, but that's my best recollection...

A wildcat strike is one without all the silly formalities - such being without a contract, not voting for strike action and not being authorized by union leadership.

A lot of very ticked off pax in Toronto and elsewhere as all departing and arriving flights were cancelled.

Apparently was initiated by some disciplinary action taken because worker(s) were time clocking out collegues.

Surely you mean not being officially authorized by the union. ;)

BAs ground staff are the past masters at this.

I wonder how the union and Air Canada is going to do to those did the wildcat strike. The local radio in Vancouver reported that it was due to Air Canada discipling some employees. I thought they weren't too happy about the latest rounds of lay offs.

Wildcatting is when the members of a union illegally walk off the job with no warning.

In this case it appears that some of the bag-chuckers at AC were getting their friends to clock them out of work later than their actual finish time (thus either collecting overtime, or going home early.) Management got wise to the scheme, and installed cameras, catching people in the act. Punishments were handed down, and the workers walked off in solidarity with the punished. Result: major delays, and pissed-off pax. Unbelievable, considering their company just got out of bankruptcy protection..

I did this for my mate at a pork pie factory in 1967 - I got fired. I didn't complain 'cos I knew what I was doing - fair cop and all that. And I thought Canucks were soooo polite....

BA ground staff may be past masters at this as we've all probably been forced to experience at times, but the French wrote the Manual when it comes to this touchy subject

:)

x

Just a little insider feedback:

QUOTE." However, if all your work is done and in order to satisfy the "shift requirement", you have to stand around the punch clock for 20-30 minutes, waiting for those minutes to pass by ... what exactly are you stealing?"

I don't think the issue is 20-30 mins. It's the ones with "buddy" who punches them in or out half a DAY early...my spouse see's it everyday, guys leaving after 4 hours, or showing up 4 hours late...thanks to "buddy".

No, he's not management, he's IAM.

I hope that all of them get fired and that includes the incredibly stupid corrupt IAM ..The IAM gives a bad name to unionism.

Oxford Dictionary: "Wilcat-adj. 1:[of a strike]sudden and unoffical. 2:commercially unsound and risky.

Prehaps they workers involved should understand both meanings of the word. Unions may not always appear to act in the best interest of their members but they are the people the company deal with and their bargining power is dimished by wildcat action.

I understand the desird effect of this kind of action is to catch the company unawares and prevent it from being able to make alternative arrangements so as to minimise disruption during offical strike action.

Wildcat action, while it may have the inital desired effect, is a risky business and should be entered into with extreme caution.

Wildcats, strikes & employers (def.)...

Situations where employers wished their employees wouldn't strike at all. But rather, as wildcats do, find themselves a suitable place (the edge of a road next to a gutter is to be recommended), from which to make their voices heard. Or any other dark and dingy place, the less-frequented, the better. In a prone or foetal position does not matter either. If you're a wildcat... :sad: :confused:

...and I thought a bird strike was bad....imagine the damage to an engine if it sucked in a wildcat!

Nothing. Nothing at all :mad:

The natives are. A lot of union members are ****ish or ****ian though ;)

It's 'striking' back 6 of these in 5 minutes.

http://www.okliquor.ca/online/Beer/921650.jpg