Airport taxi protest decision expected today regarding noise levels
A judge is expected to render his decision today on whether or not airport taxi drivers protesting their labour dispute can resume using drums and other kinds of non-electronic noisemakers on airport property.
Unifor and the Ottawa International Airport Authority appeared in an Ottawa courtroom Tuesday to discuss the union’s position that an Aug. 14 injunction limiting what protesters can do is being misinterpreted.
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Before the court appearance, Unifor’s eastern Ontario director Harry Ghadban said the airport authority is being “overzealous” and going against their constitutional right to protest when it stops drivers from using drums or other noisemakers.
Ghadban said the injunction only bans electronic amplification.
On Tuesday the airport authority also said in a news release that protesters drumming and banging on metal security fences had made it more difficult for their staff members to communicate, which is a security risk.
Justice Robert Beaudoin heard arguments about decibel levels during the afternoon court appearance and at one point suggested a compromise of putting the protesting drivers further away from the airport taxi stand.
Unionized airport taxi drivers represented by Unifor Local 1688 have been in a labour dispute with dispatcher Coventry Connections for more than nine weeks over the fees they pay for the right to pick people up at the airport.
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