RISE UP FOR ARMOURED CAR GUARDS

by Owen Lane, Director, Armoured Car Division

The role of our Division is not to protect cash –it is to protect the guards.

Armoured car guards should be recognized for their professionalism. They perform a difficult, crucial, and frequently undervalued job. Even in today's increasingly digitalized world, paper money continues to play a significant role in our lives. Protecting that cash is essential to the smooth operation of our country.

The role of our union’s Armoured Car Division is not to protect cash – it is to protect the guards. We had our hands full this year as banks looked to cut costs and armoured car companies sought to maximize their profits, all at the expense of those actually doing the work in this industry.

The importance of unions in the armoured car world was on full display last year in New Brunswick and Price Edward Island. Garda had attempted to reduce crewing levels, potentially putting guards’ lives at risk. Teamsters Local Union 927 had to go on a week-long strike to force the company to ensure that every armoured car guard has at least one partner.

The strike was about protecting lives, putting safety over profits, and taking every reasonable step to make sure guards come home safely after their shifts.

The job action was ultimately successful, with the company agreeing to our safety demands. Workers also won a 12.7% raise in the first two years of the agreement, and a subsequent increase in the final year of the agreement to match the yet-to-be-determined raise given to Garda armoured car guards in Nova Scotia.

All this would have never happened without a strong union. Congratulations to the local and the members on their fight.

Brink’s & Garda

Mourn the Dead, Fight for the Living

Last year also marked the sad 10-year anniversary of the University of Alberta HUB Mall shooting. During a routine cash transfer, a coward ambushed and fatally shot three armoured car guards who were members of Teamsters Local Union 362: Eddie Rejano, Brian Ilesic and Michelle Shegelski.

A fourth, Matthew Schuman, was rushed to hospital with a bullet wound to the head. He later survived.

I promise you that the Teamsters will never forget those we lost. We will never back down against workplace violence, and we will never stop fighting for the safety and security of armoured car guards.

Brink’s lost their national service contract with CIBC to Garda World. Brink’s was forced to shut down its operation in Lethbridge, Alberta, where approximately 12 members were laid off permanently. Both Edmonton and Calgary also faced layoffs. Fortunately, most of the affected workers found jobs at Garda.

Mississauga is now the biggest Brink’s branch in Canada, employing approximately 700 Teamster members.

Brink’s attempted to institute two unsafe crewing practices in 2022 in Alberta, which Local Union 362 was able to successfully halt.

Bargaining at Garda is expected to start early next spring in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The current agreement between the company and Local Unions 362, 395, and 979 expired in May 2023.