Armoured car workers lobby on Parliament Hill

Taskforce on armoured car sector needed

OTTAWA, Feb. 13, 2014 /CNW/ - Workers in the armoured car sector are on Parliament Hill today to urge the Minister of Public Safety Steven Blaney and Members of Parliament to strike a taskforce on safety in the industry. The lobby takes place on the heels of two robberies of armoured cars in Montreal and Toronto.

In a landmark ruling released last month, two-person, one man all off armoured car crews were declared unsafe by a federal health and safety officer after an exhaustive investigation.

Unifor has four key recommendations on improving safety:

• Eliminate the incentive for firms to compete by lowering safety standards, including: Standardize firearms, use of force and heavy vehicle training, across the Canadian armoured car industry.
  
  
• Minimize the risk for armoured car guards by standardizing work practices, including: Mandatory 3-person crews, with driver in vehicle, for higher-risk public areas.
  
  
• Establish minimum safety requirements for vehicles, standardized across the armoured car industry, including: ensure all vehicles are equipped with proper communications and emergency equipment and undergo regular maintenance.
  
  
• Require all armoured car guards wear protective bullet-proof vests that are replaced regularly and adhere to the latest police standards.

Unifor represents 2,000 workers in the armoured car industry and more than 300,000 workers across Canada in 20 different economic sectors. Unifor was formed over this past Labour Day weekend by the joining together of the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union.

SOURCE: Unifor