Airport Taxi drivers can't block Airport Parkway, court orders

Airport taxi drivers will no longer be able to interfere with traffic on the Airport Parkway and surrounding roads after a court order was issued Wednesday morning.

The City of Ottawa and Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport Authority filed for the injunction on Monday, asking Airport Taxi drivers represented by Unifor Local 1688 not be allowed to block the Airport Parkway as they had been doing during a labour dispute with their dispatcher Coventry Connections.

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Tuesday night the city and Unifor reached an agreement that airport taxi drivers wouldn't block the Parkway anymore, which was made into a court order for an injunction the next morning.

The injunction says protesters "will be prohibited from:

(a) blocking, obstructing, interfering with, or delaying pedestrian or vehicular traffic on the Airport Parkway Hunt Club Road, Uplands Drive, or Lester Road in the City of Ottawa, by any manner or means whatsoever, unless it is part of a legally authorized protest or event, (including an authorization under City of Ottawa Bylaw 2001-260); and

(b) driving on the Airport Parkway, Hunt Club Road, Uplands Drive or Lester Road at such a slow rate of speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic thereon except when the slow rate of speed is necessary for safe operation having regard to all the circumstances."

Taxi union president: this isn't a defeat

Unifor Local 1688 president Amrik Singh said after the court order was issued that he's OK with the decision and that it isn't a defeat.

"We never thought that we are breaking any laws but things changed a little bit today," he said.

"We are law abiding citizens, we will follow the law and we will continue our protest within the laws."

He said drivers will still picket on the sides of the parkway and he will talk to his members about whether to ask for a demonstration permit or move protests elsewhere.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson announced the decision during a city council meeting, saying the protests had been an increasing concern for the city, the airport and road users.

"While the City of Ottawa does not have jurisdiction over labour dispute, we remain hopeful that the parties can resolve their differences at the bargaining table and encourage both sides to negotiate a fair settlement as soon as possible," he said.

The labour dispute over a raise in fees paid to Coventry Connections and the airport authority began on Aug. 11.

A previous injunction put limits on the number of drivers and taxis that can protest at the Ottawa International Airport itself and what protesters can do.