The Canada Industrial Relations Board has sided with a Unifor member who refused dangerous work at Brinks in Toronto, dismissing the company's appeal and confirming that armoured car workers cannot be directed to work alone without the protection of a guard.
Victory for Worker Safety
“No worker should ever be forced to choose between their safety and their job,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “This decision is a powerful affirmation that the right to refuse dangerous work is real and protected under federal law. Armoured car workers face serious risks every day, and no employer can strip away those protections in the name of cutting costs. When our members raise the alarm, Unifor backs them all the way.”
The decision stems from a work refusal by an Armoured Car Messenger and member of Unifor Local 112. Brinks had directed two-person crews, normally made up of a messenger and a guard, to separate inside shopping malls and both operate as messengers, leaving workers to collect and carry liability without guard protection. Unifor challenged the arrangement as creating an unacceptable risk to workers.
Broader Implications
“This ruling matters far beyond a single workplace,” said Samia Hashi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. “It tells every armoured car carrier in this country that splitting crews and sending messengers out alone, without a guard, is not acceptable. The safety procedures that protect armoured transport workers exist because the work is dangerous, and they cannot be cast aside for the sake of efficiency. Our members at Brinks fought for this, and workers right across the sector are better off for it.”
A federal health and safety officer issued a direction in the worker's favour on June 23, 2022. Brinks appealed. The Board found that a danger existed at the time of the refusal and that the danger was not a normal condition of employment. It confirmed the officer's direction, dismissed Brinks' appeal, and resolved the matter without a hearing.
What This Means for Workers
Brinks can no longer pursue this operating model, and the ruling puts other armoured car carriers on notice. Approximately 800 Brinks workers across Canada stand to benefit. In practice, the ruling requires Brinks to uphold the guard protections and safety procedures that armoured transport work has always demanded — nothing more, nothing less.
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
