In grievances filed between 2017 and 2019 (YYZ-SG-17-69, YVR-17-118, YYZ-SG-18-11, and YYZ-SG-19-47) the Union alleged that Air Canada did not provide appropriate crew rest at layover stations after short-range flight legs that were added to long-range extension pairings after departure. In these cases, the short-range flight legs were added in two circumstances: to reserve pairings, and to regular pairings in which flights were diverted.
The Union’s position was that Air Canada must provide long-range crew rest of 18-24 hours after each flight leg in a pairing scheduled under the Collective Agreement’s long-range extension provisions (Articles B14, L18, and L22), including after short-range flight legs later added to the pairing.
Unfortunately, Chief Arbitrator Kaplan dismissed the Union’s grievances. Click HERE to view the award. Although such pairings must be scheduled in accordance with the Collective Agreement’s long-range extension provisions, the Chief Arbitrator found that where an Article B5 short-range flight leg is permissibly added to such a pairing, the crew rest on layover following that flight leg is governed by Article B5, which provides for only 10-12 hours of rest.
The Collective Agreement still requires Air Canada to comply with strict scheduling rules for long-range extension pairings under Articles B14, L18, and L22. Further, the circumstances in which Air Canada can add short-range flights to long-range extension pairings remain limited by the Collective Agreement. The Union will continue to monitor Air Canada’s practices regarding long-range extension pairings and file further grievances as appropriate.
In Solidarity,
Your Component Grievance Committee