DAYS SINCE WE BEGAN THE BARGAINING PROCESS. WE ARE UNITED AND WE WILL MAKE CHANGE.

«On doit atterrir d’urgence»: Brigitte Bédard raconte son vol Montréal-Paris perturbé par un passager turbulent

La présentatrice météo Brigitte Bédard témoigne d’une scène surréaliste à bord d’un vol Air Canada

Un vol Air Canada Montréal-Paris a dû atterrir d’urgence à Saint-Jean de Terre-Neuve après qu’un passager turbulent, qui serait d’origine russe, se soit emporté contre un autre voyageur qui avait incliné son siège. La présentatrice météo Brigitte Bédard, témoin de l’incident, a raconté au micro de Sophie Durocher, à QUB radio et télé, diffusé simultanément au 99,5 FM, comment la situation a dégénéré, nécessitant l’intervention de la GRC. Ce détour a entraîné un retard de 3 heures et des coûts importants pour la compagnie aérienne.

«Honnêtement les agents de bord professionnels ont géré ça avec beaucoup de classe et de de sang-froid. Personne n’a paniqué.»

 

Écoutez le récit de Brigitte Bédard :

https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2025/05/15/on-doit-atterrir-durgence-brigitte-bedard-raconte-son-vol-montreal-paris-perturbe-par-un-passager-turbulent

 

Reminder: You Have a Legal Right to Rest

This is a clear reminder that you are legally entitled to a rest period during your duty day if it is planned or scheduled to go over 5 hours. Under the Canada Labour Code, you must receive a 30 minute break for every 5 consecutive hours of work/being on duty. This break can be split into two 15 minute periods, if needed. This is not an optional rest period. This is the legal minimum standard and applies to all federally regulated workers, including you. This is based on your duty period and not flying time, if you are on duty for 5+ hours, you are to receive a 30 minute break, if you are on duty for 10+ hours you are to receive two 30 minute breaks, again this can be broken down into 15 minute intervals.

The only time your break can be delayed or cancelled is in the case of an unexpected situation that poses a serious risk to:

  • Passenger or crew safety,
  • The aircraft or equipment, or
  • Normal flight operations.

If your break is impacted for one of these reasons, please submit an OBR and report the incident to the Union through this link. Please also submit a copy of the OBR and any and all replies from the Company so the Union can monitor inconsistencies and have them addressed in a timely fashion.

Management has not provided clear guidance on how to implement these breaks during your duty period, but that does not take away your right to them. The Union’s position is clear: you can, and should, take your legally entitled breaks.

As the Union previously reported to you, we attempted to engage the Company and encouraged them multiple times to ensure that break periods would be understood and regulated onboard. Our strong suggestion was to add it to the briefing, have the company publicly acknowledge it, reach out to crew to seek clarity on the issues with getting breaks and share this dialogue with the Union so a resolve could be found.  To date, and since the last discussions, this has not been the practise seen.

The company itself has stated that they “go beyond the legal requirement of a 30 minute unpaid break by choosing to pay cabin crew for their time”.  Let there be no confusion, if you are required to be available during your break for emergency situations the employer must pay you, if you are required to be contactable and available to them during your break, you are to be paid for that break. Service Directors/Leads are responsible for helping to coordinate crew breaks, according to the Company, but they’ve received no clear direction from management on how to do so.

The Company needs to acknowledge your rights, acknowledge their responsibility, and must not leave this to create confusion and anxiety on board.

Fatigue is real. Breaks aren’t just a legal right, they’re essential for your health, well-being, and safety on the job in your safety critical role. If you are denied a break or pressured not to take one, document the incident and notify us here.

Bottom line, this is a minimum standard that must be recognized and you can not be told you are not allowed.

The company plans the crew complement, duty days and service, meaning they have full control on the customer “impact” and break periods.  Take your break, report the issues and let’s hope Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge will move forward with a clear directive to stop the confusion and inaccurate statements on how, when and where breaks can and will take place.

The Union will move forward with a complaint based on YOUR feedback to the issue. Please reach out by replying to this email if you have any questions, or go to your Local Union office. Otherwise, please report break violations through the link provided.

Stay informed. Stay empowered. Take your breaks.

In solidarity,

LivingWorks ASIST Suicide Intervention Workshops – Save the Date!

GOOD NEWS!

The Air Canada Component of CUPE is committed to raising awareness and resources to support the mental and psychological health and safety of its members. As part of this, the Union recently invested in the LivingWorks ASIST, the leading suicide intervention workshop in Canada.

The workshop is coming again to TORONTO and MONTREAL in June! This is your opportunity to choose to be part of the solution and train in suicide first aid! Further dates at other bases will be announced as we finalize those plans.

Dates:
YUL: June 9 AND June 10 – 08:30-16:30 EDT
YYZ: June 11 AND June 12 – 08:30-16:30 EDT

NOTE: THIS IS A TWO-DAY TRAINING

Language of instruction:
Trainings will be conducted in English. French workshop materials will be available (must be selected during registration), and a bilingual facilitator will also be present.

Location:
YUL: Conference room at the YUL airport
YYZ: 25 Belfield Road Etobicoke, Ontario M9W 1E8

COST:                  
The workshop is FREE for all Mainline and Rouge cabin crew (a $300 value).

Other airline and CUPE members are welcome to join for a nominal fee of $55, Subject to approval. This covers the base cost of the workshop participant kit.

Facilitators:
– Jordan Bray-Stone, Chairperson – Air Canada Component of CUPE OHS Committee
– Nicola Schnell, Vice Chairperson – Air Canada Component of CUPE OHS Committee

Once bids close, we will send out another bulletin with the sign up link.

What is LivingWorks ASIST?
Recognized as the global leader in suicide intervention training, LivingWorks ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) is a 2-day interactive workshop in suicide first aid.

In 2022 in Canada (the most recent available statistics from StatsCan):

  • There were 3,593 reported suicides , and 1,849,599 people reported suicides.

In 2022 around the world:

  • Suicide first aiders performed 92,424 interventions
  • 74, 536 participants attended LivingWorks ASIST Workshops
  • 12,939 deaths by suicide were prevented

*Estimates based on studies

What will you learn?
LivingWorks ASIST helps learners become willing, ready, and able to intervene with someone who has thoughts of suicide. You will learn to:

  • Help someone with thoughts of suicide develop a safety plan to keep safe-for-now and connect with further help
  • Apply a Safety Framework to guide the development of this SafePlan through a collaborative, helping relationship
  • Understand how personal and community attitudes about suicide affect someone’s openness to seek help and your ability to provide it
  • Build confidence and capacity in providing suicide first aid

Who should attend?
No previous experience or training is required, but a commitment is. Although the course may be offered at no cost to ACC cabin crew, we kindly as that you refrain from signing up if you cannot commit to attending.

LivingWorks ASIST is a training that strengthens your whole community, building a Network of helpers who can apply suicide first aid in many settings like schools, homes, workplaces, and as a part of formal caregiving roles.

The workshop works best when individuals from diverse backgrounds and work roles attend. Feel free to invite workers from other Air Canada groups.

How will you learn?
We aim to provide a safe learning environment. The learning process includes:

  • Trainer presentations and powerful videos to stimulate discussion and support learning
  • Extensive opportunities for skills practice through exercises and role-play
  • Shared participant experiences that enrich learning
  • Trainer-facilitated workgroups to optimize participation

Direct and honest discussion about suicide is encouraged. While sometimes challenging, this prepares helpers to openly approach people with thoughts of suicide, and to help them keep safe.

Once bids close, we will send out another bulletin with the sign up link.

In Solidarity,

Your Component Occupational Health and Safety Committee

Substantiation Requests for Family Responsibility Leave

For Mainline Employees Only

Dear Mainline Members,

Family Responsibility Leave – Blanket and Unreasonable Substantiation Requests, Restrictions and Denials, and the Administration of these Leaves

The Union has filed a policy grievance (click HERE to view) including but not limited to the Company’s failure to grant Leaves of Absence for Family Responsibility; placing unreasonable restrictions on accessing these leaves; imposing a blanket requirement for substantiation; and unreasonable requests for substantiation.  Air Canada’s administration of these leaves of absence is also unreasonable including but not limited to the amount of family care days that must be used to cover these leaves, the coding limitations, and payment for these leaves.

We are looking for examples to support our grievance and kindly ask that you email them (with all supporting documentation) to i.jovic@accomponent.ca.  Please ensure to include CHQ-25-51 in the subject line.

We hope to hear from you and truly appreciate your assistance with this very important matter.

In Solidarity,

Wesley Lesosky
President, Air Canada Component of CUPE

Bargaining Committee Update – 16 – Union Files for Conciliation

Today at 17:24 EDT your Union Bargaining Committee filed with the Federal Government a Notice of dispute and request for conciliation assistance.

The Company offered to continue negotiations, outside of conciliation, by way of private third-party mediation but your Union only saw that as a stall tactic and an unnecessary step that is not required in the process.

To reiterate, we saw this as an additional and optional step in the Federal Bargaining process, and want to ensure we work in an efficient manner to get the contract and wage you deserve in a timely manner.

Below is a link to the most recent developments in the bargaining process:

English Video

Vidéo en français

The Union will hold a more in-depth discussion during tomorrow’s Bargaining Roadshow, where we will review the current status and outline the next phases of the process.

The Zoom Roadshow will be held on May 14, 2025 from 18:00 to 19:00h EDT. Registration for this event is open to all members system wide. If you have not already done so, click the link below to register:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7dxBukd7Ru2RsxhmsMZ-kQ

Now is the time to ensure everyone is wearing their Union pin.

In Solidarity,

Your Bargaining Committee