days until our Collective Agreement expires, we are preparing, we are united and we will make change.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – September 30th

Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge that as I write this bulletin, I am sitting on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We express gratitude for the opportunity to live and work on this land and pay our respects to its Indigenous custodians, past and present.

Today is a great day to embark on a journey of self-education and enlightenment. By exploring the history, we can gain a deeper understanding of the events, cultures, and people that have shaped our world. It’s essential to recognize that knowledge is a powerful tool, and by familiarizing ourselves with the past, we can better navigate the present and influence the future. Let’s seize this day as an opportunity to expand our horizons and appreciate the rich tapestry of stories that history offers.

Your Component Diversity Committee is dedicated to emphasizing the significance of this day throughout the years. Truth and reconciliation are ongoing efforts that should be pursued daily. This principle will hold a prominent position within the committee, allowing us to wholeheartedly embrace and celebrate our roots.

The reasons why we wear an orange t-shirt have become a symbolic gesture of remembrance and solidarity, rooted in the tragic history of residential schools in Canada. The origin of this movement traces back to Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwepemc woman from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation. As a young girl, Phyllis was excited to wear her new orange shirt on her first day at a residential school. However, upon her arrival, the shirt was taken away from her, symbolizing the loss of her identity, culture, and the personal violations she and so many others endured at these institutions. The “Orange Shirt Day” movement, observed annually on September 30th, emerged from Phyllis’s story. Wearing an orange t-shirt serves as a powerful visual reminder of the harm these schools inflicted on Indigenous children and the lasting impact they have on Indigenous communities. It’s a call for awareness, education, and reconciliation, urging us to remember the past and work towards a future where every child’s life and culture are valued and recognized.

Here are some guidelines and resources to further understand land acknowledgments:
https://www.whose.land/

To support local event:
https://orangeshirtday.org/events/

Support our cause with a donation:
https://www.iworks.org/kocihta

Empower through learning:
https://www.ualberta.ca/admissions-programs/online-courses/indigenous-canada/index.html

Discover a world within these pages:

– Five Little Indians / Cinq petits Indiens (Michelle Good)
– Kuei, My Friend: A Conversation on Race and Reconciliation / Kuei, je te salue : conversation sur le racisme (Deni Ellis Béchard, Natasha Kanapé Fontaine)
– A Short History of Indians in Canada / Une brève histoire des Indiens au Canada (Thomas King)

In solidarity,

Olivier Faucher-Boisjoli
Co-Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Air Canada Pilots – Informational Picketing Event

Our colleagues at ALPA will be holding an informational picket tomorrow at Toronto Pearson Airport to raise awareness for their right to better wages and working conditions. They have been locked into the same ten-year collective agreement that we have. It is now their opportunity to seek improvements for their members. We may be in a very similar position in 2025 and are providing our full support and encouragement to our pilot colleagues.

At this information picket there will be pilots from other air carriers there to lend their support and to show solidarity. Now is the time to take power and to show our employer the unity and solidarity between its unions. We wish ALPA every success in their negotiations and beyond.

In solidarity,

Co-Operators Insurance Company

Your Component Officers are always looking for creative ways to lighten the financial burden of our members. We have been consulting with the Co-Operators Insurance Company to see if they are able to offer group rates that may be cheaper than your current home and auto insurance costs.  We are pleased to say that we have come to an agreement with them, and they are offering quotes to the membership. Please see the details below. Our group code is Air Canada Component of CUPE. We hope that this is successful and look forward to hearing from you.

Interim Secretary-Treasurer Report – Year End – 2022-2023

I hope everyone had a great summer.

Please see an update below regarding the financial affairs of the Component:

Banking and Investments:

Meridian Bank :

  • $ 1,252,814 @ 3.45% Maturing on May 6, 2024

Desjardins Credit Union :

  • $ 3,300,000 @ 5.75% Maturing on August 24, 2024
  • $ 1,100,000 @ 5.75% Maturing on September 19, 2025

We changed financial institutions, and we now have a new account at Desjardins Credit Union. Desjardins is a unionized financial credit Union. Accounts for trade Unions carry 5% interest, which is significantly higher than what we had at Meridian. Desjardins does not charge any fees to Labour Unions. We are very exited about this; we now have a high interest no fee account for our day-to-day operations.

Statement of Operation:

2022-2023 Year end (Q4)
Please see below the Unaudited Statement of 2022-2023 fiscal year, covering the period between July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.

Our Surplus:

As you may have observed, our surplus has grown considerably. We are earmarking these funds for our 2025 negotiations, specifically to support various media campaigns and to secure legal and financial counsel. We are committed to ensuring that your 2025 bargaining team is well-prepared and equipped with the necessary resources.

Highest Earner report for the 2022-2023 fiscal year:

July 2022 $ 10,889.33
August 2022 $ 10,554.67
September 2022 $ 10,714.00
October 2022 $ 10,104.00
November 2022 $ 10,119.33
December 2022 $ 10,417.33
January 2023 $ 11,009.33
February 2023 $ 12,239.33
March 2023 $ 10,729.33
April 2023 $ 10,499.33
May 2023 $ 10,044.00
June 2023 $ 10,806.00

Audits:

Our fiscal year ended on June 30, 2023. We are currently sending our books to our external auditing firm for a full audit. We will be up to date for our external audits. The next trustee audit will take place at the end of October, when they will audit the 2016-2017 fiscal year.

Safe flying everyone.

In Solidarity,

Guillaume Leduc
Interim Secretary-Treasurer, Air Canada Component of CUPE

Bargaining Reopener Update

The interest arbitration process of the second Collective Agreement reopener, 2022,  takes place later this fall.  The interest arbitration is the legal procedure by which an arbitrator (Eli Gedalof) determines the contents of the Collective Agreement for the period ending in 2025.  The Union took the position that Members should be able to attend the interest arbitration hearing, listen to Air Canada and the Union’s legal arguments and evidence, and watch the arbitration process.  Air Canada took the position that Members should not be permitted to attend the interest arbitration.  It relied on the fact that confidential financial information is at issue in the proceedings.

The dispute was determined by Arbitrator Gedalof and because of the confidential financial information used in the interest arbitration process, which is subject to a confidentiality award, Arbitrator Gedalof ruled that Members cannot attend.  A copy of his decision is attached HERE.

We will, however, be able to provide you with information relating to the interest arbitration process and the positions of the Union and the Company. We will provide you with updates throughout this process, which is set to commence in October 2023.

The amendments to the Collective Agreement from the first reopener have been completed. This process is very time consuming and a focus on content and accuracy is required. Please see the updated copy of the Collective Agreement attached HERE with the amendments.

In solidarity,

Your ACCEX