As you are aware, your Union filed for conciliation as negotiations with the Company have not resulted in a settlement. We still find ourselves very far apart on key issues.
Since the beginning of December, our Mobilization and Engagement team have been hard at work raising awareness, engaging with the membership and the general public. Participation on our Zoom Roadshows has been excellent, with 1,500 plus participants on our last call. Our award-winning UNFAIR Canada media campaign has reached millions, and our podcasts have provided valuable content for thousands of our members.
Now it is time for the Union to shift from the mobilization efforts into Strike Aversion and Strike Readiness. As we move forward, our priority will be to ensure that members are ready and educated on the next phase, should we need to walk down that road. Our goal is clear; we need to reach a negotiated settlement that meets all our members’ needs. However, if we are not able to do this in the conciliation stage, we have to be prepared to fight for these improvements if necessary. In the month ahead your local will establish a Strike Committee and they will be meeting and developing their strike plans for their base. The Air Canada Component will be working with CUPE National and Point-Blank Media to develop a strike aversion strategy that will help us reach our goal of fairness if needed.
The time has come, we need to see our members rally around each other, get educated on the process and issues, stand up for fairness for all members and provide their bargaining team the strongest Strike Mandate our group has ever seen when called upon to do so. We can only make things right with the help and determination of our membership. Wearing your luggage tags and Union pins was just the start. In the near future, the Union will be rolling out new swag for members to show solidarity while at work and will be communicating other ways to participate in showing the Company we are serious. If you are interested in getting involved with your Local’s Strike Committee, please reach out to your Local Office to be placed on the list.
Your Local Strike Committee Chairs are:
Local 4091 – YUL: Jessica Matte
Local 4092 – YYZ: Larry Roy
Local 4094 – YVR: Oliver Cooper
Local 4095 – YYC: Daylen Mitansky & Brittany Thomas
Local 4098 – Rouge: Courtney Kenny
In Solidarity,
Your Bargaining Committee