Your Air Canada Component Executive met with the employer on August 22, 23 & 24, 2022 to continue discussions regarding the second bargaining re-opener in our current 10-year Collective Agreement.
Housekeeping Items
As promised, we are providing an update that involves what was discussed and where we are now. The matters at hand on these dates were housekeeping items which are changes to the Collective Agreement that do not actually change the meaning or application of the language, but that fix typographical errors, or make the mutually agreed meaning clearer. This is helpful as the Collective Agreement is a document that evolves over time. It is important to fix these errors and ensure that it is clear to those who read it.
Notice Items
In addition to housekeeping items there were notice items presented to each party from the other. This is done when either party would like to change existing practices that do not align with the Collective Agreement and are inconsistent with the clear language of the Collective Agreement. Part of bargaining preparation includes a review of existing practices which are not consistent with the provisions of the Collective Agreement. If the Union or employer wish to change such practices, they would then put the other “on notice”. These items can be brought forward by the respective parties, and they would argue that the other is estopped from continuing the practice. Estoppel simply works on the principle of fairness. It isn’t fair for an employer to suddenly effect change when, through practice, words, or silence, they have led the Union to believe that a certain way of doing things will continue. There is a window of time during which the parties may serve notice that that they no longer intend to follow a practice which is not required or not consistent with the Collective Agreement. This window occurs at the time the parties are re-negotiating a Collective Agreement, as this gives the other party an opportunity to negotiate Collective Agreement provisions. There were notice items exchanged between the parties and discussion on these are continuing during our next bargaining session.
We will meet again with the employer on October 4, 5 & 6, 2022.
In solidarity,
Your ACCEX