Coronavirus Update 48

The Union was advised officially yesterday afternoon of the Government’s changes to the COVID-19 border and travel measures set for October 1, 2022.  We have listed the full press release below, and want to assure you that all members will be able to wear at all times when you feel it necessary, and obtain through the company, proper PPE.

News release

September 26, 2022 | Ottawa, ON | Public Health Agency of Canada

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Government of Canada has taken a layered approach to border management to protect the health and safety of Canadians. As the pandemic situation has continued to evolve, adjustments to border measures have been informed by the latest evidence, available data, operational considerations, and the epidemiological situation, both in Canada and internationally. Today the Government of Canada announced the removal of all COVID-19 entry restrictions, as well as testing, quarantine, and isolation requirements for anyone entering Canada, effective October 1, 2022.

The removal of border measures has been facilitated by a number of factors, including modelling that indicates that Canada has largely passed the peak of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 fuelled wave, Canada’s high vaccination rates, lower hospitalization and death rates, as well as the availability and use of vaccine boosters (including new bivalent formulation), rapid tests, and treatments for COVID-19.

Effective October 1, 2022, all travellers, regardless of citizenship, will no longer have to:

  • submit public health information through the ArriveCAN app or website;
  • provide proof of vaccination;
  • undergo pre- or on-arrival testing;
  • carry out COVID-19-related quarantine or isolation;
  • monitor and report if they develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 upon arriving to Canada.

Transport Canada is also removing existing travel requirements. As of October 1, 2022, travellers will no longer be required to:

  • undergo health checks for travel on air and rail; or
  • wear masks on planes and trains.

Although the masking requirement is being lifted, all travellers are strongly recommended to wear high quality and well-fitted masks during their journeys.

Cruise measures are also being lifted, and travellers will no longer be required to have pre-board tests, be vaccinated, or use ArriveCAN. A set of guidelines will remain to protect passengers and crew, which will align with the approach used in the United States.

Individuals are reminded that they should not travel if they have symptoms of COVID-19. If travellers become sick while travelling, and are still sick when they arrive in Canada, they should inform a flight attendant, cruise staff, or a border services officer upon arrival. They may then be referred to a quarantine officer who will decide whether the traveller needs further medical assessment as COVID-19 remains one of many communicable diseases listed in the Quarantine Act.

The Government of Canada also reminds travellers to make informed decisions when considering travel outside of Canada to protect their health and safety. They are encouraged to review the travel advice at https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories for more information on safe travel.

Canadians can continue to do their part to protect themselves and others, and reduce the spread of COVID-19, by getting vaccinated and boosted, using high quality and well-fitted masks where appropriate, self-isolating if they have symptoms and self-testing if they can.

In Solidarity,

CHQ-22-79 – Special Authorization Process for the Submission of Prescription Claims

The Union has filed a policy grievance (click HERE to view) on the Company’s imposition of the Special Authorization process for members who were submitting prescription claims through Claim Secure.  We believe this process creates a burden on the membership.  Members find themselves in a difficult position when they go to their pharmacy and are told the drug they require is not covered. This is a drug that was prescribed by their personal physician and is deemed to be required for their specific condition. After they are aware of this denial, members must then secure a second appointment with their physician to have them fill out the special authorization form.  They must pay out of pocket again for this paperwork to be completed.  Following this laborious process, they are advised that their claim is denied a second time. In our view this is not acceptable and is not aligned with the Collective Agreement language is Article 22 which states:

22.02 SUPPLEMENTAL HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN II: The Company will pay 100% of the Air Canada Supplementary Health Insurance Plan II.

We are looking for examples and scenarios to support our grievance and have created a survey to collect the information. Please CLICK HERE to access the survey:

We hope to hear from you and truly appreciate your assistance with this very important matter. Your participation and attention to this can go a long way to help us remedy the situation and ensure that the Collective Agreement language is respected.

In Solidarity,

Wesley Lesosky
President, Air Canada Component of CUPE

Component Trustee Vacancy Election – 2022

The Air Canada Component Trustee Vacancy Election will commence at 09:00 am EDT on October 4, 2022 and close at 12:00 pm EDT on October 18, 2022.

The candidates running for the one (1) vacant Trustee position are:

Ana Selke
Bethania Valenzuela

IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: You will receive a letter by email, and by regular mail for those that did not opt out of physical mailings, directly from Simply Voting prior to the vote opening. This letter will contain a new Elector ID and Password, along with detailed instructions on how to vote online and by telephone.

You have the option of voting by web, or by phone, as per Component Bylaws. You will need your new Elector ID and Password to access the system.

Once you have submitted your vote, the Simply Voting system will issue a printable electronic receipt. If you are voting by phone, you can only access your electronic receipt by logging into the Simply Voting system online.

If you are experiencing difficulties registering your vote, please e-mail vote@accomponent.ca or call 1-877-411-3552, extension 254 or (416) 798-3399, extension 254. Please provide us with your name, employee number, phone number, e-mail address, and postal code. We will respond as quickly as possible during business hours (weekdays 9:00am – 4:00pm EDT), however, please allow us 1 business day to respond.

As the campaigning process begins, we ask that everyone click HERE to review the Election Guidelines.  These guidelines pertain not only to the candidates, but to the entire membership.

In Solidarity,

Your Component Tabulating Committee

Pension Contributions

The Pension Committee wants to welcome all new members from Mainline and Rouge.  Now, let us talk about your retirement!

In an effort to welcome all new members to Air Canada, this bulletin applies to all members both at Air Canada and Rouge, who have been hired after November 7, 2011.

It is never too early to plan for your retirement. In fact, the sooner you prepare for your retirement, the greater opportunity you have to take advantage of an investment’s best friend, which is: time.  The more time you have, the better it is for your money to grow.

Members hired after November 7, 2011, are on a Hybrid Pension plan.

A Hybrid pension plan consists of two equal components: Defined Benefit (DB) and Defined Contribution (DC).

You can increase your contributions in the DC component of your Hybrid Pension plan.  (Members cannot increase their contribution amounts for their Defined Benefit (DB) pension.)

The default setting is at 1.5%, but depending on one’s years of service, members can increase their contribution amount for the DC component of their Hybrid Pension plan.

The Company matches the amounts members contribute into the DC component of their Hybrid Pension plan. Therefore, the more you contribute to your DC plan, the more money you get from the Company.

As an example: a member that has 2 years or less of continuous service, who contributes $100 to their DC pension, will receive a $100 from the employer.  Therefore, the member will have $200 in their DC pension account.

Company matching amounts for DC contributions:

To maximize your DC contribution amounts, follow these steps:

For Mainline Employees: HR Connex > Retirement > My DC Pension > Manulife > My Account > My Contributions > View/Change My Payroll Deduction Amount.

 

For Rouge Employees: Login to Manulife > My Account > My Contributions > View/Change My Payroll Deduction Amount

Regards and in solidarity,

Your Component Pension Committee:

Marc Roumy (Chairperson)
Henly Larden (Member)
Caroline Lozeau Gelinas (Member)
Alex Habib (Rouge Member)

pensions@accomponent.ca

Did you know?
Only 27% of members on a Hybrid Pension plan are contributing to the maximum amount. Therefore, 73% of members are not contributing to the maximum and are missing out from receiving extra money from the company.

Union Update

Rouge Duty Overtime – Update on Payments
As per the bulletin send out on September 2, 2022 (CLICK HERE), the Company has just confirmed the Rouge Overtime Premium will be implemented retroactively to Arbitrator Ready’s original award date of May 20, 2022.  This is welcome news for our Rouge members.  If you have any issues with payments, please reach out to your Local Union Office.

Vacation Assignment for New Hires and Flow Through Members
We have confirmed with the company that they are in the process of assigning members with vacation time, please verify in Globe for your assigned vacation.  Once you have vacation assigned, you are able to bid on Vacated Vacation Switches as per Article 8.11 of the Collective Agreement.

Pay Issues for Flow Through Members
There has been an increase of members who have reached out in regard to your pay rate once you officially flowed over to Mainline from Rouge.  The Union is looking into this with the Company and once we have an update, we will reach out to all those affected individually.  We understand this has taken some time, we needed to pull reports to verify leaves, training, and initial assignments to ensure the employer had updated information to work with.

Call In Reserve
Mainline and Rouge members, when you are on a Call In day, you are required contractually to call the night prior for your assignment, at the call in time, you will be awarded a pairing, a leave with pay until the next call in period, or be converted to ready reserve.  Please ensure you contact the Union if you have any questions or concerns.

Crew Changes on Through Flights
Did you know when there is a crew change on a through flight, only the inbound crew is entitled to post period ground duty for remaining onboard, this is as per Article 5.08.  Outbound crews should not be pressured to relieve the inbound crew earlier than their check in time.  We understand the challenges placed on our current operation and ask that the Service Director claim when entitled.

Metering Pay
Reminder to Service Directors, the Union is receiving many reports of ground claims not being put in.  If your flight is applicable to metering pay, please remember this is not automatic and you must go in and claim it for your crew.  If you need assistance on eClaim, please reach out to your Local Union office or your Manager for assistance.

In solidarity,

Your ACCEX