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

Recall Notices – July 15, 2021

The Union is happy to announce that the Company has just advised us that there will be an additional 50 recall notices going out shortly for Cabin Crew positions at Air Canada Mainline. Those recalled to Air Canada Mainline will be recalled back to their home base.

The recalls to Mainline will take effect on July 29, 2021 and you must accept your recall within 7 days. The most junior member being recalled has a 2021 seniority of 22525.

All members being recalled will be notified via registered letter.  Please note that due to COVID-19, there may be some delays in these letters reaching you. To compensate for this the Company will also be advising all those recalled via Company email and a courtesy phone call.  Please check your recall notice for more details. To ensure delivery of your recall response we suggest using your Air Canada email account.

As a reminder the Collective Agreement says the following about recalls:

17.16.02  An employee on laid-off status shall be notified by the applicable company, of the first available assignment either at Air Canada Mainline or at Air Canada Rouge to which his/her seniority entitles him. Failure to advise the applicable company within seven (7) calendar days of the registered postmark date of his/her desire to be considered for the assignment shall disqualify him for the assignment.

Recall notice shall be sent by registered mail to the last address filed with the company.

The Company will reach out to you via registered letter to the last address you have listed with the employer.  You have 7 calendar days to reply to the employer if you intend on accepting your recall, from the date the letter was post marked.  We have been advised that the letters will go out today, July 15, 2021.

Do I have to accept a position back to my home base?  Can I decline the recall coming back to where I was laid off from?
As per Article 17.16.04 the following is applicable:

17.16.04  If the employee is notified of a permanent assignment at the point of layoff, s/he must accept, and report for duty within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date notice was sent. An acceptance of permanent assignment at other than the point of layoff shall be optional for the individual concerned; however, should s/he accept, s/he shall report for duty within twenty-one (21) calendar days from the date of registered postmark. This time limit may be extended by Air Canada or Air Canada Rouge, as applicable, under extenuating circumstances.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us for clarity on the process or any concerns that you may have.

In solidarity,

Recall Notices – July 11, 2021

The Union is happy to announce that the Company has just advised us that there will be an additional 361 recall notices going out shortly for Cabin Crew positions at Air Canada Mainline.

All members whose point of layoff is at Air Canada Mainline will be recalled to their point of layoff in this batch. This batch of recalls also includes members whose point of layoff is at Air Canada Rouge. As such they will be offered a position at Air Canada Mainline and will have the opportunity to decline the recall and maintain their recall rights.

The recalls to Mainline will take effect on July 25, 2021 for Mainline members and August 1. 2021 for Rouge members and you must accept your recall within 7 days. The most junior member being offered a recall has a 2021 seniority of 22275.

All members being recalled will be notified via registered letter.  Please note that due to COVID-19, there may be some delays in these letters reaching you. To compensate for this the Company will also be advising all those recalled via Company email and a courtesy phone call.  Please check your recall notice for more details. To ensure delivery of your recall response we suggest using your Air Canada email account.

As a reminder the Collective Agreement says the following about recalls:

17.16.02  An employee on laid-off status shall be notified by the applicable company, of the first available assignment either at Air Canada Mainline or at Air Canada Rouge to which his/her seniority entitles him. Failure to advise the applicable company within seven (7) calendar days of the registered postmark date of his/her desire to be considered for the assignment shall disqualify him for the assignment.

Recall notice shall be sent by registered mail to the last address filed with the company.

The Company will reach out to you via registered letter to the last address you have listed with the employer.  You have 7 calendar days to reply to the employer if you intend on accepting your recall, from the date the letter was post marked.  We have been advised that the letters will go out today, July 11, 2021.

If your recall is to Air Canada Mainline and you are a Rouge member, you do not need to accept the recall but you must still reply to the recall notice. In this case you have up to 14 calendar days to reply to the employer advising that you are not interested in the recall but wish to be maintained on the seniority list for future recalls.  Failure to respond to the recall notice will result in your name being removed from the seniority list.

Do I have to accept a position back to my home base?  Can I decline the recall coming back to where I was laid off from?

As per Article 17.16.04 the following is applicable:

17.16.04  If the employee is notified of a permanent assignment at the point of layoff, s/he must accept, and report for duty within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date notice was sent. An acceptance of permanent assignment at other than the point of layoff shall be optional for the individual concerned; however, should s/he accept, s/he shall report for duty within twenty-one (21) calendar days from the date of registered postmark. This time limit may be extended by Air Canada or Air Canada Rouge, as applicable, under extenuating circumstances.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us for clarity on the process or any concerns that you may have.

In solidarity,

PBS – Old User Interface (U.I.) – Sunset Period Begins

After several years of maintaining both interfaces, the sunset period for the Old UI has now officially begun. Navblue, our PBS provider, informed us that due to the ever-growing divergence in the software technologies between the Old UI and New UI, they will soon no longer be able to support the Old UI. As was initially agreed to when the New UI was introduced in 2017, a minimum 3-month official sunset period for the Old UI is being provided to the membership.

Like with any change, it is natural that you may experience uncertainty and confusion. Although the New UI may look different, the “core” of PBS and bidding has not changed.

Attached HERE you will find an updated version of the Old vs. New UI side-by-side bulletin. This is a visual step-by-step guide which includes how to login, search pairings, create bid lines, submit your bid, and so much more.

If you haven’t tried the New UI, then now’s the time! This sunset period will not only provide you with time to discover all the benefits of the New UI but will also give you a few months to familiarize yourself with the interface without the stress of learning something new on a tight timeline with the bid close looming.

As a reminder, you have access to bidding outside the regular bid period. The only time PBS is unavailable is between bid close and Netline publish or when upgrades are being made to the system. Otherwise, you have access to and can submit your Default bid any time PBS is available. This means you can comfortably play around in your Default bid and familiarize yourself with the New UI, and as long as you do not click on Submit, then you will not change your bids. The ability to submit a Current bid is only possible during the regular bidding period.

It’s important to note that the New UI works with both your device (desktop, laptop, iPad, etc.) and your browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.). While the system is stable, it does require periodic hands-on solutions like clearing the cache and web data. To access the complete and current list of up-to-date supported browsers, operating systems and devices, click on the Help function (?) in PBS and search supported browsers/devices.

Waiting until the last minute to familiarize yourself with the New UI will only add more stress so try it out today. You know more than you think you do!

Please contact your Local PBS Committee for bidding assistance.

Cabin Heat

DID YOU KNOW?
In hot weather with a full load of passengers boarded, the cabin temperature can increase at a rate of approximately 0.5C (1F) per minute.

The government regulations state that temperatures onboard should not go above 29 degrees:

Aviation Occupational Safety and Health Regulations (AOHSR) 7.1:
If reasonably practicable*, the air temperature on board an aircraft shall be maintained at a level of not less than 18°C and not more than 29°C.

*Transport Canada has previously stated that it is reasonable for the company to provide heating/cooling equipment at its gates.

REMEMBER:
– When it’s above 14C (57F) outside, cabin ventilation or cooling needs to be set up by ground staff according to company procedures.

– The Mainline IFS Policy Health and Safety Committee has recognized heat/cold as a workplace hazard:

Heat: Contact Stoc/PIC to ensure GPU or APU for air conditioning is turned on. Discontinue boarding and/or board when temperature is adequate. The jacket may be removed, as per the May 1st [2018] Move Me News. For safety reasons, it must always be worn for take-off, landing and in emergency situations. Drinking water, cooling breaks. In the June 1st [2018], Move Me News, it was announced that Crew Members are permitted to wear short sleeves for the J class service. Further concerns about the uniform should be referred to your local Manager.

– Notify the Captain/STOC immediately who can notify the appropriate ground staff to address the issue, as per ground procedures. And ask to hold off boarding if the cabin temperature is not conducive to safe occupancy.

– Closing window shades may assist in cooling down the cabin.

REPORTING:
It is crucial to submit a health and safety complaint about any suspected hazards to the company. This ensures that it is documented for statistical trending, investigated, and ultimately permits you to refer your complaint to the health and safety committee is the employer isn’t able to resolve it with you directly.

A health and safety complaint can be filed on the iPad if you are an in-charge or via sims.aircanada.ca.

In solidarity,

Your Air Canada Component of CUPE Health and Safety Committee