Remembrance Day

Lisa Raymond on November 11, 2020

Remembrance Day commemorates those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and it honours all who have fought and continue to fight for peace.

Each year, we pause on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, to remember those who paid the ultimate price to protect our freedoms. It is important that we continue to remember and honour those who gave so much to our country.

This year, on November 11th, no matter where you may be, please pause and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Airline Workers Must Be Consulted on Federal Support for Sector: CUPE

Lisa Raymond on November 10, 2020

VANCOUVER, British Columbia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Canada’s flight attendant union, the Airline Division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), says the federal government must start consulting with workers on how the government can and should support the sector through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s been a long eight months for our members whose livelihoods have been shaken or decimated completely by this crisis,” said Wesley Lesosky, President of CUPE’s Airline Division. “Since the spring, we’ve been waiting on a plan from the federal government. The CEWS program, because it was voluntary and many big airlines didn’t take it, failed our sector. And now, eight months later we’re still waiting to hear the phone ring.”

The union has made several overtures to the federal government since the beginning of the pandemic, including a letter from Lesosky to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland last week, but the government has yet to engage or respond.

“If the government wants to know how it can help this sector, they should ask the people who represent those workers day in and day out as they try to find ways to make ends meet,” said Lesosky.

CUPE has called on the federal government to implement pre-boarding COVID-19 rapid tests at airports to make flying safer and to bring customers back to the industry. CUPE has also said any direct financial support to the sector must be contingent on supporting workers first.

CUPE’s Airline Division represents roughly 15,000 flight attendants at nine different airlines across Canada.

As A Matter Of Fact – Tip Of The Week – Filing a Health & Safety Report

Lisa Raymond on November 9, 2020

Writing to your Local Union about your Health and Safety concerns informs them but unless an electronic report on the issue is sent to the company as well, your Health and Safety Committee may never know about it. Our collective Health and Safety is crucial, and we rely on your reports to initiate meaningful change. To make this happen you should keep it simple: Fill out the company report, make a copy or screenshot and email it to the Union and local Health and Safety Committee. For a list of their contact information check out your Union contacts on our website or mobile app.

Cabin Air Quality Webinar Series – REMINDER

Lisa Raymond on November 7, 2020

This is a reminder that the GCAQE will be hosting a webinar specific to cabin air quality in Canadian aviation on the 19th of November. To register, click the link below:

Contaminated air – A Canadian perspective
19 November 2020 – 1800 – 2000 UK time

We received a lot of positive feedback about the cabin air quality webinar which took place on September 16, 2020. Unfortunately, many of our members were unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts and have expressed interest in additional opportunities to learn about this issue.

In order to accommodate those members and to expand on the subject for those who are already familiar with the topic, the Union, in collaboration with the GCAQE, announced a full series of webinars.