The following information is designed to assist you in navigating the policies that govern the layoffs that some of our members will face. Full details were included in your layoff notice. If you have any questions about the policies, we encourage you to reach out to the employer for clarity. Over the week many of you have written in with questions and we have done our best to compile some of the most asked questions below:

If I am laid off on January 31, 2021, what happens to my benefits?
If you elect not to maintain your Basic Group Life benefit, coverage will terminate on the last day of the month in which you are placed on layoff status.  If you are placed on layoff status, you will be given the option of maintaining your benefit coverage for a period of twelve (12) months, provided that you pre-pay the required premiums.  Please check your Air Canada e-mail for more information.  We are aware that the Benefit Status Advise has not yet been received, we have advised Air Canada / Air Canada Rouge and they have advised it will be received between the 25^th – 28^th of January 2021.  Please ensure you check your Air Canada email for this form.

Is there a requirement for the company to give me 14 days notice of layoff?
As per Article 17, there is no requirement for the employer to follow a 14-day layoff notice.

Do I continue to be a Union member while on layoff status?
Yes, you are still considered a member while you retain recall rights. You may participate in membership meetings and participate in any elections and/or referendums that take place while you are on layoff status.

Do I apply for EI Regular Benefits?
As you have been laid-off you should apply for EI Regular Benefits through Service Canada, which will initially be paid out as the CERB and then you will move to EI. More information can be found here or by contacting Service Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-regular-benefit.html.

Your ROE will be sent directly to Service Canada by the employer, but you should apply as of your layoff date.

Will I maintain access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?
Mainline members on layoff will maintain access to the Employee Assistance Program until April 30, 2021. This may be adjusted based on funding received from Air Canada.

What about my remaining vacation this year?
As Air Canada administers a current year vacation system (you take vacation in the year you earn it) some members may have outstanding vacation owed to them, while others may have taken vacation they have not yet earned. This will be reconciled after the end of the Vacation Year has come to a close, which is April 30, 2021.

Is there any way the base transfer requests list can be emptied before layoffs are complete?
Unfortunately, while members are on layoff, the company cannot action one-way transfers as any vacancies are to be filled by a recall.  Only mutual transfers can occur at this time.

Does this layoff affect my 5 years recall rights?
The Collective Agreement provides for a five-year recall in Article 17.20. Your recall rights to the five-year recall period will remain the same and will commence with this most recent layoff.

How does the recall process work?
The recall provision for both Mainline and Rouge members can be found at Article 17.16 of the Collective Agreement. Master Seniority will continue to govern recalls and you will be contacted for the first available position at either Mainline or Rouge that your seniority entitles you.  You are not forced to transfer between companies and can decline a recall if it is not to the point of layoff.

Recall notices will be sent by registered mail to the address on file with the Employer.

For Mainline members please provide any changes via the HR Connex Home Page under the section “Personal Information change” or contact the Employee Care Team at 1-833-847-EMPL (3675).

For Rouge members, please provide any changes to your personal information through Success Factors https://hcm17.sapsf.com/login?company=ACLG#/login. In addition, telephone contact numbers must be updated in CrewLink.

We encourage you to reference the layoff notice you received for any further questions regarding the layoff process.

Your Union will be monitoring the seniority lists for recalls, absences and anomalies and will ensure that the Collective Agreement is adhered to for all processes.  Please continue to reach out as needed.

In solidarity,

We realize this week has been another tough one in a difficult year for our membership and your Union remains here to support you. Yesterday Statistics Canada reached out to our Component Secretary-Treasurer to discuss job opportunities for our laid-off members and asked that we pass along some information as they felt Flight Attendants would make a perfect fit for these short-term opportunities. Please see the information below sent from Statistics Canada:

Statistics Canada is looking to fill approximately 32,000 positions across the country. When you work for Statistics Canada, you gain valuable work experience at one of the top statistical agencies in the world.

Most census jobs involve doing the field work associated with data collection. Field positions include both supervisory and non-supervisory roles, but most census jobs are enumerator positions (non-supervisory).

• Enumerator (non-supervisory)
• Crew leader (supervisory)

The job start and end dates vary by position and location, but will be between March and July 2021 and available across the country.

Enumerator (non-supervisory)
Enumerators work part-time and schedules vary, with most of the work being in the evening and on weekends. They are paid $17.83 per hour, plus eligible expenses. In select Northern and remote communities, enumerators are paid $29.25 per hour.

As an enumerator, you will:

• collect questionnaires from households;
• capture addresses and drop off letters inviting residents to complete their census questionnaire online;
• follow up with respondents by calling or visiting people in your area to complete a census questionnaire;
• ship completed questionnaires.

Crew leader (supervisory)
Crew leaders work full-time and schedules vary, with most of the work being in the evening and on weekends. They are paid $21.77 per hour, plus eligible expenses. In select Northern and remote communities, crew leaders are paid $31.25 per hour.

As a crew leader, you will:

• train, lead and supervise a team of up to 18 enumerators;
• monitor the progress and productivity of your team;
• call or visit people in your area to work with them to complete a census questionnaire;
• receive and ship questionnaires and other census documents.

Be part of the team that collects the data that will shape Canada’s future!

The hiring process
Step 1: Application

• Candidates apply by completing the online recruitment application. https://census.gc.ca/jobs

Step 2: Screening follow-up with candidates being considered for a position

• We call candidates who are being considered for a position to ask follow-up questions.

Step 3: Security assessment

• Candidates receive an email containing the “Personnel Screening, Consent and Authorization” form, which they fill out and submit electronically.
• Candidates undergo a criminal record check and a credit check. See The security screening for more information.
• We contact two references (work or volunteer) to see if the candidates are a good fit for the job.

Step 4: Interview (crew leader candidates only)

• Candidates who applied for a crew leader position and have been screened in are interviewed.

Step 5: Qualification

• Candidates who successfully completed all the previous steps are included in a pool of qualified candidates and may be offered a position.

The security screening
All people working for Statistics Canada must agree to security screening. The process includes:

• verifying previous employment
• verifying references
• conducting a criminal record check and a credit check.

Jobs are only offered after successful completion of the security screening. For more information about the security screening, see the 2021 Census jobs FAQ.
We will continue to pass on any opportunities we are made aware of and encourage you to share this information with your colleagues.

In solidarity,

The Company completed the mitigation process and sent out the resulting layoff notices last night. Please check your Air Canada emails. The results are as follows:

Resignation	7 Mainline (all inactive)
3-month RBP	115 Mainline, 15 Rouge
3-month SPLOA	80 Mainline, 0 Rouge

Following the Mitigation Program, the resulting layoff was 601 Active Mainline Members and 87 Active Rouge Members. Layoff Notices were sent to your Air Canada email. We encourage you to reference the layoff notice you received for any questions regarding the layoff process.

Please be mindful that the numbers quoted above refer to active members, whereas the seniority list also includes inactive members. The most junior member to remain active at mainline has seniority #14410, which does mean this round of layoffs did not go as high as the June 2020 layoffs. The most junior member to remain active at Rouge has seniority #19900.

For those of you awarded an RBP, please be mindful that bidding closes tomorrow morning, January 21, 2021, so you may wish to adjust your bid based on your reduced blocking window.

We know that this news is going to have a profound impact on the lives of those that were laid off. What affects one of us affects us all. Your Union will continue to be here for you.  We will get through this together and are continually available. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you are in need.

In solidarity,

The Company has released its mitigation packages this morning. The selection process will be open until Monday, January 18, 2021 at 08:00 EST. 

The Options available to members at Mainline and Rouge are as follows:

• Resignation with C3 Travel and Benefits Programs
• 3-month Special Leaves of Absence (February 2021 to April 2021 inclusive)
• 3-month Reduced Block Program (February 2021 to April 2021 inclusive)

Please click HERE for full terms and selection information for Mainline.

Please click HERE for full terms and selection information for Rouge.

Please note an updated seniority list has been posted on the Mainline and Rouge portals.

All members are eligible to bid on the Mitigation Programs; however Special Leaves of Absences and Reduced Block Programs will be awarded by seniority to those who would otherwise not be placed on Layoff Status.  Meaning, you cannot hold an SPLOA or RBP program if you are not able to hold flying for February 2021.

Once the mitigation program is complete, award results and any resulting layoff notices will be sent to your Air Canada email by January 20, 2021 at 23:00 EST.

As a reminder recalls from layoff status are done in order of master seniority regardless of originating airline as per Article 17.16 of the Collective Agreement. Recall rights for both Mainline and Rouge are for five (5) years from the date of layoff.

In solidarity,

The Company advised us this morning of a staffing surplus due to a significantly reduced flying schedule related to a reduction in customer demand. The approximate surplus is 730 active mainline members and 100 active Rouge members. The staff reductions will take effect with the start of the February 2021 block month.

The Union is now working with the Company to launch a mitigation program at both Mainline and Rouge, similar to what was offered in the Spring. We have proposed that all members be placed on CEWS as the anticipated layoff is to be less than six (6) months. We have also requested that a reduced block program be launched at Rouge. More details on mitigation will be released once agreed upon.

The resulting layoffs will take place in reverse seniority order at each Company. As the anticipated duration of the layoff is less than six (6) months, there will be no bumping between Companies as Article 17.11.01 will apply.

Employees already awarded a SLOA/RBP for the month of February will be contacted individually and advised that this program is now cancelled. They will be redirected towards the mitigation program instead once launched.

We understand this news is disheartening and not what anyone wanted to hear; however, our industry is facing yet another unpreceded drop in customer demand and we will continue to do our best to support our members through this difficult time.

In solidarity,