Further to our bulletin last Friday regarding Health Benefits for those members laid off, the Company has now provided full details on its updated benefits offering for those on layoff status. Before providing details on the Union sponsored plan, we were waiting to see the final cost details of the prescription drug plan offered by both Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge. Upon our review we are happy to see that the employer’s new prescription drug only plans are more cost effective than the plans the Union was intending to offer. As such we will not be moving forward with those plans and encourage you to review the updated employer offerings.

For Mainline:
An email notification will be sent to your Air Canada email address by June 20, 2020 advising that a new Benefit Status Advice (BSA) has been prepared for you.  In order for benefits to be maintained, your intention to continue coverage must be received no later than July 3, 2020 at 0800 EDT and your cheques must be sent to Air Canada Group Benefits. For those of you that have already made your selections as to whether or not to maintain benefits, your selections have been voided in order to ensure everyone has the opportunity to review and select the option that is best suited to their needs.

For Rouge:
An email notification has been sent to your Air Canada email address with more information. Members must complete the NEW Layoff Benefits Continuance Form, even if you have completed the old form.  The deadline for Rouge members to advise of their intention to continue benefits has been extended to June 26, 2020 at 0800 EDT.

Questions:

I have already submitted my options for the Layoff Benefits Continuance. Do I need to re-submit? Yes. Given the new options available, the previous options are null and void. Everyone must re-submit if they want to maintain benefits.

I already submitted my postdated cheques, but I changed my selection, what do I do?
If you have already submitted cheques, we will review your file pursuant to your revised elections and communicate with you accordingly.

I already submitted my postdated cheques and I will not be changing my selection; do I have to send new cheques?  
No, you do not need to resubmit cheques as the total cost of your benefits would remain the same.

In solidarity,

The Union is happy to announce that the Company has just advised us that there will be 338 recall notices going out.  These notices will take effect with the July 2020 block month.  The Company has also confirmed that these recalls are all for Air Canada Mainline positions. In addition, those recalled will be recalled back to their home base.

All members being recalled will be notified via a 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 call.

We have also had confirmation from the Company that the block hours for July will now be 80 hours and not 85 as planned.

Many of you have reached out regarding the next steps in the process of returning to work.  There has been much information floating around and we wanted to update you on what to expect and what your requirement is in the process.

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 days to reply to the employer, from the date the letter was post marked.  We have been advised that the letters will go out June 19, 2020.

What happens if I am due for training?
When you are recalled, you will be put into a training class.

Can I be recalled to a base, other than the base I was laid off from?
Yes, as per Article 17.16.03 and 17.16.05, you can be recalled out of base, however you are not required to accept the position.  If you choose not to accept a position out of base, you must reply, in writing, within 14 days from the date the notice was sent.  Failure to reply within this time limit will result in his/her being removed from the seniority list and thereafter s/he shall be deemed to have resigned without notice. 

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 for clarity on the process or any concerns you may have.

In solidarity,

We are providing this bulletin in an effort to update you on recent developments and to provide answers to some of the questions that we have been receiving. This is the time that we want to make sure that the constantly evolving landscape is one in which our members are well informed. There are many choices to be made and, in some circumstances, very important ones.  If you are armed with knowledge it provides an opportunity for you to make an informed choice. We will continue to be here for all of the membership.

EI Works Share Program – Reduced Block Program (Mainline Air Canada)
We have received an update from Air Canada with regards to the EI Top Up for those on RBPs.  Air Canada has confirmed that they will not participate in the EI Work Share Program as it is too costly.  The Union has had multiple conversations with the government and was assured that they would assist Air Canada in applying for the Work Share Program for our members if Air Canada was interested.  We have spoken to Air Canada about this numerous times and find that we are perplexed as to why the EI Work Share Program is not able to work for them considering it has in the past and the government is willing to assist them.

Uniform Deduction
Initially the Company was planning to recover any balance owing from the final pay cheques of our soon to be laid off members. We followed up with Air Canada and asked that these deductions not take place due to the added financial stress this deduction could have for those on layoff. Air Canada has agreed, and any remaining balance will not be deducted from your final pay. We consider this to be a small relief for some.

Benefits Status Advice – (Mainline Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge)
For those on layoff status at Mainline you should have a received a Benefits Status Advice email from HR. This will show you the options and cost to maintain your benefits for the next twelve months.

For those of you on layoff status at Air Canada Rouge, you should have already received an email outlining your options for benefits in your company email.

Air Canada Cargo Discount
Many members have reached out to inquire about a cargo discount. This would help them to get personal items back “home” from their commuter homes or temporary homes while they were awaiting a transfer back.  As we know the industry often has us uprooted from our homes to start our career.  This can be a huge cost for many.  The cargo discount is currently only available to active employees and once laid off this discount stops.  We have had conversations with Air Canada about this as it makes sense to allow those laid off to access this discount. We are hopeful Air Canada will be able to offer the discount for a period of time. As soon as we have more information, we will let you know.

April 2020 Wage Increase – (Mainline Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge)
As you are no doubt aware, the 2020 pay rate adjustment was incorrectly processed and as a result your Union has identified that some were underpaid for flight or reserve duty, sick time, vacation, or other protected credits on April 1 and/or April 2, 2020.

We approached the Company on this issue and were advised that members would need to pay claim for missed time, this was for both Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge.  We decided to see if we could pull and build a file for all members, across all bases to capture what they are owed.  We had our Central Site Reps Karen and Tyler build a list and captured over 1.5 million minutes of owed time to our members. This underpayment affected 3963 members and was a monumental task. We want to provide a big thank you to Tyler and Karen for their hard work on this initiative.  Now, instead of requiring our members to file individual claims, the company is moving forward with our list. They are verifying it and hoping to have it finalized in time for the July 17, 2020 pay.  For those of you that will not have any pay coming from Air Canada on July 17, 2020, your pay will be held back, and payable upon request.  This is being done to avoid creating any potential issues for those of you who may be in receipt of CERB or EI.

I am Laid Off how do I find out what I can qualify for?
The government has set up a link that will walk you through all available options Federally and Provincially:
https://covid-benefits.alpha.canada.ca/en/start

We truly believe that we will weather this storm together and that our greatest strength lies in the unity that we have created. Through constant communication and cooperation our Union and its members will find our way through this together and will emerge stronger than ever. Please reach out to us if you have concerns or questions. We want to make sure that all members have the knowledge and the tools to navigate these uncertain times and have confidence that their Union has their best interests at heart.

In solidarity,