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

Cost of Living Adjustment

Today, we can see and better understand the many layers of challenges the pandemic introduced to us. The COVID-19 virus spread worldwide without acknowledging borders. It impacted all industries, all sectors, and all aspects of our lives with devastating economic and financial losses.

Due to the close quarters of our workplace, we found ourselves helping to calm and reassure nervous travellers while fearing for our own health, and the health of our loved ones. As the pandemic dragged on, we were then faced with the additional stress of losing working hours and financial stability.

Last week, information was shared regarding the grievance outcome of the cost-of-living adjustment. It was not well received.

We would like to remind you that your Employee Assistance Program is here to help.

* Homewood Health, your crisis management program, is available 24/7 and ready to answer your call. As cabin crew, you can access expert support with an adviser specializing in financial coaching.

This confidential service is offered to you at no cost. All you need to do is call.

Here is the information:

* You also have access to Life Smart Coaching from Pathfinder; an online platform accessible via: www.homeweb.ca.

The account name: Air Canada
The invitation code: ACC481

* With Air Canada’s Unlock the Best in You, under the UBY portal, you can survey a multitude of financial reading resources.

* No more debt, a non-profit organization found nation-wide, offers to review with you, your present financial situation. Furthermore they can also assist you with finding possible solutions. These services are available to everyone in many languages and it is completely free!

You can simply call 1-877-389-0297
www.nomoredebts.org

Please do not hesitate to reach out to one of your EAP coordinators with any questions.

In Solidarity,

Vanessa Beaudoin-Grégoire
Chair, Component EAP Committee
v.beaudoin@accomponent.ca

EAP Update – Week of June 12, 2023

Zoom Meeting to Support Flight Attendants

It is with great pleasure that your EAP committee is able to announce the continuation of our support meetings with Dr. Johanna O’Flaherty. The first meeting will take place via zoom at 12:00ET on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.

The idea for Cabin Crew, is to have a safe and supported space where we can share amongst each other, the challenges our work environment often present to us. This meeting is confidential and is available to you for support!

For the Airline industry, the Pandemic was disastrous, not only on the ground, but also in the air. As front line workers, Cabin Crew were faced with many challenges, often maintaining a smile under the worn protective safety gear. Not only did we maneuver through our workspace, we were also faced with worries about our health, our job security, and the wellbeing of our loved ones and those close to us. Now, where do we stand? How are we managing?

Dr. O’Flaherty has had a love story for the aviation world since the late 70’s. Johanna was originally a Flight Attendant with Pan American Airlines and went on to develop and manage their employee assistance program for the next 20 years.

In the past 25 years, Johanna has been a catalyst for healing through many traumatic situations. During her career, she’s had the privilege to assist directly with the aftermath of major airline disasters, such as Pan Am Flight 103, 911 in New York, and TWA’s flight 800 near Long Island. She has recently assisted First Responders and Last Responders, in the aftermath of the Las Vegas Shooting.

Johanna was also the Vice President of Treatment Services at the Betty Ford Center and has dedicated her life’s work to focusing on the correlation between traumatic situations, addiction, and healing. She is also a certified instructor from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation and has been featured on ABC, NBC, MSNBC, and CNN.

Johanna is a psychologist, author, consultant and keynote speaker. She’s also just published her memoirs.

Most importantly though, Johanna has been a personal friend, a huge advocate, and an immense supporter of our group of Cabin Crews.

Please join us and check in for an hour! If you are interested in attending the meeting, please email mindfulness@accomponent.ca to be added to the zoom link. This space is for you. We heal together, supporting one another!

Grief Support

For our members and their families who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Grief can be challenging and difficult to process. Learning more about grief can be helpful.

Sean McGuire will be hosting a grief support session via zoom on Friday, June 23, 2023 at 1:00pm EDT. Please register at seanthomas@rogers.com if interested.

Sean is a Service Director based in YYZ who has volunteered with the Employee Assistance Program since 2006. He holds a Masters Degree in Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy from Wilfrid Laurier University and is a member of the Ontario Association of Mental Health Professionals.

Recovery Meetings

The EAP committee provides confidential biweekly meetings, via Zoom, to support the membership in recovery or for those interested in recovery.

Please contact Vanessa Beaudoin-Grégoire at eap@accomponent.ca to register or if you any queries.

Finding EAP and further resources on Aeronet

To access information about EAP please follow these easy steps:
Log into ACAeronet
Click on the UBY Tab
If you haven’t already signed in to UBY you will need to Read the “Unlock the Best In You Terms of Use”.
Once in UBY you will see many services available to you.
To find your EAP Reps, please click on EFAP in the top right-hand corner.

Now Available ONLINE! 
Your Employee Assistance Program

Homewood Pathfinder is your new, advanced platform – accessible online and through the Homewood app – that connects you with a full range of Homewood employee assistance services. Pathfinder helps you navigate to the right service in an easy, friendly and convenient way.

A few key features of Homewood Pathfinder include:

  • Access to mental health supports including MeetNow immediate counselling, and online booking at your convenience
  • Solutions for stress, burnout and other challenges
  • On-demand health and wellness resources
  • Family and relationship support

And much more…

Your Customer Account Name is: Air Canada Component of CUPE
Your Invitation Code is: ACC481​​​​​​​

Log in today to start taking advantage of all your employee assistance program benefits online!
Log In / Sign Up

Welcome to Homewood Pathfinder and the start of your new digital EAP & Mental Health journey.
View Additional Resources
Introducing Sentio by Homewood Health 
Sentio Self-Directed iCBT is the market’s most comprehensive digital cognitive behavioural therapy platform – developed for Canadians by Homewood’s mental health experts. With a wealth of content created by a team of our experienced clinical professionals, Sentio contains over 20 unique treatment goals for issues like stress management, improving sleep, managing depressive thoughts, and coping with panic – as well as a collection of tools and resources to help members build skills and change their thought patterns. iCBT has been proven to be an effective therapy for mild to moderate depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. Sentio by Homewood Health makes it more convenient and effective than ever before – available as a standalone app, on mobile, tablet and desktop.

Sentio introduces a number of unique, market-leading features:
• Over 20 unique treatment goals such as stress management, managing depressive thoughts, improving sleep and coping with panic.
• Members can work through treatment goals in any order, at their own pace.
• Integrated symptom measurement and progress tracking.
• Interactive multimedia learning and cognitive exercises to enhance learning.
• Progress, learnings, and exercises that have been accessed are available to be re-accessed for 12 months.

As part of Homewood Pathfinder, you will have access to Sentio as of September 19th, through Homeweb.ca, Homewood Pathfinder and on the Apple and Google Play stores.

Sentio Self-Directed iCBT is part of a new employee assistance and mental health platform that combines multiple levels of support with leading-edge technology and Homewood’s mental health expertise.

See below for a Sentio information kit.
Sentio Information Kit

In Solidarity,

Vanessa Beaudoin-Grégoire
Chair, Component EAP Committee
v.beaudoin@accomponent.ca

EAP Update – Week of May 22, 2023

International Flight Attendant Day

May 31st is International Flight Attendant Day, a celebration dedicated to members of the Flight Crew. The Employee Assistance Program Committee would like to recognize and celebrate the spirit and dedication of our Crewmembers at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge! This day is for you!

We rise early, stay late, and remain alert throughout the flight while providing care, comfort, and confidence of safe travels. Crisscrossing the country and circumnavigating the globe, Flight Attendants have witnessed it all. We are coworkers, friends, but most importantly; we are family. So today, please stand tall and proud, as all of your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Also, take a moment to remember the dear ones, no longer with us. We will never forget…

From our hearts to yours, Happy International Flight Attendant Day!!!

Zoom Meeting to Support Flight Attendants

It is with great pleasure that your EAP committee is able to announce the continuation of our support meetings with Dr. Johanna O’Flaherty. The first meeting will take place via zoom at 12:00ET on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.

The idea for Cabin Crew, is to have a safe and supported space where we can share amongst each other, the challenges our work environment often present to us. This meeting is confidential and is available to you for support!

For the Airline industry, the Pandemic was disastrous, not only on the ground, but also in the air. As front line workers, Cabin Crew were faced with many challenges, often maintaining a smile under the worn protective safety gear. Not only did we maneuver through our workspace, we were also faced with worries about our health, our job security, and the wellbeing of our loved ones and those close to us. Now, where do we stand? How are we managing?

Dr. O’Flaherty has had a love story for the aviation world since the late 70’s. Johanna was originally a Flight Attendant with Pan American Airlines and went on to develop and manage their employee assistance program for the next 20 years.

In the past 25 years, Johanna has been a catalyst for healing through many traumatic situations. During her career, she’s had the privilege to assist directly with the aftermath of major airline disasters, such as Pan Am Flight 103, 911 in New York, and TWA’s flight 800 near Long Island. She has recently assisted First Responders and Last Responders, in the aftermath of the Las Vegas Shooting.

Johanna was also the Vice President of Treatment Services at the Betty Ford Center and has dedicated her life’s work to focusing on the correlation between traumatic situations, addiction, and healing. She is also a certified instructor from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation and has been featured on ABC, NBC, MSNBC, and CNN.

Johanna is a psychologist, author, consultant and keynote speaker. She’s also just published her memoirs.

Most importantly though, Johanna has been a personal friend, a huge advocate, and an immense supporter of our group of Cabin Crews.

Please join us and check in for an hour! If you are interested in attending the meeting, please email mindfulness@accomponent.ca to be added to the zoom link. This space is for you. We heal together, supporting one another!

Recovery Meetings

The EAP committee provides confidential biweekly meetings, via Zoom, to support the membership in recovery or for those interested in recovery.

Please contact Vanessa Beaudoin-Grégoire at eap@accomponent.ca to register or if you any queries.

Finding EAP and further resources on Aeronet

To access information about EAP please follow these easy steps:
Log into ACAeronet
Click on the UBY Tab
If you haven’t already signed in to UBY you will need to Read the “Unlock the Best In You Terms of Use”.
Once in UBY you will see many services available to you.
To find your EAP Reps, please click on EFAP in the top right-hand corner.

Now Available ONLINE! 
Your Employee Assistance Program

Homewood Pathfinder is your new, advanced platform – accessible online and through the Homewood app – that connects you with a full range of Homewood employee assistance services. Pathfinder helps you navigate to the right service in an easy, friendly and convenient way.

A few key features of Homewood Pathfinder include:

  • Access to mental health supports including MeetNow immediate counselling, and online booking at your convenience
  • Solutions for stress, burnout and other challenges
  • On-demand health and wellness resources
  • Family and relationship support

And much more…

Your Customer Account Name is: Air Canada Component of CUPE
Your Invitation Code is: ACC481​​​​​​​

Log in today to start taking advantage of all your employee assistance program benefits online!
Log In / Sign Up

Welcome to Homewood Pathfinder and the start of your new digital EAP & Mental Health journey.
View Additional Resources
Introducing Sentio by Homewood Health 
Sentio Self-Directed iCBT is the market’s most comprehensive digital cognitive behavioural therapy platform – developed for Canadians by Homewood’s mental health experts. With a wealth of content created by a team of our experienced clinical professionals, Sentio contains over 20 unique treatment goals for issues like stress management, improving sleep, managing depressive thoughts, and coping with panic – as well as a collection of tools and resources to help members build skills and change their thought patterns. iCBT has been proven to be an effective therapy for mild to moderate depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. Sentio by Homewood Health makes it more convenient and effective than ever before – available as a standalone app, on mobile, tablet and desktop.

Sentio introduces a number of unique, market-leading features:
• Over 20 unique treatment goals such as stress management, managing depressive thoughts, improving sleep and coping with panic.
• Members can work through treatment goals in any order, at their own pace.
• Integrated symptom measurement and progress tracking.
• Interactive multimedia learning and cognitive exercises to enhance learning.
• Progress, learnings, and exercises that have been accessed are available to be re-accessed for 12 months.

As part of Homewood Pathfinder, you will have access to Sentio as of September 19th, through Homeweb.ca, Homewood Pathfinder and on the Apple and Google Play stores.

Sentio Self-Directed iCBT is part of a new employee assistance and mental health platform that combines multiple levels of support with leading-edge technology and Homewood’s mental health expertise.

See below for a Sentio information kit.
Sentio Information Kit

In Solidarity,

Vanessa Beaudoin-Grégoire
Chair, Component EAP Committee
v.beaudoin@accomponent.ca

New National Coordinator of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

It is with great pleasure and an honour that I draft this memo to introduce myself to all of you. I am also excited to welcome our fellow Rouge Cabin Crew members. My name is Vanessa Beaudoin Grégoire, and I am the new National Coordinator of our Employee Assistance Program.

Over the past five years, I have dedicated over 1,000 hours to this program. It is dear to my heart, and I have loved every moment. I consider it to be a true privilege to stand beside someone in their time of need. Our EAP committee has over twenty peer volunteers who answer, listen, and support every day. If needed, they can also refer members to free, confidential support. In my eyes, they are our quiet heroes. Each one of them brings a specialized and unique set of skills to our team. I am grateful to have them beside me!

Over the past 6 years I have specialized my studies in addiction and trauma informed care, mental health, and CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management). I have also worked in grief support and suicide prevention.

I wish to work towards normalizing certain topics of conversations regarding historically stigmatized issues. My goal is to encourage individual resiliency and to provide emotional, social, and practical support to our group. I love being a Flight Attendant and I adore my work. I have been flying for over 23 years and have had an amazing career, though certainly not without some rough patches along the way. From friendships to marriage, kids and aging parents, life and work balance, anxiety, job security and crew conflict. The pandemic was extremely taxing on my fellow coworkers, but also on my family.

We do not stand alone. This has always been the beauty of this job. We stand stronger together. As an in-flight family, we brave the elements of our industry while keeping a smile on our face; though it can, at times, be the loneliest job while surrounded by millions.

Historically, we have been predominantly reactive when encountering issues. I want to switch our culture and promote support within our community involving all departments.

I would like to close with a reminder that confidentiality is paramount and cornerstone to all we do. Please do not hesitate to contact us. You can also contact me directly by email or by phone.

I will close with this…

“When we imagine our choices and consider which to seize, given a choice between light and dark, we will nearly always find a way of moving toward the light.” – Brian Murray

Thank you!

National Coordinator Employee Assistance Program
Vanessa Beaudoin Grégoire
v.beaudoin@accomponent.ca
Cell: 1-403-472-6868 YYC 3081
Urgent Cell: 1-403-461-4091

Western Region Coordinator
Shannon McBride
s.mcbride@accomponent.ca
1-778-991-4112 YVR 3247

Eastern Region Coordinator
Mary-Rita Dunning
m.dunning@accomponent.ca
T1 Office 1-906-676-2088 YYZ 2222
Cell: 1-647-802-0895

Upcoming EAP Webinar – Making Cents of Money: Budgeting 101

Making Cents of Money: Budgeting 101
Monday, September 20, 2021, 12:00 – 13:30 EDT
Participants will learn the 7 steps to budgeting which will help them take control of their finances and give them peace of mind.

This webinar will be conducted by Tim St. Vincent of the Credit Counselling Society.  There is a maximum of 100 participants and the spots will be given out on a first come, first served basis.  This webinar is being offered in English only.

Tim St. Vincent, CEPF, is the Credit Counselling Society’s Financial Educator for the GTA and surrounding area, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, and is based out of Winnipeg. Tim has over 25 years experience in Financial Services and is a retired Certified Financial Planner (CFP). Tim also taught the CFP program for several years, completed the Canadian Securities Course (Hons.), achieved his Certificate In Management (C.I.M.) Hons. and is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF). Tim believes strongly in the power of education, planning and acting on your plan.

To register, please email mindfulness@accomponent.ca. In your email please include your full name and employee number and put “Registration for Budgeting Webinar” as the subject line.  All Credit Counselling Society sessions will use the CCS RingCentral system.  Meeting links will be sent to those that register.

In Solidarity,

Mary Keough
Chair, Component EAP Committee