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

Stress Assess Survey

Do you ever feel:

  • Pressured and physically or mentally exhausted because there’s too much work to do and not enough time or help to do it?
  • An emotional toll because you don’t have the time or resources to care for a client/patient/customer the way you know it should be done?
  • Frustrated because you don’t have control over how your work gets done, or because you lack support from supervisors or management to do your job?
  • Anxious or ill because of the work environment or from being bullied, harassed, or subjected to threats of violence?

If you said YES to any of these questions, this is your opportunity to help the Union act on workplace stress! 

The Union has partnered with the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) (www.ohcow.on.ca) to launch the Stress Assess Survey based on the internationally recognized Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire.

The purpose is to determine the psychosocial (psychological and social) factors that are most affecting our workplace. Through this survey, the Union will gain invaluable data about how these factors are affecting you at work and where we need to focus to ensure the membership’s mental well-being. With the company moving forward with mental health initiatives and changes in the law that recognize psychological safety at work, it’s crucial that we hear from you.

Participation is voluntary, but we are striving for a minimum 30% participation rate to get the quality of data we need. Please know that all responses are anonymous and that only aggregate data will be used for reports and shared with the Union. 

The Survey is a bit long since it must respect specific parameters to gather accurate data on all 13 recognized psychosocial factors. You can expect to spend on average 10-20 minutes. Each question is multiple choice, with the option to add written comments.

If you have any concerns or questions about the survey, please email contact@accomponent.ca.

CLICK HERE to access the survey in English.

CLICK HERE to access the survey in French.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to support our collective efforts for a safer and healthier workplace. Please spread the word and encourage your colleagues to complete it!

In solidarity,

Your Air Canada Component of CUPE Occupational Health and Safety Committee

In Touch – A message from your Health and Safety Committee

Fume Events
Members have been reaching out to get more information about fume events. The union has put together an information package for anyone who would like to know more. Please send a blank email to air@accomponent.ca. If you have additional questions, you are as always welcome to email contact@accomponent.ca.

Ebola
Your Health and Safety Committee has been following the Ebola outbreak in Uganda since the first 5 patients were reported in mid-September 2022. We have consulted with CUPE National and have been considering your safety at each evolution of the outbreak. As of the date of this bulletin, the outbreak is declining and still has not been detected in North America. An important point of information regarding Ebola is a patient is ill with symptoms before they are contagious through their body fluids. It remains the position of your Health and Safety Committee that PPE is available for use and should be utilized to prevent any number of viruses and bacteria, not only COVID. If anything changes in this situation we will communicate as soon as possible.

For more information or status updates on Ebola:
– WHO: https://www.who.int/emergencies/situations/ebola-uganda-2022
– CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/uganda/2022-sep.html
– CUPE National: https://cupe.ca/ebola-virus-disease

Staying in touch
We have received several requests to update, confirm, and follow up on reports filed by you. When reaching out, remember to include the report number (ex. ICRP1234-22) in your email and send it to the address that corresponds to your base:

YUL – sante.health@local4091.ca
YYZ – sante.health@local4092.ca
YYC – healthandsafety@local4095.ca
YVR – healthandsafety@local4094.ca
Rouge – health.safety@cupe4098.ca

PPE
Personal protective equipment is available in the crew centres and on board. With the change in masking rules, we ask our members to consider the concerns and needs of other members of the crew. Avail yourself of the PPE available in the crew centres. While there is PPE on board, the first point of PPE collection should be at check-in at the comm centre.

Two Steps Following an Incident for Members
What happens if there’s been an incident and you feel shaken up?

1. FAM 2.1.4.2 RELEASE FROM DUTY What to know about a release following an incident:

  • This is in our FAM and was developed in conjunction with the Policy health and safety committee.
  • The goal is to provide time for sleep, take care of required paperwork, get any required medical care and to assess if you feel fit to continue duties.
  • Only an IFS manager can give you a post-incident release.
  • When calling crew scheduling, ask to speak to the IFS manager on call and let them know if you feel you need this release.
  • This release is pay protected and there is no set length. It will depend on how early the incident occurs since the idea is for you to get a night’s rest.
  • This release is done immediately following the incident and lasts for one sleep cycle.

2. Book off injury on duty.

  • If you wake up and feel the need for additional time following an incident and you’ve already been given the release from duty.
  • Call crew sked and book off injury on duty. You’ll call Medaire if away from your base.  Fill in the flight attendant injury report found at sims.aircanada.ca, see your doctor and get appropriate workers compensation and WIP forms filled out.
  • Additional information and steps can be found by sending a blank email to the following email:  injury@accomponent.ca.

Foreign Objects Found in Ovens

There has been an increase in reports of foreign objects found in ovens (FOD). In the latest inflight news on November 4, 2022, crews were notified of this increased hazard in our workplace and then reminded to follow sections 2.10.2 and 4.13.4.1 of the FAM, which address pre-flight checks. The instructions continue with procedures to follow if FOD is discovered. We know you are already doing this because that is how the increase in statics was noticed by management! We must point out though, that based on reports submitted by you, it appears many of the foreign objects originate from catering contractors – not crew as implied in the IFS News.

We are calling on management to share with committees in an open and transparent manner what is being done to address the hazard. This has gone on too long despite your committee reps repeatedly raising the alarm for months and getting no answers. Our pre-flight checks can only detect so much. Cabin crews and their verifications aren’t the only layer of protection when it comes to oven incidents. It is incumbent on all personnel, including contracted parties, to adhere to the same rigorous standards. For example, if objects are stuck to the bottom of dishes or under oven sleeves this is a failure of catering contractors to ensure safety. If deficiencies are noticed, they must be assessed, solutions implemented, and follow-up conducted to ensure the hazard has been mitigated. These objects must be stopped at their source!

What can we do about it?

Please send a copy of every report related to foreign objects found in ovens to your union at contact@accomponent.ca.

In solidarity,

Your Air Canada Component of CUPE Health and Safety Committee

Health & Safety Information Sources

A few years ago, we did a trial with email auto-responders to ensure that members had access to the latest bulletins concerning their health and safety 24/7 – even if they didn’t have access to fast data speeds. These remain in effect and have been expanded upon.

Send a blank message to the following addresses, and within a minute or so you’ll get a text-only version of the corresponding bulletin.

injury@accomponent.ca
What to do if you hurt yourself or get ill because of work

incident@accomponent.ca
Information for potentially traumatic incidents and layover safety

air@accomponent.ca
Information about onboard fume events

fatigue@accomponent.ca
Information about how to report fatigue

radiation@accomponent.ca
Information about how to access your cosmic radiation data

RTR@accomponent.ca
Information about the right to refuse dangerous work

temperature@accomponent.ca
Information about cabin and layover temperature

This is an additional tool to use but we also remain available to answer questions in person or by email.

In solidarity,

Your Air Canada Component of CUPE Health and Safety Committee

Masks – Where And When To Still Wear Them While On Duty

As the pandemic has evolved so has the guidance and mandates for mask wearing. It is important to note that public policy may not reflect specific occupational realities which must be assessed under obligations imposed by the Canada Labour Code Part II. Accordingly, an evaluation of the hazard and risk in consultation with experts remains ongoing. This takes into account a varied level of immunity, public guidance, as well as corporate policy that dictates protective measures which may be tailored to specific branches.

AIRPORT: Highly recommended.  Follow local guidance. (In some cases, still mandatory ie. secure areas in Canada)

ONBOARD: Mandatory unless eating or drinking

FLIGHT DECK: Highly recommended.

CREW TRANSPORTATION: Highly recommended. Follow local guidance.

HOTELS: Highly recommended. Follow local guidance.

ON LAYOVER: Highly recommended. Follow local guidance.

TRAINING: Mandatory in SIM and in areas where shouting commands. Highly recommended at all other times.

AIR CANADA CORPOPERATE: Highly recommended

Further info:
As the information and mask mandates are adjusted, please regularly consult epub for the latest guidance. The most up-to-date information about PPE can also be consulted in ePub as well.

Availability of PPE:
All PPE continues to be available through crew centres and/or PPE units on aircraft depending on the item. You are entitled to the amount needed.

Members are reminded that for respiratory protection, in decreasing order of effectiveness, we have access to respirators (which should be self-fitted), followed by a procedural mask overlaid with a company fabric mask (to seal side gaps), followed by a procedural mask.

In solidarity,

Your Air Canada Component of CUPE Health and Safety Committee