This is a COVID-19 catch-all bulletin. Should you have additional questions, please reach out to the Union by emailing contact@accomponent.ca so that we can further assist, and/or provide guidance, on the matter.

PPE, safety measures and the third wave
It is also proven that by adhering to many different mitigation measures, the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 goes down.

Remember that the variants are up to 70% more contagious than the COVID-19 we became used to in the first and second waves. Some of us may have engaged in activities at work or at home that went against recommendations and not had any health effects. But that doesn’t mean this was safe, and with the variants, it is much more likely you will get sick if recommended precautions aren’t taken.

At this time, it is particularly important to physically distance whenever possible, and especially at times when masks aren’t being worn. This means:

• No group events, including photographs dinners or meeting in crew lounges..
• Wearing eye protection when in the aisle, and masks at all times – including crew rest unit. A mask should really be worn unless you are in your hotel room or eating. PPE isn’t comfortable – it is designed to be functional. We understand that it is tiring and aggravating to wear a mask for hours on end and encourage crew to procure a company-provided 3-layer cloth mask which may be more comfortable in settings off-aircraft where physical distancing can be assured. These are available at the crew centres.
• Wearing all other available PPE – not just the required components. Remember that company policy is that you can request as many items as required for your flight assignment.
• Continuing to practice good hand hygiene.
• Adhering to local regulations and staying in the hotel room as much as possible.

Mental Health
As the third wave continues to peak, we are acutely aware that many members are extremely anxious about exposure to the virus. It is important not to panic about the risks and hazard of COVID-19. Much about COVID-19 cannot be controlled. We urge members to view their PPE, physical distancing and adhering to all other recommended practices as a way to take charge.

The reality is that if we all do everything that’s recommended, it will feel more normal, and we will all be safer. Even if you don’t personally agree with PPE or certain measures, your colleagues will greatly appreciate and benefit from your act of solidarity adhering to them while at work. At a time when we have all had it with COVID for one reason or another, let’s support each other.

The Right to Refuse Dangerous Work and “opting out” of flight assignments:
The Union included a piece in its Coronavirus Update #34 specifically about the process to follow if you do not feel safe operating to a particular destination and want to “opt out”. Please view it HERE.

You can always view the Union’s bulletin on the right to refuse dangerous work by sending a blank email to rtr@accomponent.ca.

Mask Compliance
Many members have reported that they don’t report mask compliance. The reasons are consistent and understandable:

1. Some feel it is impossible to file a disruptive/unruly passenger report for every instance.
2. Some feel bad filing a report when the passenger eventually complied and was otherwise not disruptive.
3. Some feel bad asking children to wear masks.

We wish to clarify:

1. For minor cases where you achieved compliance or that did not escalate, it is highly preferable to report all cases in one report than to not file a report at all. Your health and safety committees have discussed this, and even minor non-compliance is having a significant effect on crews and it is essential the company have cases documented.
2. Generally, only serious cases of non-compliance involving escalation to higher levels of interference are enforced by Transport Canada (TC). Mostly, this data is used by the company and TC to evaluate any difficulties you are facing onboard and adjust regulations and policies accordingly.
3. Current regulations exempt children 0-2 years from wearing a mask. A child between 2 and 5 years is exempt if they cannot tolerate a mask, although parents must have masks on hand. Anyone aged 6 and over must comply with masking regulations.

See ePub > COVID-19 Tile > Face Covering Guidelines for full details and guidance regarding masking policies for crew and customers.

Remember that in compliance with public health guidance, all masking policies remain in effect for crew and passengers regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or not – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Vaccines
We have received many questions from members about vaccines. Please know that it is the Union’s position that it ought to be made available as a priority to cabin crew, but that getting it should remain the choice of each member.

The company released a vaccination policy as of the 22APR21. Very little notice was provided to the Union for comment, and it was issued with no notice at all. It is being reviewed and appropriate action will be taken if necessary, to protect the rights of the membership.

CUPE National Health and Safety has created a detailed fact sheet on vaccinations which can be viewed HERE.

Airflow on the ground
The company implemented a policy in December 2020 (Epub > Service and Flight Guidelines – Covid-19) that flight crew are to turn on the auxiliary power unit (APU) as soon as possible when they board and keep it on until they leave the aircraft. This ensures cabin airflow per the standards above, and that air is routed through the HEPA filter.

But what happens if the pilots arrive late, or leave the aircraft before everyone has deplaned?

Until the APU is started, cabin air is supplied via a ground air conditioning unit hooked up to the plane (yellow hose usually connected to the bridge). And the airflow rate may vary depending on the equipment at each airport and how well it functions, for which the company may have little or no control. And reduced airflow means that some of the benefits cited about aircraft ventilation systems may not apply during a time when passengers are most active, in the aisles, and when physical distancing is most difficult.

Recently members have told the Union they are noticing the APU air isn’t on until late in boarding, and often shut off early during deplaning. Clearly the solution would be to ensure boarding only occurs when pilots are onboard, and that the APU remain in operation until all passengers have deplaned. Despite this, we aren’t receiving actual reports.

Reporting
It is crucial to submit a health and safety complaint about any suspected hazards to the company. This ensures that it is documented for statistical trending, investigated, and ultimately permits you to refer your complaint to the health and safety committee is the employer isn’t able to resolve it with you directly.

Many times during the pandemic, we have witnessed the power of good safety reporting. Now, in this third wave, members must redouble their efforts to not only talk about concerns, but file complaints about them to ensure something actually happens and that those concerns “exist” in the system!

A health and safety complaint can be filed on the iPad if you are an in-charge of via sims.aircanada.ca.

 

In Solidarity,

New Contact Tracing Procedures
The company issued a bulletin on Thursday March 11th announcing changes to the contact tracing process. These changes were brought to the Union’s attention on February 26th with no warning. It is important the membership know that the Union strongly raised the fact that variants of concern are on the rise and that in our opinion this is not the time to remove protections. As much as mandatory releases rendered a certain hardship for our membership, it was unequivocally the safest path to take amidst the second wave of this pandemic and facing a third wave at many of the destinations we serve. The additional option to test and return to work after 5 days as implemented last October also greatly alleviated the burden on many of our members, striking a balance of sorts.

Please know that this was the company’s decision. Once informed about it we worked tirelessly to inform ourselves and seek modifications to ensure the highest possible level of safety for all our crews. There is, however, no way of painting this change as an increase or even a maintenance of the level of safety previously enjoyed by the front-line workers of IFS. It is, in effect, a calculated risk on the part of the employer.

We remind our members that under the Canada Labour Code Part II it is the employer’s duty to ensure the safety of its workers, but also the duty and right of the workers to report potential hazards or violations to the Code. Should you feel that there is a hazard, please file a health and safety complaint e-report by going to sims.aircanada.ca.

Have you contracted COVID at work, abroad or from an unknown location
Please ensure you reply to this email, advise Name, Employee Number and any information on your COVID positive status.  The Union does not get specifics from the employer, so we are not able to get factual data on the spread of COVID-19 through the workplace or how its affecting our members.  This information is STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL and only used for data purposes and to ensure your Union is doing all it can on combatting the exposure risks.  We are here to support you.  Your Local Health and Safety Chairs, Component Health and Safety Chair and Component President review COVID issues 7 days a week to ensure we reach out where required, and when there is a spike in flights we can review with members as the concerns come in.  We are one year in, and believe there to be more information out there from the members that would allow us to do our part in tracing the How, When, Where and Why’s with COVID exposure.

PPE Update
Effective immediately, the company in consultation with the health and safety committees and experts is strongly recommending the use of protective eyewear or faceshield while at work. Transmission of COVID-19 is widely acknowledged to transmit by droplets of various sizes as well as aerosols. By wearing eye protection, you not only reduce the risk of contracting the virus from droplets to the eye, but also from unintentionally touching your eyes with dirty hands.

Protective safety glasses, disposable side-guards for prescription lenses, as well as face shields are available at your crew centre.

At this time the Union recommends using ALL protective equipment and reminds its members that they are permitted to take as many items as required for their flight assignments. Please let the Union know if there are any difficulties with this.

Instructions on PPE as well as guidance for mask compliance onboard can be found in ePub under the COVID-19 Tile.

14-day Quarantine Exemption Update
A reminder to members that there are important duties tied to the 14-day quarantine exemption for aircrew. These are not optional, and we have been advised by the PHAC that enforcement and verification is possible and has potential to result in significant fines and imprisonment for non-compliance:

• Wear a mask that a screening officer or quarantine officer considers suitable to minimize the risk of introducing or spreading COVID-19 when they are in public settings, including when entering Canada; and
• Maintain a list of the names and contact information of each person with whom the person came into close contact and the locations visited during the 14-day period. Close contact includes persons with whom you have been within 2metres for a cumulative period of 15 minutes or more within 24hrs. It may also include but isn’t limited to persons with whom you have engaged in higher risk activities such as physical activity, sharing an indoor space, or with whom basic recommended precautions may not have been followed (eg. masking).

Work Refusal Update
In the 11FEB2021 issue of the IFS News, the company advised of a change in process for employees who have concerns about operating to certain destinations. The process, as outlined was that when advised by an employee, crew scheduling would offer a leave of absence subject to availability, or, if not, the scheduler would guide the employee to a manager capable of continuing the discussion. This was discussed with the Union on the understanding that workers would never be penalized for concerns related to health and safety and that their concerns would be readily addressed with the company and properly documented.

This is not what has transpired based on your feedback.

To date, some employees who advised scheduling of concerns have seen their pairings removed from their schedules and have been assigned unavailable for duty with fault. They have not been transferred to a manager capable of handling their safety and health related concerns, but instead told they will have to go find and speak to a manager on their own time. Furthermore, there has been a lack of appropriate record-keeping, which has created a “they said this, they said that” scenario. The result has been members who have seen their assignments removed, a potential disciplinary code added to their schedule and no follow-up to their health and safety concerns.

In order to ensure that our members health and safety rights are properly respected the Union strongly advises its members of the following if they have concerns related to a destination or flight that touch on health and safety:

• Crew scheduling is not tasked with safety and is not able or equipped to process health and safety complaints/concerns.
• File a general health and safety complaint e-report ahead of time, if possible. This guarantees that your concern is properly documented in the company’s safety database and your representatives are copied. It also ensures your assignment isn’t arbitrarily removed from your schedule prior to having a chance to resolve your concern with a manager.
• Should you not receive a response to your health and safety complaint prior to duty report time or should your concern not be addressed, prepare for work as expected and raise your concerns at the workplace upon check-in at the correct time citing your previous report if applicable.  Please note, you do not have to file a report first, you always have the right to raise your concern once you have checked in, and it must be addressed.

If you are at all put in an uncomfortable position by following the above, please reach out to the Union immediately, 24/7 through 1-866-758-3037 or email 247@accomponent.ca and someone will get back to you in a timely manner.

The Union reminds its members that it is their duty to report any potential hazards to the employer, but also their right for these potential hazards to be addressed. Information about the right to refuse dangerous work can be found at the end of chapter 2 in the FAM, and/or by sending an email to rtr@accomponent.ca.

We have seen a large increase in the COVID positive passengers on flights to/from Delhi, and remind all crew to ensure you are wearing your FULL PPE.

In Solidarity,

Please find below the most recent details about upcoming service changes as issued by the company today. In particular, we wish to draw your attention to the procedures for jackets which includes a self-serve option for customers as well as a decision by the company not to proceed with a beverage service on flights over 4 hours or an AC Bistro product at this time.

Here are additional details and adjustments to the December 10 products and service enhancements:

• Second bar service on flights more than four hours on hold; continue to offer beverages ‘on demand’ as per our current specifications;
• Jacket/coat service will be ‘on demand’ and left to your discretion as to whether you wish to assist the customer;
• Noise-cancelling headset availability will continue, and headsets are to be picked up in conjunction with regular garbage pickup prior to landing;
• Monty’s snack offering continues as it replaces the cold snack on inbound Europe flights;
• Hot casserole offering continues and please note all loading of casseroles should be done in the galley prior to any meal service;
• Skyriders program offering continues in conjunction with the CleanCare+ kits.

Throughout the pandemic the Union has tried to impress the importance of reporting perceived safety hazards using the health and safety complaint avenue. These announced changes are a prime example of how powerful the dialogue between the workers and the company can be, and the change it can bring. We diligently represent you, as provided by law, however as individual members we must never forget our important right and duty to report ourselves the potential hazards we notice in the course of our work. WE are the Union and WE are the employees.

On that note, many of our members have informed the Union of a personal confirmed case of COVID-19 and have expressed strong comments and suggestions us. It may come as a surprise to know that your health and safety representatives are either unaware or unable to act on the majority of these since they technically do not exist unless they are reported and logged through the proper channels. Although the company must act on any report of work-related illness or injury, in a large organization formal reporting is extremely important.

If you have or have had COVID-19, believe it to be work-related, and did not submit a work-related illness/injury e-report or ACF32-8 paper form or reported your illness verbally, it is almost certain that your experience is NOT part of the statistics driving change. Further to this, your concerns and comments are not being investigated at the committees that are driving change and keeping the workplace safe. Please do your part and report. Remember that confidentiality and privacy are paramount to the company and Union when it comes to reporting. Information is only shared within the committee and management on an absolute need-to-know basis.

If you have concerns or difficulties about filing a health and safety complaint or work-related injury/illness e-report, please reach out to your union local or reply to this email. We are here to help and support you.

In Solidarity,