This week, the first official meetings between the Union and the Company in this round of bargaining with Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge are taking place.
The Union and the employer have presented their opening statements and sought clarity where needed. We are fully prepared for this process and our goal is to achieve the best possible outcome for each of you. We are your voice at the table.
In solidarity,
CHQ-19-05 – Unreasonable and Discriminatory Tattoo and Piercing Policy
Air Canada’s personal appearance policy prohibits cabin personnel from having visible tattoos and piercings on duty, other than one pair of matching stud earrings. The Union’s position is that these prohibitions unreasonably infringe on employees’ rights, freedoms, and interests to express themselves through their appearance. In adopting these prohibitions, Air Canada has breached the Collective Agreement, including articles 3, 14, 24, L14, and all other relevant provisions. It has also breached the Canadian Human Rights Act and all other relevant statutes and regulations. This grievance was denied at level 2 and has been scheduled for mediation on September 24, 2019.
CHQ-19-17 – Unreasonable and Discriminatory Gender-Specific Personal Appearance Policy
Air Canada maintains a gender-specific personal appearance policy. The Union’s position is that the gender-specific appearance policy (and its gender-specific prohibitions) unreasonably infringe on employees’ rights, freedoms, and interests to express themselves through their appearance. In adopting these prohibitions, Air Canada has breached the Collective Agreement, including articles 3, 14, 24, L14, and all other relevant provisions. It has also breached the Canadian Human Rights Act and all other relevant statutes and regulations. This grievance was denied at level 2 and will be scheduled for mediation sometime this fall.
CHQ-19-31 – Violation of Article 14 (OBSM Cabin Crew Program)
Air Canada has disciplined Flight Attendants without just cause and contrary to the governing principles of progressive discipline. We submit this grievance under articles/clauses 3, 14, 24, all other pertinent sections of the Collective Agreement, the Arbitrator Kaplan award on CHQ-17-38 issued January 7th, 2019, and any other relevant legislation, act, or statute. This grievance will be presented at level 2 sometime this fall.
Flow Through Phase 1 & 2
**For the current flow through opportunity please ensure you check your Air Canada email for the latest information **
Air Canada Rouge has issued a new email to all members that were on the Flow Through list to go to Mainline in the 2019 calendar year. We encourage you to check for the email and reply to it with any changes you need to make when it comes to the Phase of training you desire.
We have been advised that there will be no switches permitted once your phase has been awarded. Any members that have missed the second email will be awarded a class based on the flow through process. The Union is continuing to move forward with the policy grievance on the recent flow through changes.
Reciprocal Agreement for Cabin Jumpseat With Air Canada Rouge
The Cabin Safety team at Air Canada Mainline and Rouge have announced through an internal publication that they have been hard at work over the past few months securing a regulatory exemption from Transport Canada regarding cabin jumpseat occupancy. Transport Canada has granted this exemption to both operators, based on this publication. This is set to be effective near the end of August 2019. We are aware many of you saw the letter from labour at the end of last term that was sent out (Click “Here” to view letter).
Your Component Executive has been working with labour relations to finalize this, and raising all concerns brought forward through the Union.
We are very happy with this move and look forward to it being communicated fully to everyone officially, Mainline and Rouge, by the time noted in the Company Communication.
CHQ-rouge-19-49 Post Flight Duties
As we have seen at Rouge a new SOP has been introduced where the Company is demanding more free time. Our members will soon be required to fill out an AQD report to verify that they have checked the cabin for passengers at the end of each flight. Furthermore, the Company has advised that groomers are permitted onboard while this is taking place. The Union is once again trying to rationalize the Safety-First principle we all have come to appreciate, respect and live by. How can we be put in a position to verify no passengers are on board when we have groomers, catering and maintenance descending on board while we are following this Company imposed, critical SOP? Furthermore, this will delay the process, and again cause greater free work to be performed by our members.
The Union has been in discussion to have this corrected, and although there is no language in the Collective Agreement for our Rouge members for performing post duty work, we feel this is not an avenue to take advantage and make this work mandatory. We have filed a grievance and will once again push for payment of wages for work performed, especially when it is mandatory (Click “Here” to view the grievance filed).
For our Mainline members, there is contractual language to protect you if you pass your duty period performing mandatory work, such as this SOP regarding cabin checks. If you have put in a claim, and it was denied please reach out to your Local Union office with specifics.
Component Officers Meet and Greet
Please watch for a bulletin announcing when your Component Officers will be out at your base to visit you and hear what is happening online. We want to remain engaged with you and your co-workers, please bring questions, comments and concerns.
UMHQ and Rouge Labour Relations – July 2019
Your Executive Board has had a recent UMHQ meeting with the Company and raised many items, from Uniforms, Luggage issues, Free Work, Disciplinary Meetings, Discipline being imposed, OBSM and Mentor Programs along with Wellness Calls. We will not always see eye to eye with the employer, but we commit to maintaining open communication with the Employer and each other to ensure we are maintaining our position and filing of grievances where required.
Communication with the Union
A reminder that your Local and Component offices should be a place where you reach out to express issues you are having online and at work, we are here to assist you with contractual guidance, health and safety, grievance statements and general concerns you are facing. If you do not know who to contact, please reach out to contact@accomponent.ca and your email will be sent to the correct Local Union office or Component Officer.
We encourage you to reach out to Union when in doubt, Facebook may feel easier, but will not always give you the best guidance, your Union Officers will, and its always confidential.
Please feel free to reach out to me anytime at w.lesosky@accomponent.ca, the constant communication keeps us in the know and able to defend our working conditions, raise new issues, and work with the Company on making changes to benefit all.
In solidarity,
Wesley Lesosky
President, Air Canada Component of CUPE
The attached information and update regarding the Share Trust is being provided to CUPE members via a joint communication by the Council of Unions.
The Council of Unions was established to represent the interests of the unionized employees of Air Canada during a turbulent time that included pension insolvency. Leaders from each of Air Canada’s unions – the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA); Canadian Airline Dispatchers Association (CALDA); Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) – Air Canada Component; the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW); and Unifor – meet to discuss issues of common concern, including the Share Trust. Together we represent nearly 29,000 unionized employees of Air Canada.
Please click HERE to learn more.
In our last update, on May 24, 2019, we advised that the Union’s legal counsel had sent a letter to Air Canada requesting the postponement of negotiations, until the 30-day Exclusivity Agreement with Air Transat expires. Since then, the Company has replied to our request and have agreed to postpone negotiations until August or September …
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