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

Bargaining Update

Further to our last bargaining update to you on November 16, 2021 (Click HERE to view), your Bargaining Committee met last month with Air Canada and Arbitrator Vince Ready for one more attempt at a mediated outcome. Unfortunately, the parties were not able to reach a final agreement and some items remain in dispute. As such we have instructed the Union’s legal counsel to begin their preparation for interest arbitration. Dates were previously secured in late March 2022 to continue with this process.

This arbitration will take place under the strict confines of the 10-year framework MOA which limits which types of proposals can move forward to arbitration. In addition, the arbitrator cannot issue an award that would increase the total cost to Air Canada Mainline or Air Canada Rouge, except for certain items at Air Canada Rouge which could result in cost increases.

We must let you know that the bargaining process throughout this reopener has been quite frustrating. As you are likely aware the confines of the previously bargained MOA (Click HERE to view) limit the items Air Canada is willing to engage on without a corresponding concession. We inherited this language and will use all available resources to our advantage however there is limited leverage for your Bargaining Committee to use. This may be further compounded by the impact COVID-19 has on the aviation industry.

We remain hopeful that the final outcome will address some of the abhorrent working conditions at Air Canada Rouge and will maintain the status quo at Air Canada Mainline with some no-cost improvements/changes. We must not forget that our ability to openly bargain is not that far off, and we must all begin to plan and imagine what can be achieved at that time. In the interim we will fight tooth and nail to make any gains that we can for the members despite the hindrances.

In solidarity,

Your ACCEX

Lunar New Year

For approximately 1 billion people around the world, Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, is one of the most important holidays of the year.

It is celebrated in East and Southeast Asian cultures, with Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean groups among those participating.

The New Year is frequently celebrated across several days, rather than simply one, as it is on the Gregorian calendar. The Lunar New Year will begin on February 1st, 2022.

The celebration began as a time for feasting and honoring home and heavenly deities, as well as ancestors, and was tied to the lunar calendar.

There are many legends surrounding the Lunar New Year’s origin. The most common one claims that the festivities began to frighten away a beast known as “Nian” (which means “year” in Chinese) who haunted cities and villages each spring, attacking people. People used firecrackers and red paper to frighten Nian, because he was afraid of loud noises and the color red.

The New Year usually begins with the first new moon, which occurs between the end of January and the beginning of February. The first 15 days of the lunar calendar’s first month until the full moon.

2022 marks the year of the Water Tiger. In China, the tiger is regarded as the king of all beasts. The Tiger is a symbol of strength, and bravery in the Chinese zodiac and due to the Tiger’s auspicious signs, 2022 is set to be a prosperous one.

Your Component Diversity Committee would like to send our best wishes to everyone celebrating the Lunar New Year. We wish you all the best of health and success for the year ahead!

In Solidarity,

Your Component Diversity Committee

Black History Month

The month of February marks the start of Black History Month.

Born in 1976, Black History Month is an annual event recognizing the pioneers who fought for black liberation and celebrates the immense contributions they have made to the United States of America, Canada, and the world.

Mr. Carter G. Woodson, author, writer, and historian, who is also known today as the “Father of Black History”, was a firm believer that racial equality could only be achieved by the recognition and comprehension of a race’s past, and he devoted his life to the study of African American history.

It is said that Woodson chose the month of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

Woodson also hoped that one day, Black History Month would no longer be necessary. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go.

Although February has been designated as the month of recognition of the history of the African Diaspora, its rich history should be recognized and celebrated every day.

You might be wondering how Black History Month relates to the workplace.

Well, it is up to employers as well as committees such as this one to set the standard for eradicating discrimination, conscious and unconscious bias and to encourage the inclusion of all employees.

Employee engagement may be increased by recognizing and celebrating employees’ cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds and with initiatives such as the Black History Month Flight set to take off on February 11, 2022, we believe that Air Canada is on its way to attaining that goal.

Your Component Diversity Committee will continue to engage with the employer in a collaborative manner to ensure that initiatives like these are put forth to maintain a diverse and inclusive workplace.

In order to give you an opportunity to celebrate the significant contributions and achievements of black people throughout our history, we have compiled a list of links to Black History Month events happening across our four bases.

YYZ:
https://www.thessu.ca/ssu-events/black-history-month-cooking-class-feb-2022

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/black-history-month-with-afiwi-groove-tickets-229099983217

https://www.ajaxlibrary.ca/node/573

https://www.thessu.ca/ssu-events/black-history-month-paint-night

https://www.gowherewhen.com/event/toronto-black-film-festival

YUL:
https://www.mcgill.ca/equity/initiatives-education/black-history-month/black-history-month-2022-schedule-events

https://www.moishistoiredesnoirs.com/programmation/nfb-black-history-month-panel-discussion

https://www.moishistoiredesnoirs.com/

YYC:
https://allevents.in/calgary/black-history-month

YVR:
https://events.ubc.ca/black-history-month/

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Q9E9jUIsQnmkfDD0CEwjcQ

CANADA:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/d/canada/black-history-month/?page=1

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month.html

We must all raise our voices now, more than ever, and insist that society continue to recognize and honour Black History!

In Solidarity,

Your Component Diversity Committee

PBS Enhancements – Release 21-3

PBS Release 21-3 has been installed. This update includes a new feature and several enhancements to    PBS. A reminder about supported browsers, devices and operating systems as well as a further update to the sunsetting of the Old UI are also included in this bulletin.

Please click HERE to view the full bulletin.