We are pleased to advise that CUPE and Air Canada have resolved grievance CHQ-22-73 with a settlement in the form of a new Letter of Understanding (LOU) 61.
This LOU resolves all issues relating to CHQ-22-73 and will be incorporated into the Collective Agreement at a later date. This LOU will provide for dedicated crew seats on the Airbus A330 (effective with the June 2023 block month) & the Airbus A321 XLR aircraft (once it commences operating) that don’t have crew bunks. This LOU will apply similarly to LOU 51 which provided for dedicated crew seats on the Boeing 767. The terms of LOU 61 are as follows:
“On all A330 and A321XLR non-crew bunk equipped aircraft operating flights which have a scheduled block to block flight time of greater than 7:30 hours but less than 11:30 hours, the Company will dedicate a bank of economy class seats for crew rest purposes. The location of these seats will be determined by the Company.
Cabin Personnel may sleep in the bank of dedicated economy class seats for a maximum of one (1) hour per crew member. The use of these seats to sleep shall not in any way interfere with cabin service.
No more than two (2) Cabin Personnel may sleep at any one time. The Company shall use best efforts to install a curtain for privacy which, if installed, must be used by Cabin Personnel when the seats are in use. Signs or makeshift curtains are not permitted.
Letters of Understanding 27 and 28 shall not apply when dedicated crew rest seats have been provided in accordance with the foregoing.”
This settlement is the result of discussions between the parties in which the Union asserted their continued focus on working conditions and rest for crew members.
Grievance CHQ-22-73 was related to the number of narrow-body aircraft operated at Air Canada Rouge. The Union assessed this grievance internally and with legal counsel. We also evaluated what was first negotiated relating to scope language. As such the Union was able to provide Air Canada clarity that so long as the cap of 50 aircraft maximum is maintained that the Union will not dispute changes to the number of narrowbody aircraft operated at Rouge. The scope provisions provide for a maximum of 25 widebody aircraft at Rouge, which is the Union’s main concern with scope protection. It is the widebody that we focused on and so long as they do not increase that or the maximum of 50 aircraft, we were able to agree to this settlement.
There was no change to the scope language, only clarity afforded to both sides, ensuring future growth at Air Canada Rouge will follow the current scope language.
In solidarity,
Your ACCEX