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

On-board Service Manager (OBSM) Update

Dear members,
This past year, your Union has been ardently dealing with the Onboard Service Manager (OBSM) program, representing those who have been disciplined or demoted and providing members’ feedback by engaging in various correspondence and conversations with the Company.
The Company’s reply to our concerns has been consistent and transparent: “The OBSM program is here to stay and you need to get used to it”.
As most of you are aware, we sent a survey to the membership at large requesting feedback that we could use in order to highlight your frustrations about Air Canada’s OBSM program. We wanted to demonstrate that there are clearly many challenges stemming from the program. These obvious and concerning issues started at implementation and are culminating in discipline and punitive demotions and are causing pure frustration on your Union’s part.
To add further insult, the Union sent Question #13 of the Survey to the  Company’s Executive Management in the hopes that we would get a reply, a meeting request, a follow-up letter or some other action on the Company’s part.  Instead, Air Canada has come to us requesting the full survey results,  while at the same time refusing to address the concerns of their employees – our members.
How long can they ignore your concerns?
Air Canada Flight Attendants have been recognized as onboard leaders and the Best Flight Attendants in North America for many years. All of this transpired despite crew reductions and the introduction of the OBSM program.
Your Union has filed three Policy grievances on the OBSM Program:
  • CHQ-17-66 – Abuse of Management Rights
  • CHQ-17-38 – Violation of Article 14
  • CHQ-17-39 – Interference with Union Representation Rights
We have also filed countless individual grievances on behalf of the Service Directors who have been demoted.
The OBSM program is now moving forward with “undercover” OBSMs on flights (status not reflected on the PIL), who have been judging and grading you and reporting back directly to your base manager. These “secret” assessments occur without an opportunity for the member to debrief, share insight or allow justification.  Instead, the affected Flight Attendant is expected to recall and justify their performance during a performance meeting.
And yet the Company keeps describing the OBSM program as “coaching”.
We receive your emails and letters on a daily basis and are moving forward with all of them.  We encourage everyone to follow through with your Locals, please stop in or email and let us know how you are feeling. Let your co-workers know they have a voice and are being heard.
It is hard for us to provide an update on such a challenging subject, but rest assured that your Union Executive hears you and is always available.
We hope to have a positive and more appropriate reply from the Company in the immediate future, as silence is not an answer we can or will accept on your behalf.
In solidarity,
Marie-Hélène Major
Component President
Beth Mahan
Component Vice-President
Wesley Lesosky
Component Secretary-Treasurer
Guillaume Leduc
President – Local 4091 YUL
Denis Montpetit
President – Local 4092 YYZ
Carolyn Bugnon
President – Local 4094 YVR
Kim Wentzell
President – Local 4095 YYC
Robyn Jenkins
President – rouge Local 4098