First, we hope this bulletin finds you all healthy and well. We also would like to welcome back all of our colleagues who were laid off and wish you all the best for 2022.
Second, we want to take the time to thank Hugh Chetwynd and Karim Sheir for their years of service to the membership on the pension committee. We wish them the best in their future endeavors.
As members of the Pension Committee, we are here to help you better understand the what, the why, and the how of your pension plan. Below are the quick answers to most common questions we get from the membership. We hope this helps you get started.
Your pension benefit is extremely significant and is the second largest benefit after your pay.
CUPE members are participants in one of 2 types of plans. Members hired prior to November 7, 2011 are participants in the Defined Benefit (DB) Pension Plan and members hired at Mainline and Rouge on or after November 7, 2011, are participants in a Hybrid Pension Plan which has 2 parts: a DB portion and a Defined Contribution (DC) portion.
If you would like more information about your pension and how it fits in with your financial planning, please find the “Pensions 201” bulletin on the Air Canada Component of CUPE website:
https://accomponent.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/20160421_Pension_201.pdf.
If you are a DB member requesting information about your pension amounts, please make sure you have a current estimate from the online calculator.
For DB plan members:
- Log in to my.aircanada.ca select HR Connex
- Under Retirement select HR Connex Pension
- Select the tile: Project Your Retirement Income
For Hybrid DC plan members:
- Log in to my.aircanada.ca select HR Connex
- Under Retirement select
- HR Connex Pension (DB Portion)
- My DC Pension (DC Portion)
If your pension questions are not addressed satisfactorily, please call the Employee Care Team at 1-833-847-EMPL (3675).
- Option 4: Pensions
- Option 1: DB plan (Alight)
- Option 2: DC Plan (Manulife)
DB members including Hybrid mainline and Rouge members can also schedule a call with an Alight pensions agent for personalized service following the above path. Members on a Hybrid pension plan can buyback/payback for their DB/DC pension by just speaking to a representative at Alight.
Click HERE to view slides to help you maneuver on the HR Connex website.
PLEASE NOTE: Members of the Rouge plan do not have access to HR Connex Pension. Information on your plan can be accessed by contacting Alight directly.
Your Pension Committee wishes you all safe flying. Please reach out if you have questions at pensions@accomponent.ca.
Best wishes for 2022,
Your Component Pension Committee
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Did you know?
The Air Canada Pension plan is worth around $24 Billion.
On the Toronto Stock Exchange, Air Canada is valued at just around $8.4 Billion. (Based at a share price of $23.54 on March 21st, 2022.)
The Air Canada pension plan is 3 times bigger in value than Air Canada itself.