We are happy to advise that the Union was able to reach an agreement with Air Canada about preselects and when they can be removed. Please click HERE to view the settlement.
The agreement involved a grievance filed for a reserve flight attendant who was awarded a preselect overseas pairing which was removed and given to someone on voluntary extension. There was no irregular operation on the grievor’s pairing and Air Canada also had not started the draft award sequence. The reserve was assigned a domestic cycle leaving earlier than her original preselect pairing the next morning.
B8.26.09 allows the company to remove preselects from their pairings if there is an irregular operation. The Union’s position has always been that the irregular operation has to occur on the reserve’s preselect pairing and not on any pairing for the removal to be legal. Air Canada has agreed to our interpretation going forward.
In addition, prior to our agreement, Air Canada’s practice has been to remove preselects from their pairings before initiating the draft award sequence under article B9. They have now agreed to follow the draft sequence and only remove preselects if their seniority number is reached in one of the steps in the draft sequence. For clarity, one of the steps where a reserve preselect could be legally removed from their pairing is B9.03.02 “Junior Legal Employee”.
Please note that if you are drafted off your preselect pairing at any point, draft premiums are only paid on non-inviolate days off (RDO’s) and please remember that you cannot be drafted on inviolate days off (GDO’s).
If you are ever unsure whether the removal from your preselect was legal, please reach out to your local union office.
In solidarity,
