Air Canada Bargaining Update: Determined to make progress

March 31, 2011 at 8:00 PM

Dear Sisters and Brothers,
  

As our membership should be aware the bargaining committee has committed that while in negotiations, regular updates will be distributed and posted Friday of each week. Our last number of communications provided an overview and the committee completed several days of bargaining on March 29th. We have been in contact with the conciliation officer who will be assisting the parties as we move forward.

The Federal conciliation process is sometimes long and frustrating and in total is 81 days. This would include 60 days of conciliation and 21 days of mediation, commonly known as a cooling off period. This schedule would mean that our deadline for strike and/or lockout would be June 13th. We are required by law, within this period, to provide 72 hour strike notice prior to June 13th.
  

Future schedule

The parties have agreed to return to the bargaining table on Tuesday, April 5th through to Monday, April 11th. Additional dates scheduled are: April 26 – May 6th, and May 24 – June 13. These are subject to change.
  

Bargaining

As of March 29th the bargaining continues to be challenging and we are faced with a significant amount of concessions once again, from Air Canada. This includes but is not limited to the following:

1. Separate/new classifications in the Call Centres, and Customer Journey Management. New airport classifications including Concierge, and Special Services Agents handling wheelchairs, kiosks and lines.
     

2. The corporation is demanding limiting the ability to transfer between call centres and airports
     

3. The elimination of Jazz handling
     

4. Changing part time hours, to include a mandatory 16 hour minimum and a 32 hour maximum
     

5. Increase in part time utilization
     

6. Elimination of the Retirement Phase-in Program
     

7. Work schedule alterations, which includes reduced notification for changing days off
     

8. Vacation adjustments, which includes no movement of pre-bid vacation at work schedule bid time
     

9. Pension demands, the corporation has a whole host of pension demands which includes; reduced benefits, reduced survivor benefits, final average earnings over five years and early retirement changes to 60 years of age and 90 points

  

The last number of days, the bargaining committee was able to move the company off a number of positions on part time issues, work schedules and vacation adjustments. However, they have not formerly withdrawn these issues and they are not signed off, so it is possible that the corporation could re-table these issues.

Suffice to say, the bargaining committee has expressed to the company, in no uncertain terms, that these concessions are unacceptable to the bargaining committee and to the membership. If Air Canada is truly seeking a fair and equitable settlement, then these issues must be withdrawn by the corporation. Air Canada sees these as productivity improvements. The committee sees these issues as concessions and they are unacceptable.

As our members realize, there have been a number of years since negotiations have not been influenced by the economic conditions. Air Canada continues to make the arguments that these changes are required to ensure their long term viability.

As outlined in our March 4th notice negotiations are more than a set of contractual provisions, they are charters for dignity and respect for workers. The committee is determined that in this round of negotiations, workers absolutely deserve to make progress. The CAW has never been opposed to productivity improvements but enough is enough!
  

Leadership Meeting

To ensure that we have full and complete solidarity throughout our leadership and membership, the bargaining committee has scheduled a leadership meeting for April 12th in Toronto. We will fully update our leadership from across the country and provide all of them with the tools necessary to fully inform our membership at each of the locations.
  

Strike Votes

As is required by law and the CAW Constitution, the bargaining committee is scheduling strike vote meetings to take place in all locations for the week of May 16th. At these meetings the respective bargaining committee members will provide the membership with an overview of the state of negotiations and will be seeking a solid mandate as we move toward a deadline of June 13th, 2011. The bargaining committee believes our membership recognizes the importance of these meetings and will give the committee a solid vote of confidence. As is always the case, the focus of negotiations is to reach a settlement without a dispute. This responsibility is first and foremost in the committee’s mind but the question remains whether or not Air Canada will take our leadership and a membership’s voice seriously. These meetings will be posted in the work places, well in advance of the scheduled week of May 16th. We urge the membership’s full attendance.
  

In closing, the bargaining committee of CAW Local 2002 are confident that they have the full and complete support of the National office, including the direct involvement of National President Ken Lewenza and the National Staff.

  

In Solidarity,

 

  

  

  

RC/kw:sd:sepb343