Arbitrator releases Jazz Customer and Aircraft Services award

Arbitrator Tom Hodges has issued his award in the arbitration between CAW Local 2002 Jazz Customer and Aircraft Services and Jazz Aviation LP. The award will form part of the new collective agreement between the parties.

The award comes after twenty days of face to face bargaining, and was preceded by two days of mediation in front of Mr. Hodges in March, 2013.

Jazz refused to withdraw their proposals on two contentious issues: contracting out and a new B pay scale for new hires. It was evident to the bargaining committee that Jazz was preparing to put the Jazz membership in a lockout/strike position; therefore the committee felt that it was in the best interest of the membership to go to arbitration.

Jazz management maintained their position during the mediation portion of the process. The only way to conclude bargaining was to have Arbitrator Hodges resolve all of the outstanding issues.

An extensive written argument (brief), along with a rebuttal to the Jazz argument was prepared by the CAW with input from both the legal and research departments.

The arbitration award details the issues in dispute and the manner in which Hodges has resolved.

In the award Hodges states:
The union does not argue in this process for unprecedented or outlandish gains for its members. It seeks, for the most part, gains which have been negotiated with this employer for other bargaining unit employees in the recent past.
At the same time the financial challenges of the employer are not to fall on deaf ears. The challenges laid out for Jazz by Air Canada, are real and proven. The entry of Sky Regional as a serious threat to Jazz in competing for a portion of the regional landscape is real. The aviation landscape throughout North America is littered with airlines that have failed to recognize and adapt to the changing environment.

Here is a summary of the award:
• 2% wage increase in each year retroactive to January 14, 2013
• Statutory holiday pay, effective date of ratification, length of shift in time bank instead of 8 hours on a day off.
• 1 additional week of vacation after 15 years of service
• Additional 1% paid by Company into pension plan in 3rd year of contract
• Cargo premium for ramp doing cargo in Quebec
• VSP to employees affected by closures/layoffs additional 50 per year for those at top of wage and vacation. Unused will be carried over. Details to be announced.
• Towing/drivers/delivery/commissary drivers remain in the bargaining unit
• Vacation relief lines
• Footwear allowance increased to $200 per year.
• "B” pay scale for new hires

Contract out Ramp:
YBG-Bagotteville
YVO-Val D’ore
YUY-Rouyn Noranda
YCD-Nanaimo

• Minimum call out where less than 20 FTE is 3hrs
• Cross utilization in part in some bases below the wing TBA

 

Mr. Hodges also states:
"The impact of the changes in staffing set out below can be offset with a gradual implementation and with a co-ordinated use of Voluntary Separation and Relocation Packages similar to those used in the recent London Base closure in the Technical Services bargaining unit. It is therefore important that the parties meet to negotiate the appropriate timelines and implementation procedures necessary in order to offset the effects of staffing changes in this award.”

The bargaining committee will be meeting on August 7 and 8, 2013 with the employer, with the goal to mitigate the negative impact of this award and to make sure that our membership are treated in a fair and respectful manner.
If no agreement is reached with Jazz on the timeliness of this award, we are prepared to return to the arbitrator.

Please monitor the web site for further updates. If you require further clarification please contact your bargaining committee representative.

In solidarity,

Your Jazz CSA/ACS bargaining committee:
Shirley Anderson-Mio, Chairperson
Huw Callard
Josée Genois
Lee Kempster
Robert Pomanti
Matthew Sackville
Ken White
Ashley Watkins, Executive Assistant
Jamie Ross, Local 2002 President
Joel Fournier, National Representative