Notes from negotes: Issue 18

Notes from negotes: Issue 18

June 5, 2015 at 6:00 PM

  

PDF - Notes from Negotes PDF

  

Strike mandate gives Air Canada bargaining committee important leverage

  
Local 2002 members at Air Canada have come out in full support of their bargaining committee with a strike mandate of 95 per cent.

"Unifor is prepared to defend the work of our membership at all costs," says Local 2002 president Cheryl Robinson. "With the overwhelming support of our membership we know that we will be successful."

Members are angry at the company’s blatant show of disrespect for their collective agreement and the collective bargaining process.

  

Tame the beast and return the work

  
Earlier this year, Air Canada derailed negotiations by refusing to defend good jobs and scope work blaming the GTAA for the loss of work involving wheelchair assistance. Unifor refused to allow the company to bypass the collective agreement and put job security in jeopardy and took the company to arbitration.

On Monday June 1, the arbitrator ruled in the union’s favour instructing Air Canada to get back our work (using the dispute resolution mechanism). Unifor President Jerry Dias has called on the federal government and Air Canada instructing them to tame the monster they have created in the GTAA and return our scope work, as per the arbitrator’s ruling. We will continue to keep you informed with our progress.

  

Great expectations

  
Air Canada is making record profits ($122 million in profits in the first quarter) share prices are soaring and company executives are being richly rewarded. CEO Calin Rovenescu acknowledges that the company’s success is "only possible due to the hard work, dedication and commitment of all Air Canada employees."

In the past when the company had to go on a strict diet because the wolves were at the door, employees willingly tightened their belts. Now that the company is feasting at a banquet members want and deserve more than the scraps. But instead of giving, the company wants to take away.

In doing so, they have missed the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that they truly and sincerely care about the welfare of their employees.

  

Respect is earned

  
Members want and deserve respect in the workplace and at the bargaining table. They want and deserve job security and to make progress.

Let’s start a conversation about R.E.S.P.E.C.T in the workplace and in collective bargaining and what that means to us. And with a 95 per cent strike mandate, lets hope the company is respectfully listening.

  

  

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