October 11, 2019 at 5:00 PM
In the last several days, Unifor and Canadian North have been engaged in productive dialogue with regards to the November 1, 2019 merger date; specifically, how the transition to the new airline will impact Unifor 2002 members in their respective workplace locations. The company notified Unifor in September that they would be developing a joint flight schedule effective November 1. The merger will also see an alteration in how aircraft maintenance is carried out within the various bases, specifically Iqaluit and Yellowknife.
Now, only three weeks from the start of the consolidated flight schedule, Unifor is continuing to work with Canadian North and First Air officials to ensure that members maintain a work-life balance; so that their quality of life is not interrupted.
Earlier this year, Unifor was successful in bringing the company to the table and negotiating a Memorandum of Settlement (MOS) for the 88 members within the bargaining unit. This interim agreement – which was ratified on August 1, 2019 – secured wage increases retroactive from February 1, 2019 (previous Collective Agreement expiration) to the amended expiration of January 31, 2020. This was a win for our members and well deserved in the face of the upcoming merger.
The AME’s at Canadian North are employed at various bases which include Edmonton, Calgary, Yellowknife, and Iqaluit. These are highly skilled individuals and operate as Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) and apprentices who ensure aircraft safety standards for the fleet. Their day-to-day work and the safeguards they implement are critical to the operation of the airline and their contributions are a vital component to maintain the airline’s safety.
We realize that there are still unanswered questions as it pertains to work schedules and future man-power as there are many moving parts in the transition. Unifor is committed to keeping you informed as discussions continue. We will update you again next week as an additional discussion is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15.
To remain up-to-date on this process, please ensure you have subscribed to e-news at unifor2002.org.
In solidarity,
Your Canadian North AME Bargaining Committee
Richard Breton, Bargaining Representative
Dwayne Samson, Bargaining Representative
Dallas Klarenbach, Bargaining Representative
Ashley Watkins, Assistant to the President – Local 2002
Wally Ewanicke, Unifor National Representative
For more information, please contact:
Ashley Watkins – Assistant to the President
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