Wesley Lesosky declaration, president of the Air Canada component of the SCFP, about the Air Canada proposal to end negotiations:
After nine months during which the airline dragged negotiations on fundamental issues – unpaid work and wages of misery – the union surveyed its members and obtained a historic strike of 99.7 %. The on -board agent mobilized by hundreds in airports across the country during the August 11 action day, displaying exemplary solidarity.
Air Canada has seen how determined and united the on -board agents claiming the end of unpaid work and a real salary increase aligned with the cost of living.
Now Air Canada has decided that she no longer wants to negotiate. The company prefers to go by arbitration, rather than stay at the negotiating table and agree on a new employment contract.
Everyone knows that the best agreements end at the negotiation table and not by being imposed by a third party. So why does Air Canada want the union to accept arbitration?
First, the arbitrators are based on the previous ones and the status quo to make their decisions. However, the Air Canada on -board agent want to break with the status quo and put an end to the so widespread abuse of unpaid work in the air transport sector. Air Canada wants a referee to make the dirty job for her and maintain the status quo.
Second, the arbitration decision would be final. Members would not have the opportunity to decide on this decision. Air Canada wants to resort to arbitration to withdraw from our members their democratic voting right.
The union rejected the company’s proposal, which seeks to preserve the status quo and the exploitation of our members as well as to reduce them to silence.
The SCFP Air Canada component remains at the negotiating table, ready to negotiate.
The union has always been willing to negotiate. The union was ready to continue discussions even by trying to obtain a mandate of strike, but the company never tried to contact us.
Regarding the latest air Canada offer, it is lower than inflation, lower than the market value, lower than the minimum wage, and continues to leave on-board agent without remuneration for all their working hours
Currently, Air Canada’s on -board agents are working for long hours in connection with crucial security tasks. The airline offered to start paying on -board agent for some of these tasks, but Only 50 % of the hourly rateand she always refuses to pay the on -board agent for the time spent responding to medical emergencies, fires, evacuations and other ground safety incidents.
With regard to wages, Air Canada’s supply is lower than market value, less than inflation and lower than the minimum wage.
- Air Canada offers an punctual adjustment of 8 % during the first year of the employment contract. However, since 2015, throughout their last collective agreement, on -board agents have undergone a real loss of 9 % of their salary due to inflation. So the offer does not even catch up with the rise in inflation: it is, in reality, a drop in salary. Air Canada’s offer is below inflation.
- Air Canada uses inflated figures to make the public believe that on -board agent, who sometimes have to use food banks or combine two or three jobs, ask too much. In reality, the company offers a salary increase of 17.2 % over four years. Even in 2028, the fourth year to which this offer would apply, the wages of the Air Canada on -board agent would remain inferior to those offered Today by competing airlines in Canada. Air Canada’s offer is below market value.
- Even with the “best offer” possible from Air Canada, an (e) on -board agent at the start of a career who would work full time would win less than the federal minimum wage. Currently, these on -board agents who work full time (75 hours guaranteed and paid per month) earn $ 1,952 per month before taxes at Air Canada. With the punctual increase of 8 % in the first year that Air Canada offers, their income would drop to $ 2,108.16 per month. Meanwhile, a person paying at the federal minimum wage of $ 17.75 an hour would earn $ 2,840 per month before taxes. Air Canada’s offer is below the minimum wage.
Air Canada has garnered billions of dollars in profits in recent years. She can afford to pay on her on -board agent, without increasing the prices for the public.
Air Canada’s on -board agent have been recognized as the “best cabin staff in North America” for several consecutive years. Their salary should reflect their professionalism and their dedication in terms of security and service.
