The Canadian Public Service Syndicate, which represents 10,000 Air Canada and Red Air Canada on -board agents, rejected Air Canada’s proposal. And at 3:50 pm today Tuesday August 12, Air Canada announced that “negotiations with the union are in an impasse”.
The carrier adds this:
“The parties will be able to give a notice of strike or lockout of 72 hours, as provided for in the law, from 0:01 (HE) on August 13, which could result in the interruption of the activities of the air carrier from August 16. »»
The union maintains that “the last Air Canada offer, it is lower than inflation, lower than the market value, less than the minimum wage, and continues to leave the on-board agents without compensation for all their working hours”.
The union sums up the air Canada offer:
- 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 uses inflated figures to make the public believe that on -board agents are asking 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 below those offered today by competing airlines in Canada.
- 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.
The union adds that “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. ”
The Air Canada component of the SCFP announced “staying at the negotiating table, ready to negotiate”.
Air Canada’s point of view
The management of Air Canada says it estimates that the talks are in an impasse, “after the union presented a counter-offer requesting exorbitant salary increases, superior to those proposed previously, and today rejected the company’s offer to use the enforceable arbitration of a third party”.
“The proposed arbitration process would protect the interests of the parties by leading them to agree on the designation of an independent arbitrator who would objectively take into account the positions of the parties to reach a new balanced contract that the two would respect. »»
« Air Canada has been negotiating with the SCFP for eight months and, although we have settled many points, none of which have required concessions, we remain very far away on key issues“Said Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Vice-President and Human Resources and Public Affairs Chief of Air Canada.
« We are disappointed that our proposal to settle fairly the outstanding points by arbitration has been rejected by the union, which insists rather on exorbitant salary increases. The talks are now in an impasse, the union being able to issue a strike notice at midnight this evening, which creates enormous uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of travelers and for companies that send essential and priority goods. Air Canada is now examining all the remaining options, including an arbitration request imposed by the government, in order to prevent an interruption of activities or at least eliminate this intolerable uncertainty for our customers. »»
We can discuss, but time is running out …
Air Canada stresses that the company remains willing to negotiate with the union, “but time is running out, especially since the situation was exacerbated by the SCFP’s refusal to negotiate for ten whole days when it sought to obtain a mandate of strike.
“In the event of a disruption, Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz or Pal Airlines will continue to be insured normally, as their services are provided by third -party companies.
“However, these regional partners only carry around 20 % of Air Canada’s daily customers. Air Canada and Air Canada Red transport around 130,000 customers per day, who could be affected by a disturbance, which includes the 25,000 Canadians that the carrier brings back from foreigners every day, and which could be blocked. »»
Air Canada’s offer
Air Canada says he has filed with the union yesterday August 11, “a revised overall regulation which provided for an increase in the global remuneration of 38 % over four years, including 25 % the first year, and did not ask for any concession from the union in return. »»
The carrier adds that “the offer also concerned the question of remuneration for the service on the ground, the improvement of retirement benefits and the benefits, the increase in the rest periods of the crews, as well as other improvements, including those aimed at the balance between professional and private life. »»
Also according to the carrier, the proposal for a global Air Canada contractual settlement “would make its best paid on -board agents in Canada. The remuneration and benefits of Air Canada on -board agents consist of several elements, including basic salary, incentive premiums, pension scheme, benefits, cumulative sick leave and paid annual holidays. »»
Arbitrage
Still yesterday August 11, Air Canada said that they have proposed to the union that the parties use an independent referee to help solve the outstanding problems in order to develop a new agreement in principle by enforceable arbitration, but the SCFP rejected this offer.
“Given the union’s refusal, the use of enforceable arbitration by the government constitutes a recognized solution in order to avoid a colossal disturbance for travelers. To this end, the company will officially ask the Canadian government to use its prerogatives in order to order an enforceable arbitration of interests under article 107 of Canadian Labor Code. The company considers that recent government interventions in work conflicts in the rail, port and air sectors in Canada are a precedent. »»
“The code is designed to encourage peaceful settlement of work conflicts in cases where the parties come to an impasse after considerable collective negotiations took place. In this case, despite the fact that there have been prolonged negotiations with an unprecedented offer of increase in global remuneration for on -board agents, it does not seem that a resolution is possible in the near future. In addition, Canadians and other stakeholders, as well as the Canadian economy, will gradually feel the difficulties and other repercussions of this difficult situation. »»
Chaos, potential incidence
Air Canada says it is now examining the next steps to reduce customers’ uncertainty with regard to their travel projects.
“As events have shown at other airlines in recent years have shown in recent years, sudden or unmanaged work stoppages lead to chaos for travelers and sender. An unforeseen stop of activities also represents a major risk for the company and its other employees. Air Canada is carrying out its activities worldwide in around 65 countries on six continents with a park of 259 aircraft. »»