Article content material
TORONTO — Statement from Wesley Lesosky, President of the Air Canada Component of CUPE, on Air Canada’s proposal to finish contract negotiations:
Article content material
After 9 months of the corporate delaying on the bargaining desk on the elemental points – unpaid work and poverty wages – the union requested for and obtained an unprecedented 99.7% strike mandate from its membership. Flight attendants turned out by the tons of at airports throughout the nation for a strong displaying of solidarity for his or her August 11 Day of Action.
Article content material
Article content material
Article content material
Air Canada has seen how decided and united flight attendants are to finish unpaid work and win an actual cost-of-living improve to wages.
Article content material
Top Stories
Article content material
Now, Air Canada has determined they no longer need to negotiate. They need to go to arbitration, relatively than keep on the bargaining desk and discount a brand new contract.
Article content material
Everyone is aware of the perfect offers are negotiated on the bargaining desk, not handed down by an outdoor third-party. Then why does Air Canada need the union to agree to arbitration?
Article content material
First, arbitrators depend on precedent and the established order to make their determinations. But Air Canada flight attendants are attempting to break the established order by ending the historic abuse of unpaid work on this trade. Air Canada wants an arbitrator to do their soiled work for them to hold the established order intact.
Article content material
Second, an arbitrator’s dedication could be ultimate. Members wouldn’t get an opportunity to vote on it. Air Canada wants to go to arbitration as a result of they need to take away our members’ democratic voice.
Article content material
The union has declined the corporate’s proposal to protect the exploitative established order and take away our members’ voice.
Article content material
The Air Canada Component of CUPE stays on the bargaining desk, prepared to negotiate.
Article content material
We have all the time been obtainable to negotiate. The union was obtainable to proceed discussions whereas it sought a strike mandate – the corporate by no means reached out.
Article content material
With respect to Air Canada’s newest supply: it’s beneath inflation, beneath market worth, beneath minimal wage – and nonetheless leaves flight attendants unpaid for all hours of labor.
Article content material
Currently, Air Canada flight attendants carry out hours of essential safety-related duties at no cost. The firm has supplied to start compensating flight attendants for some of those duties – however solely at 50% of their hourly fee, and the corporate continues to be refusing to compensate flight attendants for time spent responding to medical emergencies, fires, evacuations, and different security and security-related points on the bottom.
Article content material
Meanwhile, on wages, Air Canada’s supply is beneath market worth, beneath inflation, and beneath minimal wage.
Article content material
- Air Canada has supplied 8% within the first yr as a one-time catch-up. Meanwhile, flight attendants have taken a 9% lower to their actual wages due to inflation over the course of their final contract since 2015. This supply doesn’t even sustain with inflation – it’s, in impact, a pay lower. Air Canada’s supply is beneath inflation.
- Air Canada is utilizing deceptive “kitchen-sink” figures to make the general public imagine that flight attendants who depend on meals banks and second and third jobs are those being grasping. In actuality, the corporate has supplied a 17.2% wage improve over 4 years. Even in yr 4 of Air Canada’s supply, in 2028, Air Canada flight attendants would earn much less than competitor airways in Canada earn right now. Air Canada’s supply is beneath market worth.
- Even with the “finest supply” that Air Canada could make, an entry-level Air Canada flight attendant working full-time will nonetheless earn lower than federal minimal wage. Junior Air Canada flight attendants working full-time (75 credit score hours per thirty days) at present earn $1,952 per thirty days pre-taxes. With Air Canada’s first-year catch-up improve of 8%, their earnings would improve to $2,108.16 per thirty days. Meanwhile, a employee incomes federal minimal wage at $17.75 per hour would earn $2,840.00 per thirty days pre-taxes. Air Canada’s supply is beneath minimal wage.
Article content material
Air Canada has posted billions in income in recent times. They can afford to pay flight attendants pretty with out elevating prices for the general public.
Article content material
Air Canada flight attendants have been voted Best Cabin Crew in North America for years working. Their wages ought to mirror their professionalism and dedication to security and repair.
Article content material
Article content material
Article content material
Article content material
View supply model on businesswire.com:
Article content material
Article content material
Article content material
Article content material
Hugh Pouliot
CUPE Communications
613-818-0067
hpouliot@cupe.ca#distro
Article content material