Air Canada flight attendants could strike as early as next week
http://www.thestar.com/business/comp...next-week?bn=1
Air Canada could face a strike by its 6,800 flight attendants as early as next week after they gave their union an overwhelming strike mandate.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a news release that 98 per cent voted in favour of a strike, with 78 per cent of those eligible taking part.
“A strike vote does not mean we will necessarily go on strike, but it means we will strike if we need to. What we want and still hope for is a negotiated deal with the company,” said Jeff Taylor, president of the Air Canada component of CUPE.
“This is a clear message to Air Canada: our members are determined to get a fair deal,” says Taylor, “No one wants a strike, but if we can’t reach a tentative agreement which addresses our members concerns, and soon, it could be our only choice.”
The strike vote was called after the flight attendants turned down a tentative deal in late August, echoing a similar rejection by Air Canada’s pilots in the spring.
The flight attendants could walk off the job as early as 12:01 am next Wednesday, but under federal law the union must first give 72 hours’ notice.
Although talks are continuing with a federally appointed conciliator, it is unclear whether there is any progress.
The union has given no hints as to whether it would order a full walkout, launch rotating strikes or other job action.
However, as CUPE ponders its strategy, it is well aware that when Air Canada’s customer service agents went on strike in June, the federal government warned it would bring in back-to-work legislation, citing a need to protect the fragile economy.
Hours after the legislation was tabled on the third day of the strike, the union and the airline reached a deal, with the most contentious issue, different pension rules for new hires, sent to an arbitrator.
Parliament has been on its summer break, but is scheduled to resume next Monday.
A walkout by flight attendants would be more disruptive than customer service agents, as planes cannot take off without a certain number of flight attendants on board.
Employees at Air Canada made concessions and sacrifices for a decade during difficult years, and are hoping to reap rewards now that the airline is in the black.
Air Canada declined to comment about its contingency plans, but the union has filed a grievance with the Canada Industrial Relations Board over the company’s reported training of possible replacement workers.
So far, three tentative agreements, with the pilots, flight attendants and flight dispatchers, have all been rejected by members.
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I just dont understand this. If your not happy with where you work then move to another company. So simple. On the flip side Air Canada is one of the worst Air lines out there. Most people will just not care. Another reason why I never fly Air Canada. The few times that I have flown with them because my company paid for it I was not to happy. I actually had better luck with other Airlines like Delta to name one. Delta really surprised me.
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