Bargaining Update #24

Dear Members,

As 2020 comes to a close, your CUPE 4070 WestJet Bargaining Committee has concluded all scheduled bargaining dates for the year.

Since our previous update, the Union met with the Company for another round of negotiations. We are now well into the final monetary package, which includes all outstanding items since Collective Bargaining began.

There are two (2) possible ways forward from here:

1) Tentative Agreement is reached through negotiation

Should the Company and Union come to a Tentative Agreement on this final package, including all outstanding items, the Collective Bargaining process would be complete. The Tentative Agreement (TA) in its entirety would then be released to the WestJet Bargaining Unit members in preparation for a ratification vote. This is the preferred outcome at this time.

2) Tentative Agreement is not reached due to impasse

Should the Company and the Union be unable to agree on one (1) or more parts of this final package, and either party determines there is no practical way forward to solve our differences, negotiations would be at Impasse.

a) Arriving at Impasse would trigger a sixty (60) day conciliation period. A conciliator would be appointed by the Federal Government to impartially facilitate further discussions between the Company and Union with the goal of reaching an agreement. Conciliation is non-binding, and there is no obligation on either party to move from their position. The sixty (60) day period may be extended with mutual agreement of both parties.

b) If the parties come to an agreement on the outstanding item(s) during conciliation, bargaining would be complete. This would mean preparing for the release of the Tentative Agreement and the subsequent ratification process.

c) If the parties do not come to an agreement on the outstanding items once the conciliation period is over, a legally required twenty-one (21) day cooling-off period would begin. Following that, the Union would be in a strike position, meaning we would have the right to take legal job action*. The Employer would likewise be in a legal lockout position. What this means is that negotiations have broken down to a point where the Union is asking Members to withdraw their labour to apply pressure for the Company to take our unresolved concerns seriously. This is never where we want to end up as a union, but rest assured that if this is what occurs, each Member who participates in a minimum number of hours per week on a picket line are eligible for Strike Pay both from CUPE National and from the CUPE Airline Division.

(* Legal job action includes work-to-rule, targeted strike, and general strike action. Job action requires a Strike Vote from the Union Membership. Before holding a Strike Vote, your Union would communicate with all bargaining unit Members on what has led to the need for a Strike Mandate.)

As of the last exchanges, both parties are still talking. We continue to work in good faith to find common ground in areas of disagreement. While this is time-consuming, this is what it takes to get the best possible first Collective Agreement, we are in a position to negotiate; a task which has been made all the more difficult by the economic and political pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although good progress was made on a number of outstanding issues last week, there remains one issue in particular for which the Union requires solid language to be included in our first Collective Agreement: Scope.

Scope Language is crucial. The only way the Union can permanently protect WestJet members from the transfer of capacity, and any potential delay to WestJet recall due to disproportionate capacity or route growth at the ULCC brand, is by negotiating those terms into a binding Collective Agreement. Your Bargaining Committee unanimously pledges that we will stand with you in solidarity to protect the good jobs that we have created over the past twenty-five (25) years together. Our Cabin Crew were instrumental in the success and development that WestJet has seen since its inception, and we are so proud of that accomplishment.

For all of these reasons, the Union has made clear to the Company that we require assurances that our jobs, and work, are protected.

The first weeks of 2021 will be critical to determining if we will find common ground on these outstanding issues. All of the work we have done to negotiate fair terms and a healthy first Collective Agreement has brought us to where we are today. It is our hope that in the new year, we find the Company willing to discuss the aforementioned protections.

We hear you loud and clear: our hard-earned careers as WestJet Cabin Crew Members are not on the auction block. Not now, not ever.

The next planned rounds of Bargaining for the WestJet Bargaining Committee are scheduled to take place:

- January 5 – 7, 2021
- January 26 – 28, 2021

Early in 2021, you will hear from a rejuvenated and revitalized Mobilization Team across our network. The power and solidarity of having Canada’s flight attendants - all 15,000 of us from nine airlines across the country united as brothers and sisters under the CUPE Airline Division - is a power we have never experienced in our past.

As a final thought to close off 2020’s last WestJet Bargaining update:

It is no secret that we had hoped to present a Tentative Agreement by December 2020. The practical and economic realities of COVID-19, as well as the monumental task of resolving the outstanding issues remaining at the table, have forced the committee to prioritize presenting a Collective Agreement that meets our needs and protects our work and our jobs, rather than focusing strictly on that timeframe.

You have told us loud and clear what your priorities are, both prior to negotiations beginning, and daily since the pandemic has ravaged our industry. We are working hard to ensure those priorities are met, and to present you with a Tentative Agreement we are proud to recommend to you.

If you have any questions about the Collective Bargaining process, please contact your Mobilizing Team at: weare4070@cupe4070.ca.

In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 Executive Team

Bargaining Update #23

Dear Members,

As your federally certified and exclusive bargaining agent, your Union, as represented at the negotiating table by your elected Bargaining Committee, are right in front of the finish line of the Collective Bargaining process for the WS Collective Agreement (CA).

All elements of our CA that had been deferred or parked during the bargaining process, as well as all monetary items, have been proposed by the Company in one large final Article. Should the parties come to an agreement on this final Article, we will have a Tentative Collective Agreement (TCA) to present to you for ratification vote.

The Union and the Company have spent seven (7) days at the bargaining table in November working on coming to agreement on this final twenty-six (26) page article. This is without question the most significant part of these negotiations.

The Company’s initial proposal on all monetary items for this CA, as well as all outstanding issues from previous negotiations, was completely unacceptable. The Employer’s presentation began with a fifteen (15) minute speech as to the unprecedented and perilous times that the Company finds itself in. With complete respect, the Union does not disagree – however, there was not one word in this diatribe that recognized, or even mentioned, the heroic and tireless work that our Members have contributed on the frontline of the largest global pandemic of our lifetimes. We as CUPE 4070 WestJet Cabin Crew Members, alongside our Members from WestJet Encore and Swoop, have kept this Company flying throughout this crisis, all the while performing with industry leading SPOT and reliability levels.

This proposal from the Company was clear and consistent with some of their past proposals: ‘The Flight Attendants will carry us through. They’ll just buck up and do it.’

It is time for our efforts to be recognized with the seriousness and respect that our roles command, especially during this pandemic.

While COVID-19 has caused significant hardship for the industry, the Company chose to not only provide an offer which included concessions and wage freezes, but also to propose a term (length of contract) that would lock these in for a number of years well beyond any international guidance for global air travel recovery. The term proposed, in conjunction with the details in the offer, was quite simply unacceptable to each of us.

The Union unequivocally rejected these proposals, and vocalized our displeasure with presenting such a document at the bargaining table. Bargaining a Collective Agreement is a process that both parties have a split responsibility for.

It was extremely disappointing to see and hear the level of regard that this Company appears to have for its Cabin Crew Members.

The Union, in responsibility to our Membership took the rest of the evening to regroup and allow an adequate period to grasp this proposal.

After significant time crafting a return counter-proposal to the Company, and ensuring our interests were balanced with our Company’s, the Union returned a revised proposal to the Company. The week ended with our counter-proposal in the hands of the Company for reply, although it did not appear to land well with the Management team.

The next week began with the Company taking more time to compile their next counteroffer. Late on day one of this week, they presented their offer. This offer did demonstrate some movement on certain areas of concern for the Union. The offer was received and understood, and the Union took this away to develop a second counter-proposal. After a day and a half of Union work in caucus, we had a document ready to present back to Management. The presentation of Union counter-proposal #2 was met with questions and some exploration into key points for both sides. The Company took this proposal away to work on their next counter-proposal to the Union.

As of today, December 1, the Company has the Union’s Counter Proposal #2, and the Union awaits a response which is expected tomorrow afternoon.

The next planned rounds of Bargaining for the WestJet Collective Agreement are scheduled to take place:

December 1 – 2, 2020

December 4, 2020

January 5 – 7, 2021

January 26 – 28, 2021

Please note: while these dates are booked to meet the Company in collective negotiations, we could come to a deal at any time rendering further dates unnecessary.

The Union could file for federal (non-binding) conciliation if it becomes clear that we won’t reach a negotiated agreement on these final issues. This process lasts sixty (60) days once it begins, and should a deal not be reached by the end of that period, our Union Members would be in a position to take legal job action* following a mandatory twenty-one (21) day “cooling off period”.

(* Legal job action includes work-to-rule, targeted strike and general strike action. Job action requires a Strike Vote mandate from the Union Membership following the 60-day federal conciliation period. Before holding a Strike Vote, your Union would fully brief all Members on what has occurred at the bargaining table that brings us to ask you for a Strike Mandate to help solve our differences with the Company.)

For a number of months, we have provided guidance that the Union was targeting the conclusion of bargaining for our WestJet CCMs, and to present a CA to you for a ratification vote prior to the end of 2020. As you can see, we are at the end of negotiations, however, the draconian approach that the Employer has taken at this final stage in negotiations is preventing the Union from agreeing to their unacceptable demands.

You have told us what your priorities are, both prior to negotiations beginning, and daily since the pandemic has decimated our industry. Your Union refuses to agree to put a CA in front of you, the Membership, that we would not endorse nor recommend for ratification as Cabin Crew Members ourselves.

We will provide you with another Bargaining Update next week following the final three (3) days of negotiations in 2020 which end on Friday.

Please note: we have created a Rand Member form on our website to collect contact information from Members who have not signed a union card to become a ‘Member in Good Standing’. Please help us by sharing this link with any of your friends and colleagues that have not signed their union card so that we can collect their information and send them the appropriate voting links when the time comes, and subscribe them to our email distribution list: https://www.cupe4070.ca/rand-members. By completing this form, you will not become a Member in Good Standing, you are simply providing your contact information to the Union so that you may participate in a contract ratification vote and/or strike vote. **If you are already a Member in Good Standing, please do not fill-out this form.**

If you have any questions about the Collective Bargaining process, please contact your Mobilizing Team at:  weare4070@cupe4070.ca.

In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 Executive Team

CANCELLATION: CUPE 4070 General Membership Meeting

Dear Members,

The General Membership Meeting (GMM) of CUPE 4070 to take place on December 3, 2020 in Calgary - has been: CANCELLED

As a result of the announcement by the Government of Alberta yesterday which by law requires businesses which “include banquet halls, conference centres, trade shows, etc.…” to close immediately; the next CUPE 4070 GMM has been cancelled.

As a result of the announcement, the General Membership Meeting was scheduled to take place at the Calgary Airport Courtyard by Marriott Hotel. This conference space will now be closed by law for at least the next three weeks. This GMM was to be broadcast live via dial-in access for Members wherever they may be, and host Members on-site. This GMM included voting access for all Members in Good Standing, as required at an all-Membership GMM.

Additionally, your Local 4070 Executive cannot meet at this conference facility or any other joint location to remotely produce the GMM for call-in only; as all gatherings outside of the household are now prohibited by law by the Government of Alberta.

We have investigated the possibility of remote production of the entire GMM, with every elected Executive participating from home. This is simply not possible to enact particularly with only eight (8) days until this meeting. The practical realities of producing a live voting meeting with remote access for over 4,100 Members, as well as the ability to effectively conduct business and keep decorum have lead to this decision.

Your CUPE Local 4070 Executive is committed to ensuring that two (2) GMMs take place each year, as per our Local Bylaws. We are disappointed that in 2020 our first GMM scheduled for May had to be cancelled as well due to COVID-19. This was replaced by a GMM that occurred in Vancouver – YVR in August 2020 when infections were more manageable. Having this second GMM which was scheduled in December cancelled is a disappointment to all of us.

Please be assured that while this pandemic has now caused the cancellation of another Union GMM, your Local Executive is committed to ensuring that the democratic process remains well within our Local. While we cannot yet announce a new date for this GMM as restrictions are changing daily, we do commit that as soon as the COVID-19 restrictions are eased to a manageable level, we will schedule a replacement GMM as soon as we have some level of certainty that we will actually be able to follow through with it based on Government restrictions.

Should you have any specific questions, please contact us via: www.cupe4070.ca/contact.

In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 Executive Team

Local 4070 Clarification related to Scope Bargaining as related to Swoop

Dear Members,

Next week marks an important milestone in the development of CUPE Local 4070 for our Members at WestJet. The WestJet Bargaining Committee and our Employer are meeting to discuss monetary items for the first time.

For those Members unfamiliar with the process, this signals that the Bargaining process is entering the homestretch. We’ve had a few unresolved issues that remain to be addressed, but the Committee is working toward getting you the absolute best protections we can in the form of a solid Collective Agreement and a fair grievance process, which will be the foundation of our ability to protect our Members’ rights moving forward.

In light of what lies ahead, the Union and Bargaining committee feel it is time for us to begin to elaborate on some of the details of Swoop's expansion into Toronto. We have been unable to share this with you until now due to the confidential nature of Collective Bargaining.

The primary issues we’ve been unable to reach a deal on in bargaining, currently are the Commuter article, which deals primarily with establishing protection of the current ACM policy, and Scope language.

The Scope language pertains to protections around Swoop growth, and limiting the ability of the Employer to transfer work from WestJet Mainline to a lower-cost workgroup. This is counterproductive for both our WestJet Members, as well as to our Swoop Members, who have told us they want an ability to flow to WestJet. The ability to negotiate Scope language like this is also fundamental to why Swoop is a part of Local 4070.

We’ve heard our members loud and clear. There was a miss on the Union’s part in terms of our communication on the subject of Swoop.

When the expansion into YYZ was brought to us by the Employer, we received certain assurances of what the Swoop expansion into Toronto would mean. Our communication with the members was based on those assurances.

Following those initial conversations, not much time passed before it became apparent that the Company’s assurances were hollow. In early September, the Union began to consult with CUPE legal about our options, at which time we learned that we do not have the legal ability to challenge the employer on existing WCCA language. That, quite simply put, is not an option for us. We recognize that many of our Members feel that we should have somehow been able to prevent the Swoop expansion to begin with, but we have never had a legal avenue by which to do that. What we need is a permanent solution that would result in the protections we require moving into the future. The only path we’ve had to address these concerns is at the bargaining table. That is exactly what we are doing.

Even if we had the ability to challenge the Employer on what our Members feel is a violation of the statutory freeze, which our legal team maintains we do not, a CIRB win on a stat freeze complaint would only result in protections until ratification of a Collective Agreement. At that point, the statutory freeze ends, and is replaced with the terms of the CA

As we reach the end of the collective bargaining process, we may need to call on our Members to lend their voices to our cause. We are absolutely not prepared to present our Members with a Collective Agreement that does not include meaningful and enforceable restrictions on WestJet’s ability to transfer work to Swoop, in order for them to run similar operations at a far lower cost.

Conversely, we also do not believe this protection harms our Swoop Members. We’ve heard our Swoop Members loud and clear as well, and what they want is an ability to further their career which involves flow to WestJet.

We maintain, and have maintained since Scope discussions began, that the transfer of our labour to a lower cost work-group, which we believe is managed by the same true employer, is an issue foundational to our members. We have every right to bargain protections for this. That said, it is abundantly evident that we’ve not communicated those points to our Members explicitly, nor have we explicitly condemned the actions of our Employer, and we recognize that this information is vital for solidarity within our Local.

With this communication, we hope to clear up some of the confusion that exists within our Membership, so that we may all row in the same direction moving forward.

Our power comes from your support, it is fundamental to the bargaining process. Having our Membership divided, and angry at the Union, often plays right into a Corporate strategy in Collective Bargaining.

If we want the protection we hear our Members are asking for, we need your continued trust and support in order to achieve this in a meaningful, and enforceable way, through the ratification of our first WestJet Collective Agreement.

We know this communication has been a particularly lengthy one, but for those still reading to the end, thank you for reading, and we hope these words will help bring some clarity to long misunderstood topics and division among our work groups.

If you have any questions on any of the above, please reach out to your Union. For bargaining-related questions, you should contact weare4070@cupe4070.ca directly for the most accurate information.

In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 Executive Team

Elections Update & Voting Package

Dear Members,

I would like to provide you with an update before elections open tomorrow.

As a reminder, elections will run as follows:

START: Thursday November 12, 2020 03:00 PT / 4:00 MT / 06:00 ET
END: Wednesday November 18, 2020 15:00 PT / 16:00 MT / 18:00 ET

Your secure voting link will arrive via email from vote@simplyvoting.com

If you do not find your voting link in your email, please check your spam/junk folder.

If you are still unable to locate this link, please email Marco Di Virgilio, Recording Secretary & Returning Officer at: marco.divirgilio@cupe4070.ca.
Please include your full name and employee number in the email.

This vote is open to all CUPE 4070 WestJet Members in Good Standing. Any new Members wishing to participate in this vote are asked to complete the Membership application within 24 hours prior to the end of this vote here.

As a reminder, the following positions going to election are base specific. If you receive a ballot for a base that is not yours, please, do not vote and contact: marco.divirgilio@cupe4070.ca. Please include your full name, correct base and employee number in the email.

Please review the following information regarding the CUPE Local 4070 WestJet Members Election:

President - Acclaimed:
Chris Rauenbusch - Read More
*There will not be an election for this position.

Recording Secretary:
There are 3 nominees for this position:
Kendra Thibault - Read More
Marco Di Virgilio - Read More
Nika Porter - Read More

Trustee 3-year - Acclaimed:
Alex Grigoriev - Read More
*There will not be an election for this position.

YVR BASE INFORMATION - There will not be a YVR Base Election

YVR Base Vice-President - Acclaimed:
Crystal Hill - Read More
*There will not be an election for this position.

YVR Bae Hotel & Transportation Committee - Acclaimed:
Tyler Thomas - Read More
*There will not be an election for this position.

YVR Base Communications Committee - Acclaimed:
Chris Brewer - Read More
*There will not be an election for this position.

YVR Base Shop Stewards – Acclaimed:
Nicole Jansen - Read More
Elizabeth Greene - Pending for website
Fernanda Goncalves - Pending for website
Bogdan Cojocariu-Chirciu - Pending for website
Chris Brewer - Read More
Carey Graham - Pending for website
Conan Huang - Read More
Justin Cady - Pending for website
Doreen Munro - Read More
Erica Brant-Warner - Pending for website
*There will not be an election for this position.

YYC BASE INFORMATION

YYC Base Vice-President - Acclaimed:
Brigitte Benoit - Read More
*There will not be an election for this position.

YYC Base Hotel & Transportation Committee:
There are 3 nominees for this position:
Douglas Rotchell - Read More
Heather Craig - Read More
Justin (JP) Westman - Read More

YYC Base Communications Committee:
There are 2 nominees for this position:
Sylvia Alves - Read More
Valerie Hartley - Read More

YYC Base Shop Stewards - Acclaimed:
Laura McDonald - Read More
Alec Balfour - Pending for website
Douglas Rotchell - Read More
Gavin Boutwell - Read More
Sylvia Alves - Read More
Davide Orsi - Pending for website
Lisa MacLellan - Read More
Tyson Conrod - Pending for website
Terri Riddell - Pending for website
Rachel Molle - Read More
Francois Gravel - Read More
Kristen Cousineau - Read More
Brandy Whitby - Read More
Maria Haswell - Read More
*There will not be an election for this position.

YYZ BASE INFORMATION

YYZ Base Vice-President:
There are 4 nominees for this position:
Boris Zalac - Read More
Chantale Tremblay - Read More
Rebecca Sarasin (Money) - Read More
Stacey Duvall - Read More

YYZ Base Hotel & Transportation Committee:
There are 5 nominees for this position:
Boris Zalac - Read More
Calvin Gautschi - Read More
Eco Dzaman - Read More
Nika Porter - Read More
Ryan Jones - Read More

YYZ Base Communications Committee:
There are 2 nominees for this position:
Bryan Daniel Hansraj - Read More
Hector Lopez - Read More

YYZ Base Shop Stewards - Acclaimed:
Alex Grigoriev - Read More
Brian Krawetz - Read More
Bryan Daniel Hansraj - Read More
Carlos Rivera - Pending for website
Diego Ontiveros-Canney - Read More
Jordan Christenson - Read More
Minh Ly - Read More
Nika Porter - Read More
*There will not be an election for this position.


Thank you to all the nominees for participating in this election and congratulations to those acclaimed to their positions.



In Solidarity,
Marco Di Virgilio, Recording Secretary - CUPE 4070

CUPE Demands Federal Support for Flight Attendants

Dear Members,

CANADA’S FLIGHT ATTENDANTS CALL FOR FEDERAL SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION IN THE FACE OF PANDEMIC

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Airline Division, which represents 15,000 flight attendants across Canada, is calling on the federal government to recognize the role airline workers have played during the COVID-19 crisis, and support them while their industry weathers the economic turmoil that the pandemic has caused.

What to do: Medical Treatment Denial

Dear Members,

It has come to our attention that some Cabin Crew Members at other CUPE Airline Division airlines are being denied basic medical treatment if they have flown out of the country, including flights that do not include a layover. Basic medical treatment may include, but is not limited to: dental appointments, routine check-ups, non-COVID-19 illness or injuries. In essence anything unrelated to COVID-19 issues.

Given the unique circumstances of our jobs (which is why Provincial Governments are exempting crew members from the 14-day quarantine for simply doing a non-domestic turn or layover), CUPE Local 4070 and CUPE National believe this is completely unacceptable. In Canada, health care is a human right. If this is happening to any of our WestJet, WestJet Encore or Swoop Members, we need to know.

Your Union will begin immediately tracking all denials. If you experience a denial of  treatment, please send an email to health@cupe4070.ca as soon as possible with the following details:

• Clinic Name

• Location/Address

• Type of appointment/procedure denied

• Other comments you may have

We want to make sure that you are being treated fairly. CUPE National will be provided this information for follow up with appropriate Government Agencies. Your name will not be shared with anyone outside of CUPE.

In Solidarity,

Your CUPE 4070 Executive Team

CUPE 4070 Statement Regarding Ed Sims’ Message

Dear Members,

By now you have likely had a chance to read the e-mail message from our CEO, Ed Sims. Before releasing his message, WestJet Executive Leadership held a conference call with the leaders of the Unions and Employee Associations to provide information on the mounting economic pressure caused by the COVID-19 situation being placed on air carriers across the world, including ours.

The economic fallout from the rapidly unfolding worldwide medical emergency is real. It has already caused forward bookings to be significantly reduced, and our guests are also beginning to cancel existing bookings. These factors combined place significant strain on our Company’s financial health.

In order to protect our business and our operation as Ed mentioned there will be capacity reductions. In turn, a reduction of capacity by up to 12 percent means a similar reduction in block flying hours.

All efforts will be made to exercise voluntary mechanisms such as leaves of absence, early retirement, etc. to achieve the necessary reductions in staffing. The Union pledges to work cooperatively with our Employer as this is rolled out and administered in the coming weeks. Your Union’s role in scenarios like this is to avoid involuntary job reductions as it’s top priority.

As a workgroup, we have been through global events which have rocked our industry before. What we face now as over 4,000 aviation professionals, we have faced before in smaller numbers. The challenge before us is not dissimilar to the aftermath of 9/11, or the SARS outbreak. We will prevail, and we will do so because that is who we are.

Your CUPE 4070 Executive remains steadfast in its duty to protect your careers. We will continue to advocate for our collective interests which includes supporting our Employer’s prudent measures to ensure the longevity of our Airlines.

As further information becomes available, we will continue to communicate directly with you, our Membership.

In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 Executive Team

Proposed Bylaw Amendments Vote Results

Dear Members,

The results of the Bylaw Amendment Vote is as follows:

YES 80%
NO 20%

This vote passes by more than the required 2/3 majority to amend the bylaws and will be adopted once approved by CUPE National. We will also publish the amended bylaws on our website when approved.

We would like to thank all our Members for taking part in this vote.
 

In Solidarity,
Your CUPE Local 4070 Executive Team

Bargaining Update #15

Dear Members,

WestJet bargaining took place last week in Toronto from January 13 - 17.

Monday started with the Company presenting their counter-proposal to the Hostage, Internment, or Death Article, most recently dealt with last week in Calgary. The Union had several points of disagreement with the previous proposal from the Company.

In addition, the Company proposed language for an Article titled Charter Operations and Special Purpose Flights. This Article deals with flying opportunities which would exist outside of the Company’s scheduled operations. The Union is of the view that these ‘non-scheduled’ flying opportunities are beneficial to our Membership in terms of growth of our flying. Your Bargaining Committee is committed to ensuring that the language which governs our work rules are comprehensive and inclusive of these supplemental flying opportunities.

The remainder of day one was dedicated to the exchange of counter-proposals on these two Articles.

Day two began with the Company presenting their counter-proposals to those Articles. By mid-afternoon enough movement had been made for these Articles to be signed as Tentative Agreements (TAs):

• Hostage, Internment, or Death Article

• Charter Operations and Special Purpose Flights

Wednesday January 15, was an important day for our Membership. CUPE Local 4070 - representing WestJet, WestJet Encore, and Swoop Cabin Crew Members - took part in our first case presented at Arbitration. Jamie Loiselle, Vice-President and Lead Steward CUPE 4070, worked with CUPE Staff and Legal Counsel to prepare the case presented at Arbitration this past week. It was clear at the bargaining table that the issue was going to set the tone for our relationship with the Employer.

Arbitration, which the Union pursued based on discipline issued to three Cabin Crew Members, concluded with the Employer withdrawing discipline for all three cases, without prejudice to either party. The Union stands by the rights of our Membership; and will always advocate for solidarity. Solidarity means standing together: When one Member is wronged, we are all wronged.

Both sides respectfully returned to the table following Arbitration, and the Company presented their Article titled Ad Hoc Assignments. This Article relates to short-term roles which may become available within the Inflight Department. The day was dedicated to exchanging proposals on this Article. By the end of the day an agreement was reached, and this Article was signed in Tentative Agreement (TA).

The final day of bargaining had the Company present a full page of definitions. The definitions presented were reasonable; however, your Bargaining Committee made several changes to the language. As is common in the Collective Bargaining process, the Definitions Article will be continuously developed as needed, and will not be finalized until the end of bargaining.

The next round of Bargaining for the WestJet Collective Agreement will take place February 3 – 7 in Vancouver.

We have included a document outlining the progress we have made so far, and the important Articles that remain “parked,” or pending. You can access this document HERE.

If you have any questions about the Collective Bargaining process, please contact your Mobilizing Team at: weare4070@cupe4070.ca

In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 WestJet Bargaining Committee

Bargaining Update #14

Dear Members,

WestJet bargaining took place last week in Calgary from January 6 - 9.

This round of bargaining started with the Company presenting a counter-proposal on the Hostage, Internment, or Death Article. This Article had been dealt with prior to Christmas and the parties did not come to a Tentative Agreement (TA) at that time. After exchanging proposals throughout the week, there remains no TA; however, we are close and remain optimistic that we can reach an agreement this coming week.

The Union proposed our Article titled Pay Schedule and Pay Discrepancies. This Article defines how and when Members are paid, as well as how “over” and “under” payments will be handled, with clear and concise language including defined dollar amounts. This will prevent our Membership from being at the whim of Management in such situations. After several exchanges between the Union and Company, we came to an agreement and this Article was signed off in TA.

The Company presented the Union with an article titled Ad Hoc Assignments. This Article contained language that would permit the Company to offer our Membership short-term non-flying assignments as it deems necessary for ground or office operations. These non-flying assignments would be voluntary. The Union is open to considering this ask from the Company, however, we have concerns as much of the proposed language is extremely vague, and does not allow for transparency around how these assignments are awarded.

We cannot allow the Company to have ‘carte blanche’ in terms of the creation of auxiliary roles within our Bargaining Unit. Additionally, this is a significant ask by the Company, and they were not prepared to offer anything in return for granting them this Article in the Collective Agreement. In the view of the Union, this Article serves Management with the flexibility to post non-flying roles on a short-term basis, yet it does not offer anything of material significance to our Membership in return. This was made clear to the Company, and the Company indicated that they do not agree and they are not prepared to offer the Union anything in exchange for the inclusion of this Article. The Union indicated that there will not be a response to this Article until the Company changes its view.

The Company returned with a counter-proposal later in the week on the proposed Expenses Article. Their counter-proposal to us included a significant amount of our proposed language crossed out or not agreed to entirely. The Union did not make a further counter-proposal to the Company during this round of collective bargaining, however, we anticipate doing so this week in Toronto.

We are also currently waiting for the Company’s counter-proposal on the Personal Days Article, and hope to have an update for you on this Article following the next round.

In addition, as you may have heard, on September 1, 2019, there were changes made to the Canada Labour Code. The Company never communicated these changes to our workgroup, and subsequently applied for an exemption. We have proposed an Article that includes these changes. It is important to us that our Membership benefits from improvements to the CLC.

You can reference the following article for more information regarding these changes: https://www.labourandemploymentlaw.com/2019/09/now-effective-changes-to-the-canada-labour-code-part-one/

The next round of Bargaining for the WestJet Collective Agreement is already underway, taking place January 13 - 16 in Toronto.

We have included a document outlining the progress we have made so far, and the important Articles that remain “parked,” or pending. You can access this document HERE.

If you have any questions about the Collective Bargaining process, please contact your Bargaining Committee at: weare4070@cupe4070.ca


In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 WestJet Bargaining Committee

A New Years Message From Your Education Committee

Dear Members,

Happy New Year! We hope you are enjoying the start of the new year and new decade.

2019 saw the formation of your first ever CUPE 4070 Education Committee, and what a year of learning it has been!

Your committee values education and will strive to provide you with all of the educational tools available. Our first year reflects this value through our many achievements:

• Proposed a budget at the first General Membership Meeting which reflects our goals/vision for the committee (including elected Member training, CUPE and Non-CUPE education). 

• Collaborated with CUPE National to have elected Members trained in their respective roles.

• Created and conducted a survey to gain knowledge of what the Membership wants. We had 692 Members who completed the survey by the deadline—thank you! The results were published for Members to view. 

• Co-hosted an Open House Social with the Mobilizing Team at each base in November—as a way for the Membership to meet and engage with their Education Committee Representatives and for us to introduce our scholarship and CUPE workshops applications.

• Offered scholarships to the Membership. We had $1,500 for 2019 to go towards different scholarships which are awarded based on eligibility combined with a personal letter, financial need, and completeness of application.

• Working on ongoing projects including creating info-graphics which are to be sent out to the Members throughout the year. Some of the info-graphics we have been working on:

  • Top Reasons To Attend A General Member Meeting.

  • Getting Union Representation. 

  • Who In The Union Do I Contact?

We are working behind the scenes with monthly conference calls to ensure we provide the very best for you, our Members.

We look forward to furthering engagement through Union Education in 2020. We will be offering scholarships again this year—stay tuned, more to come.

Thank you for taking the time to read our update. Please reach out to us anytime, education@cupe4070.ca, we would love to hear from you. 

We wish you the very best in 2020 and we look forward to our second year serving you!

Let's make education a priority this year!

Warm Regards, 

Your CUPE 4070 Education Committee

Bargaining Update #13

Dear Members,

We would like to extend our deepest gratitude and respect to our Members who worked hard over the holidays, spending time at work, away from family during the busiest week of the year. Those who were able to enjoy time with loved ones owe a heartfelt THANK YOU.

Now that the holiday season is winding down, we would like to provide you with an update on the last round of bargaining.

WestJet Bargaining took place on December 17 - 19 in Calgary. 

Day one started with the Union proposing three articles: Compassionate Transfers, Printing of the Agreement, and Union Communication.

Summary of Article Content:

• Compassionate Transfers: Negotiating terms for instances where a Member may request a short term transfer to a different base due to family/compassionate reasons.

• Printing of the Agreement: Negotiations surrounding the physical format of the printed final Collective Agreement (CA), the distribution of the CA and associated costs, as well as the availability in electronic format of the CA. This article also includes details surrounding the translation of the CA into French.

• Union Communication: Negotiations on how/where the Union can communicate with our Membership on or via Company communication channels and/or in crew rooms.

By the afternoon, the Company returned with counter-proposals on Printing of the Agreement and Union Communication. Their counter-proposals required some further work on the Union’s side in order to bring them to a place where we could agree to sign in Tentative Agreement (TA).

The day concluded with the Company's bargaining team requiring more time to consult with their leadership.

Day two saw further movement on two of these articles, and we subsequently signed TAs on the following:

• Union Communication

• Printing of the Agreement

Following the signing of these articles, the Union presented our proposal of another important article: Hostage, Internment or Death.

Summary of Article Content:

Hostage, Internment, or Death: Defines the terms of pay, pay to designated beneficiary, necessary leave, and/or return to work for an instance where a Member is killed, is missing, or held hostage and/or held for political or other reasons beyond the control of the Member.

Once again, the Company's bargaining team required more time to consult with their leadership. No agreement was reached during this round of negotiations. This Article is planned to resume discussions in 2020.

By the end of day two, the Company proposed their language on the Technological Change Article.

Summary of Article Content:

Technological Change: Outlines the terms and conditions of how any technological change would impact our Membership and what rights each party will have in decision making of the new/revised work rules required. In our business, a new aircraft type is one primary example of a technological change. As your representation, we plan to ensure that our rights are properly documented in the Collective Agreement, should a technological change impact our Membership.

The Union took this article away and developed an appropriate counter-proposal, which provided greater assurance for our Members that the Union will have meaningful and significant involvement on your behalf, in the event of any technological change we may face. 

Day three saw the Employer return a counter-proposal on the Hostage, Internment, or Death Article. This proposal had many changes, including the removal of several of our proposed concepts; as a result, we could not agree to the counter-proposal. The Union will review this article further, and potentially present another counter-proposal in the next round of bargaining.

Following this, the Union presented the Employer with a counter-proposal on the Technological Change Article. In exchange for a significant ask from the Company, the Union proposed a significant gain for our Membership. 

The Company refused to entertain this discussion at this stage of Collective Bargaining, and as a result, the Union determined that all discussion on this article would be suspended for the time being.

The Technological Change Article is now ‘parked’ until the Company is prepared to entertain our position, and both sides agree it is suitable to revisit. The Union is extremely firm that our proposal is fair and workable. We have no intention of changing our viewpoint.

The next round of Collective Bargaining for the WestJet Collective Agreement will take place January 6 - 10 in Calgary.

If you have any questions about the Collective Bargaining process, please engage your Mobilizing Team at: 

weare4070@gmail.com

In Solidarity,

Your CUPE 4070 WestJet Bargaining Committee

Bargaining Update #12

Dear Members,

WestJet Bargaining took place on December 9 - 12 in Calgary.

Day 1 was designated as a caucus day. The Union used this time as an opportunity to strategize and ensure that adequate preparations were in place for negotiations in the near-term. Additionally, the Bargaining Committee solidified the overall strategic plan for negotiation dates planned up to June 2020.

Day 2 saw the Union present its proposal for the crucial “Accommodation” Article, which includes provisions for Return-to-Work (RTW) and Modified Duties (MOD). This Article is significant for the Union – at present, our Members are being left behind and treated poorly on many fronts related to these topics. Our stance is firm - this is unacceptable. The Union passionately communicated several positions to the Company that we are unwilling to stray from.

The presentation of this Article to the Company was highlighted by a 50-minute session in which the entire Bargaining Committee one-by-one relayed specific examples of mistreatment of themselves and their colleagues by the Company’s Insurance Providers, or the WestJet Disability Management Team directly.

This portion of the day was intense with emotion and was met with skepticism and disbelief by the Company. They appeared to think these stories were made-up or exaggerated and failed to display any appreciation or compassion towards the numerous jarring examples and details that the Committee provided. This was further evidenced by their counter-proposals.

The Company’s Senior Vice-President, Disability Management, was at the table, and she deflected every example or detailed account which was provided. This day involved three (3) sets of proposals or counter-proposals. By the end of the day, the Company continued to demonstrate a fundamental disregard for the Union’s position and breadth of evidence regarding the ongoing and systemic mistreatment of our Membership as it relates to Accommodation, Return-to-work and Modified Duties.

The Union ended the day by advising the Company of the reality that should the first offer back on Wednesday morning not demonstrate significant movement towards the Union’s firm priorities, we would refuse further discussions, and ‘park’ yet another Article.

NOTE: Failure to resolve any parked Articles by the conclusion of bargaining will result in the Union bringing all outstanding issues to the entire Membership for a vote on Job Action.

On Wednesday, once the parties convened, the Company put forth a counter-proposal to the Accommodation Article from the day prior, and it presented well. It appeared that the Company’s bargaining team regrouped overnight and was possibly given direction from more Senior levels of WestJet Management to take a different approach. Much of what we were standing firm on a day prior was included in their proposal. The Union and Company exchanged two more proposals, and by 16:00MT, the “Accommodation” Article was signed in Tentative Agreement (TA).

The Union presented the “Passport” Article on Thursday morning. This article relates to when, why and how the Company will compensate our Members for the expenses related to their passport, as well as how lost/stolen passports will be handled.

This Article was relatively small; nevertheless, it was necessary in order to ensure that all appropriate provisions for our Members were included. By Thursday afternoon, after 2 rounds of counter-proposals, the Union and the Company signed off in Tentative Agreement (TA) on the Passport Article.

The next round of Collective Bargaining for the WestJet Collective Agreement is taking place this week: December 17 - 19 in Calgary.

If you have any questions about the Collective Bargaining process, please engage your Mobilizing Team at: weare4070@gmail.com


In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 WestJet Bargaining Committee

WestJet Encore Bargaining Update #1

Dear Members,

Your WestJet Encore Bargaining Committee is extremely pleased to provide you with our first Bargaining Update! 

We would like to start our first bargaining update with a disclaimer:

You will likely hear rumours about things being discussed at the bargaining table throughout this process. Everything discussed at the bargaining table is strictly confidential. Please consider any information that you hear outside of our updates a rumour. We ask that you please refrain from spreading rumours about bargaining.

We pledge to be transparent and keep you well informed throughout this process. Rest assured, your elected Bargaining Committee Members are going to the table with integrity, dedication, and your best interest in mind during these negotiations.

Your WestJet Encore Bargaining Committee is comprised of:

Shantel Gailing, CCM

Jen Sachs, CCM

Angelique Savoie, CCM

Chantal Weeks, CCM

Chris Rauenbusch, President, CUPE Local 4070

Jamie Loiselle, Vice-President, CUPE Local 4070

Round 1 of Collective Bargaining took place in Calgary last week from November 18-22. Our Collective Agreement will be bargained based on the concepts that an overwhelming majority of Members endorsed.

Although we cannot go into detail for reasons of confidentiality, we are proud to announce that both sides have reached a Tentative Agreement with respect to the following articles (which will in part form the Collective Agreement):

• Preamble

• Strike/Lockout

• Amendments to the Agreement

• Deduction of Dues

• Grievance Procedure

• Probation

• Union Recognition

• Management Rights

• Seniority

• Duration of Agreement

• Leaves of Absence

While we cannot provide you specific details in regards to these points, we would like to provide you with some context surrounding the tone and atmosphere in the room:

On Monday, the Committee started out strong. Following introductions from both sides, work began immediately to sign off on both the:

• Disclosure and Confidentiality Agreement (which binds both sides during collective negotiations).

• Negotiations Protocol (which identifies the process, order and functioning of the collective bargaining process).

These two baseline agreements of procedure were agreed to and signed off promptly. Both sides were on the same page.

By mid-morning Monday, both the Employer and the Union tabled their proposals for the Preamble Article. Both sides were quite close on the language at the outset, and agreement was reached by mid-day. 

Monday afternoon saw the presentation of the following Articles:

• Strike/Lockout

• Amendments to the Agreement

• Deduction of Dues

• Grievance Procedure

• Probation

Each side presented their proposals, and by the end of the day, after multiple counter-proposals from each side, all five (5) Articles were signed off as Tentative Agreement (TA). 

Agreeing to a TA means both sides agree that these Articles, as written, will be acceptable to form a part of the final Collective Agreement (CA).

Tuesday saw the following Articles presented:

• Union Recognition

• Discipline, Suspension and Termination

• Management Rights

• Seniority

• Union Flight Release

These Articles required a greater length of time to review and determine the best counter-proposal in the interest of our Members. Tuesday did not see any Articles signed in Tentative Agreement (TA), however, progress was made between the parties.

Wednesday saw further movement from each side as more counter-proposals were presented. Both the Employer and the Union were steadfast on some details, yet we were able to find sufficient common ground to sign off in TA on the following Articles on Wednesday:

• Union Recognition

• Management Rights

• Seniority

Before the day concluded, the Leaves of Absence Article was presented for the first time.

Thursday saw several counter-proposals exchanged, and the following were agreed to in TA:

• Duration of Agreement

• Leaves of Absence

Round 1 of Collective Bargaining ended with:

• 11 Articles signed off in Tentative Agreement (TA)

• 3 Articles remain outstanding for further discussion in Round 2 of Collective Bargaining (Discipline, Suspension and Termination, as well as Union Flight Release).

Your WestJet Encore Bargaining Committee has presented dates for future Bargaining, and currently await confirmation from the Employer on these dates for 2020. We will communicate all dates as soon as they are finalized.

WE NEED BACKUP

It is critical to understand that the Bargaining Committee gets all of its strength and power from you, the Membership. The only way the Bargaining Committee will secure a strong Collective Agreement (CA) is with the strong backing of the Membership.

 Change will not come easy. We need as many WestJet Encore Members as possible who are willing to voice their support for the demands of your elected Bargaining Committee.

 We are seeking volunteers to join the WestJet Encore Mobilizing Team.

As a member of the Mobilizing Team you will:

• Be in direct contact with the Bargaining Committee

• Act as a liaison between the Bargaining Committee, the Executive, the Communications Committee and the Members of your base.

• Build enthusiasm and support for our Union among your peers.

• Listen to Members’ concerns about workplace issues both on the line and those being discussed at the bargaining table.

• Communicate key messages from the Executive and the Bargaining Committee to Members.

What we are about to live through will only happen once in our lifetime. Be part of the movement that will bring WestJet Encore our first-ever Collective Agreement.

 Please contact Jen Sachs at weare4070@gmail.com with the subject line "WestJet Encore Mobilization.” We are currently in the process of recruiting for these critical positions, with training to come.

Step up today and help us engage more of our Members. Help us harness the power we need to achieve a strong Collective Agreement! Together we will show the Company what it means to work together to win.

 In Solidarity,

Your CUPE 4070 WestJet Encore Bargaining Committee

CUPE 4070 Election Update

Dear Members,

I would like to provide you with an update on the upcoming elections. You will receive an email with nominee information sheets (if provided) once elections open on Friday morning.

Elections/Voting
November 22, 2019 at 03:00 Pacific / 04:00 Mountain / 06:00 Eastern -
November 28, 2019 at 15:00 Pacific / 16:00 Mountain / 18:00 Eastern.

A reminder to nominees going into an election
You must send your information sheets in PDF format to Marco Di Virgilio, Recording Secretary at: rs.cupe4070@gmail.com by November 21, 2019 at 10:00 Pacific / 11:00 Mountain / 13:00 Eastern.

The following election will be open to all CUPE 4070 Members In Good Standing

CUPE Local 4070 Vice-President
Jamie Loiselle (acclaimed)
Congratulations Jamie on your re-election!

CUPE 4070 Secretary-Treasurer
Brad Call
Calvin Gautschi
JP Girard
Kruti Sutaria
Shelley MacDonald

Trustee (3 year)
JP Girard (acclaimed)
Congratulations JP on your re-election!

Bylaw Amendment Vote
We will simultaneously conduct a bylaw amendment vote with the CUPE 4070 Secretary-Treasurer election. The bylaw amendment information will be included in the email containing the CUPE 4070 Secretary-Treasurer information sheets.

The following election will only be open to WestJet YYZ Base CUPE 4070 Members In Good Standing
 

WestJet YYZ Base Vice-President (January 2020 – November 2020)
Boris Zalac
Chantale Tremblay
Jordan Christenson
Natasha Kervin

WestJet YYZ Base Return to Work and Accommodation Committee (December 2019 – November 2020)
Vacant/No election

Election Officer
Sylvia Alves is our Elections Officer. She can be reached at: sylvia.alves@cupe4070.ca
 

Good luck to all nominees in this upcoming election!

If you are a not a Member In Good Standing (Signed Union card & Paid $5 Membership fee) and wish to participate in this election period, please sign a card and pay the $5 Membership fee on our website by November 27, 2019 at 15:00 Pacific / 16:00 Mountain / 18:00 Eastern to ensure processing by the close of the election period. SIGN A CARD HERE

In Solidarity,
Marco Di Virgilio - CUPE 4070 Recording Secretary

Bargaining Update #11

Dear Members,

Your Bargaining Committee met with the Employer for Round 11 of Collective Bargaining in Calgary from November 4 to 7.

As we mentioned in our previous Bargaining Update, the Union had presented the Company with a ‘package deal’ related to the Scheduling Article, hoping to come to a place of mutual agreement. The Company was not prepared to accept our proposal.

The CUPE National Airline Scheduling subject matter expert (SME) will be away from the bargaining table for an upcoming period, as such, the Union and the Company have agreed to park the Scheduling Article for the time being.

Much of the Article has been agreed to, however, on a number of clauses we remain significantly apart. Rest assured, when this Article does resurface, your Bargaining Committee, along with our CUPE Scheduling SME will pursue the collective interests of our workgroup as vigorously as we have thus far.

The Federal Government is set to enact Airline Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), by December 15, 2019. The Company's position is that the APPR may cost the Company millions of dollars in IROP expenses if the Union doesn’t acquiesce to certain demands for extreme scheduling flexibility rights for the Company.

“Free reign over our Members’ rights as workers and human beings is unacceptable.”

— JAMIE LOISELLE, VICE PRESIDENT

The Union is prepared to be partners in running a successful business with our Employer, however, we will never agree to a scheduling strategy that is dependant on the systematic abuse of our Membership.

So far, the Company's demands related to the Scheduling Article have been ruthless, making it clear that they view our Members not as trusted partners in business, but as people to exploit for corporate gain and use as a degree of insurance against any APPR situation. This is nearly the sole reason we were unable to reach a Tentative Agreement on this Article at this time.

You have our word; we will not stand down or accept unreasonable language or conditions in our Collective Agreement. It is a NO, plain and simple, and we will not change our stance in the New Year or ever.

Following the Scheduling Article, both sides presented their Article on Training. This Article spells out details of everything related to training: the way such days contribute to your monthly block, e-learning scheduling and credit, when and how you can trade/change your training etc. During the week, both sides exchanged counter-proposals. Reasonable progress was made.

With a small number of clauses of the Article outstanding, the decision was made by the Union to park this Article, as the final details to be agreed to are contingent on what is agreed to in the Scheduling Article, which had just been parked. Once Scheduling is agreed to, both sides will revisit the Training Article and resume negotiations with the details needed to provide the complete context.

Next, the Union and Company exchanged proposals on the Article which deals with Discrimination.

This Article sets forth an agreement between both the Union and the Company that any discrimination and harassment against a Member of the Bargaining Unit on a multitude of grounds will not be tolerated.

The exchange of one counter-proposal by the Union was accepted by the Company, and the Discrimination Article has now been signed in Tentative Agreement (TA).

The atmosphere at the bargaining table was mixed this week. On many occasions, it appeared that the Company's representatives simply dismissed the concerns that we brought forward on your behalf, as petty or insignificant.

You certified this Union with a strong mandate to fight hard for your rights as workers, and we continue to do so at the bargaining table in good faith.

We will not accept proposals which devalue the contribution that each and every one of us makes, every time we put on our uniform.

WE are the largest workgroup at this Airline.
WE make or break the operation.
Guest loyalty depends on US!
Make no mistake about it.

Your Union is here to fight hard at the bargaining table for the dignity, respect and industry appropriate work rules that we deserve as leading aviation professionals.

“Please be proud of the work that you do, and be proud that together, we will stand up and protect your interests, especially when we are asked to do more with less.”

— CHRIS RAUENBUSCH, PRESIDENT

“There is a reason this Airline is successful – and it is YOU!”

— ALEXIS ALLAIN, BARGAINING COMMITTEE/MOBILIZATION LIAISON CUPE LOCAL 4070

As we get closer to dealing with Articles related to compensation, please know that we are there to defend your best interests. Scheduling and Compensation are two key areas where our Company is lagging the industry. You know it, we know it, and they know it. We will not settle for the status quo, or anything resembling it.

As your Bargaining Committee, we realize that this update is different in tone and detail than what you are likely used to. We felt it was necessary given our experience at the table recently. We commit to keeping you informed as the situation unfolds. This is the current reality we are facing.

Round 12 of Collective Bargaining is scheduled for December 9 to 12 in Calgary.

If you have any questions about the Collective Bargaining process, please engage your Mobilizing Team at: weare4070@gmail.com

In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 WestJet Bargaining Committee

---

FAQ/RUMOUR BUSTING

---

Everything discussed at the bargaining table is strictly confidential. Please consider any information that you hear outside of our updates a rumour. We ask that you please refrain from spreading rumours about bargaining. If you do hear a rumour and would like to know if it is legitimate, please reach out to your Mobilizing Team at weare4070@gmail.com.  

Q: Is there a ‘grooming strike’ planned in the near future?

A: No. A ‘grooming strike’ would be considered job action. What is and isn’t considered part of the job can party be formed by what is in contracts and writing, but the status quo also forms a part of the frozen practice. In legal terms, and established practice that has always been adhered to doesn’t actually need to be in writing anywhere in order for it to be enforced. The simple act of stopping something we have always done up until now without being in a legal strike position would be classified as ‘illegal job action’, and would seriously undermine any efforts in Collective Bargaining.
 
Q: We are frequently asked: when will this be over? How many rounds of bargaining are there?
 
A: The answer is it’s over when we have completed Tentative Agreements on all Articles that each side agrees to included in the Collective Agreement (CA). There is no limit to the number of rounds that can take place. It is important to remember: We are making history, building the first-ever legally binding Collective Agreement for the Cabin Crew Members of WestJet. Every word, and every clause, in this CA is being put together from scratch. Once completed, this process will never occur again while unionized with CUPE. Every time a CA expires in the future, the negotiations are based on changes to the previous CA that either side would like to see, and negotiations are held on that alone.

Your Union understands that this process feels long and extended for you, our Membership. Your Union is focused on every detail. Building a new CA is extremely complex, and one Article may indirectly influence or be impacted by or upon many other Articles.

Making sure we get this right is the priority.

Currently, we have agreed with the Company on dates into the first week of April 2020 for bargaining. We are now also pursuing dates a few months beyond into June 2020 with the hope that such a timeframe will bring us to/near the conclusion of Collective Bargaining. As we progress into the new year, we will provide further guidance on the anticipated timeline.

Bargaining Update #10

Dear Members,

Your Bargaining Committee met with the Employer for Round 10 of Collective Bargaining in Vancouver from October 21 to 25.

As we communicated in the previous Bargaining Update, the entire week in Vancouver was set aside entirely for the Scheduling Article, continued from Round 9 of Bargaining.

The Scheduling Article is lengthy and complex. It contains all the rules around how our schedules can be planned and modified, including bidding, rest, and duty parameters.

This Article contains over 30 clauses, many of which are extremely detailed, and your Committee is conscious of the expectations of the Membership with regards to Scheduling. There are many areas of the Article where we simply will not compromise, and maintain that our Membership expects improvements. We have been firm at the bargaining table: we will not bend on these issues.

The CUPE 4070 WestJet Bargaining Committee convened Sunday evening to finalize our counter proposal to the Company. Our counter was finalized and presented to the Company mid-morning on Monday.

The entire week was spent presenting or receiving numerous counter proposals, listening to the needs of each side and trying to generate solutions.

It is fair to say that despite not reaching a final Tentative Agreement on the Scheduling article, significant progress was made and we closed this 5-day round of bargaining by presenting a “package deal” to the Company on Friday Afternoon. This process involves addressing certain issues important to one side, while making gains for the side presenting. Unless the content of the full package is agreed to, all parts of the deal are off the table.

The Scheduling Article proposal by the Union will potentially be responded to in Round 11 of Collective Bargaining next week, November 4 to 8. The Company has not yet informed us of their plan.

If you have any questions about the Collective Bargaining process, please engage your Mobilizing Team at: weare4070@gmail.com


In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 WestJet Bargaining Committee

Bargaining Update #9

Dear Members,

Your Bargaining Committee met with the Employer for our ninth round of Collective Bargaining in Calgary from September 25 - 27.

On the agenda were the following topics:

• Deadheading

• Reserve

The Union presented counter-proposals of both the Deadheading and Reserve Articles, which had been brought to the table during the previous round of negotiations. After a period of back and forth on these Articles, and some compromise on both sides, the Union and the Employer reached a Tentative Agreement on both. 

These two Articles have now been signed off.

The Employer presented a proposal for an Article related to Management Rights to Bargaining Unit Work. This Article focuses on the right of both “qualified” management, such as PSMs, being permitted to fly as a CCM under certain circumstances, as well as non-qualified leadership assisting with inflight service, and other duties.

Your Bargaining Committee crafted language to include in a counter-proposal, as the Employer’s version of the Article was vague, and non-detailed. As an example, we can agree with the sentiment that having PSMs maintain their qualifications is advantageous, we can not allow anyone outside of the bargaining unit unfettered access to our flying - this simply can not occur. 

Although our counter-proposal is ready, the Committee decided that we preferred to “park” this Article until such time as we are dealing with other issues that may be indirectly related to who does what scope of work. This Article is an ask from the Employer, and as such, it must be related to other issues in a give and take manner.

On Thursday morning, the Employer presented their entire Scheduling Article. Quite simply, this Article is massive. The Union worked for the remainder of Thursday and Friday on our counter-proposal, and this work continues. The Union anticipates presenting our counter-proposal on Scheduling at the beginning of Round 10 of Collective Bargaining scheduled for October 21 - 25 in Vancouver.

If you have any questions about the Collective Bargaining process, please engage your Mobilizing Team at: weare4070@gmail.com

In Solidarity,

Your CUPE 4070 Bargaining Committee

Bargaining Update #8

Dear Members,

Your Bargaining Committee met with the Employer for our eighth round of Collective Bargaining in Calgary from September 18 - 21.

On the agenda were the following topics:

• Reserve

• Deadheading

Bargaining for these three days consisted of two previously tabled Articles: Reserve and Deadheading. Both sides brought forward multiple proposals and counter-proposals.

Progress was made on several aspects of both the Reserve and Deadheading Articles; however, there remain select clauses within each which require more work from both parties.

Some progress was also made on another previously parked Article. The Union presented a counter-proposal of the Layoff & Recall Article to the Employer. The Employer received this proposal with explanation and took it away for further consideration. We hope to discuss this Article further this week.

All three Articles will continue to be dealt with in round 9 of Bargaining, which will take place from September 25 - 27 in Calgary.

If you have any questions about the Collective Bargaining process, please engage your Mobilizing Team at: weare4070@gmail.com


In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 Bargaining Committee