{"id":4034,"date":"2020-05-23T11:40:32","date_gmt":"2020-05-23T15:40:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/screeners.iamaw.ca\/?p=4034"},"modified":"2020-05-23T11:43:15","modified_gmt":"2020-05-23T15:43:15","slug":"4034","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/screeners.iamaw.ca\/?p=4034","title":{"rendered":"AIR CANADA OVER \u201cABANDONMENT OF WORKERS\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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International Association Of \u00a0Machinists and Aerospace\u00a0Workers
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MACHINISTS UNION CALLS OUT AIR CANADA OVER \u201cABANDONMENT OF WORKERS\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

May 19, 2020 \u2014 For Immediate Release.<\/p>\n

\u201cAir Canada needs to come to the table and maintain its employees on the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program.\u201d This is the message from General Vice President Stan Pickthall, of Air Canada\u2019s largest Union.<\/p>\n

As the Union representing over 10,000 Union members at Air Canada, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), is calling out the corporation for its abandonment of workers during the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and pandemic.<\/p>\n

Pickthall added: \u201cIt is beyond an embarrassment for Air Canada to layoff more than half of its employees at a time when those employees need the Company the most. This is shameful behaviour from a corporation that owes its very existence to the hard work and dedication of employees from the ramp to the maintenance bays to the cabins and cockpit. We are asking them to continue the CEWS program – which is being subsidized by Federal funding, so the airline doesn\u2019t even have to pay for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Union condemned this weekend\u2019s announcement by Air Canada that they would be laying off 20,000 workers, many of whom are members of the IAMAW and other Unions.<\/p>\n

In April, Air Canada agreed to participate in the Federal Wage Subsidy program, which provides for 75% of wages to a maximum of $847 per week. However, when the Federal government recently extended the program for another 12 weeks, Air Canada backed out.<\/p>\n

Fred Hospes, President and Directing Chairperson of the IAMAW\u2019s Air Transportation District, was equally disappointed. \u201cWe join other Unions who are demanding more from Air Canada,\u201d Said Hospes. \u201cWe say that it is not too late for Air Canada to stand alongside its employees and work together on rebuilding this industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

French<\/span>\u00a0MACHINISTS UNION CALLS OUT AIR CANADA OVER ABANDONMENT OF EMPLOYEES – GVP<\/a><\/p>\n

English<\/span>\u00a0MACHINISTS UNION CALLS OUT AIR CANADA OVER ABANDONMENT OF EMPLOYEES -GVP<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Employees of Air Canada who are to be laid off in June will be eligible for the Canada Emergency Relief Benefit (CERB) of $500, but that is a far cry from the $847 they can receive under the Wage Subsidy program (CEWS). Hospes urged Air Canada to reconsider: \u201cAir Canada needs to step up to the plate and support their employees during difficult times such as these. Any measures that can be taken to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, should be. Air Canada needs to treat our Members in a dignified manner with the understanding that this is the most difficult time for their employees who are the heart of Air Canada\u2019s success.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pickthall wrote a letter to Air Canada\u2019s President Calin Rovinescu on May 13.\u00a0The CEWS benefit pays $347 per week more than the Canada Emergency Relief Benefit of $500 per week, over a 12\u00a0<\/span>week period. This equates to $4164 in added financial support for each Air Canada employee and their family\u00a0<\/span>during the time of their greatest need. I am encouraged by the Company\u2019s ongoing support of its employees during\u00a0<\/span>this pandemic, which has hit both the Company and its employees very hard.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThere was no reply from Mr. Rovinescu.\u201d Stated Pickthall, although he acknowledged a meeting with Corporate Human Resources representatives advised the Union there would be no extension of CEWS for all employees. \u201cI cannot express how disappointed we are in Air Canada. Their employees \u2013 our members \u2013 need this assistance, and they have been abandoned. This is not the behaviour we expect from a world-class airline.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pickthall concluded by saying that the Union remains available to work with the company on a solution to the problem that will treat workers fairly as stated in the May 13 letter:<\/p>\n

I am formally requesting that Air Canada participate in the extension of the CEWS program, details of which are soon to be announced. The Union will work with you to ensure this valuable benefit continues to be available for IAM members during this challenging time.<\/p>\n

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace is Canada\u2019s largest Union representing Aviation, airlines and airports, and aerospace workers. The Union represents over 10,000 members at Air Canada, and almost 20,000 in air transportation across Canada.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Contact Info:
\nStan Pickthall – 416-386-1789<\/p>\n

Frank Saptel \u2013 416-579-0481<\/p>\n

Fred Hospes \u2013 604-448-0721<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

International Association Of \u00a0Machinists and Aerospace\u00a0Workers MACHINISTS UNION CALLS OUT AIR CANADA OVER \u201cABANDONMENT OF WORKERS\u201d May 19, 2020 \u2014 For Immediate Release. \u201cAir Canada needs to come to the table and maintain its employees on the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program.\u201d This is the message from General Vice President Stan Pickthall, of Air Canada\u2019s largest Union. As the Union representing over 10,000 Union members at Air Canada, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), is calling<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/screeners.iamaw.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4034"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/screeners.iamaw.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/screeners.iamaw.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/screeners.iamaw.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/screeners.iamaw.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4034"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/screeners.iamaw.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4034\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4041,"href":"http:\/\/screeners.iamaw.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4034\/revisions\/4041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/screeners.iamaw.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/screeners.iamaw.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/screeners.iamaw.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}