Mainline Bargaining Update #14 – Week 15 of Bargaining

Dear Members,

The Bargaining Committee met with the Company in Calgary, with negotiations taking place at the WestJet Campus.  

Update on Article Progress

The Bargaining Committee tabled three more initial proposals covering one existing Article of the Collective Agreement and two new proposals of new additions to the Agreement:

• Article 38 - Commuting

• Article XX – Protection from Abusive, Harassing, or Violent Non- Employee Behaviour

• Article XX – Business Interruptions Due to Force Majeure

Definition of “Force Majeure”: Force majeure is a contractual clause intended to “protect the parties from events outside normal business risk.” The clause may be used to manage the risk of unforeseeable future events that could impact a party’s ability to complete its contractual obligations.

The COVID-19 pandemic other global events impacting our operations reinforce the need for Collective Agreement language that protects us in these instances.

The Bargaining Committee, together with the broader Union Executive, has heard the concerns of our commuter members regarding the cancellation of the ACM policy under CA1. As many members past, present, and future may commute, feedback from both survey data and direct member input made clear that the membership wants protections and language in CA2 that support commuters.  

Finally, as most members are aware, every day we are potentially exposed to abusive, harassing or violent behaviour in our workplace. The goal of this proposal is to protect our members and should they experience an incident, have greater support from the Company.

This week the Company tabled two counter proposals:

• Article 26 – Aircraft and Company Assigned Equipment  

• Article 28 – Uniforms  

Article Tracker:

Several Articles remain currently active, with responses pending from both the Union and the Company.  

At present, we have:

• 23 articles actively in negotiation  

• 15 articles with agreement in principle  

• 17 articles yet to be introduced  

We encourage members to review the Article Tracker available on the Local’s website for a detailed overview of progress.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ARTICLE TRACKER

180 LOPA Transition to 174 Seat Configuration

The Bargaining Committee also had a unique opportunity to view the first new aircraft delivery that was reconfigured from the 180 LOPA to the 174 LOPA. These encouraging steps reinforce how important your engagement is throughout bargaining and beyond.  

Bargaining Committee Events

As previously communicated, we will be devoting an evening in our next three bargaining weeks to provide members an opportunity to interact directly with the Committee in an informal setting. Locations are being finalized and will be communicated in advance of the event.  

• March 18 – Vancouver

• March 25 – Toronto

• April 8 – Calgary  

Reserve Survey

The Reserve Survey and accompanying e-mail have been released. We encourage all members to participate as it provides a more fulsome analysis of the data where we can compare responses from all members, whether they hold reserve or not.  

If you have not received a survey link please reach out here: wjcomponent.ca/survey-issues.  

Note: Please check your junk/spam folder for an email from Sylvain Schetagne with the subject line: Invitation to Participate in a Survey.

Recent Company Communication on YHZ Temporary Base

The Bargaining Committee is aware of the communication sent by the Company regarding a proposed temporary base opportunity in Halifax (YHZ), as well as the follow-up message shared by the Union providing additional context.  

Situations like this can quickly create strong reactions across the membership, and the Company understands that introducing short-term opportunities outside of the bargaining process can create pressure and division within a group. Tactics like this do not come as a surprise to the Bargaining Committee and it is important that we approach moments like this with facts rather than assumptions or emotions and remain focused on the broader goals set by the membership for this round of bargaining.

To date, the Company has not brought a proposal on temporary bases to the bargaining table where these matters can be properly negotiated, and any such proposal would be reviewed carefully through the bargaining process to ensure it reflects the priorities and value of the membership.

Our strength in bargaining comes from unity and a clear focus on the improvements members have asked us to achieve. The Bargaining Committee remains committed to advocating for those priorities and will continue to approach negotiations with a focus on facts, fairness, and securing meaningful gains for the membership as a whole.

Social Media and Bargaining

The Committee would like to remind members that discussions about ongoing bargaining activities on social media, including sharing survey content or bargaining updates, can sometimes affect the bargaining process. To help ensure the most productive environment for negotiations, we encourage members to stay informed and engaged through official union communications and by reaching out directly to the bargaining committee with questions or feedback.

Achieving the strongest possible CA2 will require focused and coordinated efforts from all of us, and we appreciate members’ continued engagement and support throughout the process.

For concerns, suggestions, or general feedback pertaining to bargaining, your local base representatives can be reached at:

• YYC: shane.campbell@wjcomponent.ca

• YVR/YEG: jeanfrancois.laframboise@wjcomponent.ca

• YYZ: justin.patterson@wjcomponent.ca

• YWG/YUL: cailey.millard@wjcomponent.ca  

You can show the Bargaining Committee your support by:

• Wearing your union pin

• Having an Unpaid Work Won’t Fly luggage tag on your bag

• Following the Local’s social media

• Participate in the Reserve Survey

• And encouraging your fellow Cabin Crew Members to read their email updates!

In Unity,

WestJet Bargaining Committee

Alia Hussain - President
Bryan Hansraj - WestJet Unit VP
Jean-Francois Laframboise - YVR/YEG Rep
Shane Campbell - YYC Rep
Justin Patterson - YYZ Rep
Cailey Millard - YWG/YUL Rep
Alex Grigoriev - Local Executive (Alternate)
Cameron Jones - Local Executive (Alternate)