Mainline Bargaining Update #20 - Week 20 of Negotiations
Dear Members,
We have adjusted our communication style this week to summarize the update in a few bullet points, with a more substantial update below.
Quick Summary:
As monetary items and major issues like scheduling and reserve have begun, the Committee stresses that delays are unacceptable, and members are demanding an industry leading agreement that reflects their value.
We expect that Conciliation Officer(s) will be appointed this week in accordance with the applicable legislation and are optimistic that they will support both parties in reaching agreement on outstanding matters
We are in the process of determining dates and location(s) for conciliation with the Employer and will have more information on this once the Conciliation Officer(s) are appointed.
Upcoming Airport and Informal Pub Night engagement events in YEG, YYC and YVR (details below).
A brief explanation below on Letters of Understanding and Letters of Commitment.
Initial Proposals: Company 3
Responses Given/Received: Company 7, Union 9
Last week, in preparation for conciliation, the Committee worked diligently to ensure that we responded to as many proposals as possible. With the exception of a couple of proposals that the employer tabled during the week, we were successful. While we continue to feel that the Union has carried the majority of momentum during the bargaining process thus far, we were pleased to receive responses from the employer on Article 34-Scheduling and Article 41-Pay Administration. We feel that filing for conciliation may have generated momentum that we have long been asking for and hope that it continues as we actively move into the conciliation process.
We received a pass on Article 29-Discipline, Suspensions and Terminations, which last crossed the table from us on November 25th. While we saw marginal improvements, we were both disappointed that it took them such an extended period to respond and failed to address key components of the Union’s position on this matter.
As we move into conciliation and get into monetary discussions and other ‘big ticket’ items such as scheduling and reserve, we will continue to take the position that expeditious dialogue must occur in order to reach a tentative agreement that reflects the value of our membership and the integral role we play in the Company’s overall success.
As previously communicated, we expect to have a conciliator(s) appointed tomorrow and with their support, look forward to working towards reaching a tentative agreement through the process.
Once conciliation dates are established, we will provide an update on upcoming dates and locations.
Some key highlights from the past week include:
Initial Proposals
The Company proposed a new article, along with two additional Letters of Understanding (LOUs).
Responses
Company:
Article 17 – Accommodation
Article 29 - Discipline, Suspensions, and Terminations
Article 41 – Pay Administration
Article 34 – Scheduling (response to Union concept proposal)
Union:
Article 7 – Cabin Personnel Classifications
Article 11 – Union Flight Release
Article 17 – Accommodation
Article 21 – Leaves of Absences
Article 24 – Filling of Vacancies
Article 29 – Discipline, Suspensions, and Terminations
Article 35 – Reserve
Article 39 – Training
Article 46 – Vacation, Statutory Holidays, and GDOs
Letters of Understanding (LOUs) and Letters of Commitment (LOC)
Letters of Understanding (LOUs) are agreements that are extensions of a collective agreement. Once signed by both parties, a LOU is legally binding and carries the same weight as any other provision of the collective agreement.
Throughout the bargaining process, we have secured, or are actively negotiating several LOUs. The committee believes these arrangements, which fall outside our current contract framework, will provide substantial value to our members.
A LOC is a written promise from the employer to take certain actions in the future. Unlike an LOU, it may not always be legally enforceable in the same way as contract language, but it still creates relational pressure. Examples of this may include when new systems are potentially introduced and the full scope of functionality may not be known.
Member Engagement
In conjunction with our MESC Committee, dates and locations have been set up for both airport engagement as well as informal pub night opportunities. More details are available on our social media!
Our previous events of this nature have been extremely successful, and we look forward to seeing as many members as possible. When possible, the Informal Pub Nights will have at least one Bargaining Committee member present however, given the fluid timelines with conciliation, this will not always be plausible.
Upcoming Bargaining Dates
While we intend to maximize participate during conciliation, dates and locations have not yet been confirmed. Once such confirmations are made, we will provide you with an update. We encourage you to review the negotiations tracker on the Union’s website to remain apprised of how matters continue to progress.
We are unable to share future bargaining dates, as once the conciliator is appointed, both the location and dates are subject to change. Once we have confirmed dates and locations, we will happily share this with our members.
Members are encouraged to check the latest negotiations tracker on the website and will notice that there are zero articles remaining in the “Not Yet Started” section.
How You Can Support Your Bargaining Committee:
Wear your union pin;
Display your Unpaid Work Won’t Fly luggage tag;
Follow and share the Local’s social media;
Reach out directly to the Committee with questions or concerns;
Encourage fellow Cabin Personnel to read their updates.
Your unity and visible support for the bargaining process at this stage is essential.
The Official Communication channels of the Union are the following:
Website: wjcomponent.ca
Instagram: @WestJetComponent
Facebook: WestJet Component
Email Sign Up: wjcomponent.ca/email-signup
In Unity,
WestJet Mainline 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)