Bargaining Update #54: Ratification Vote Results
Dear Members,
The ratification vote on the Tentative Agreement has now closed, with 92.7% of the membership participating in the vote.
Of the ballots cast:
voted In Favour — 90.2%
voted Against — 9.8%
As a result, the Tentative Agreement has been ratified and will become our second Collective Agreement.
The result provides a clear mandate to ratify CA2 and move forward with implementation.
At the same time, we recognize that this was not necessarily an easy decision for members. A vote to ratify an agreement does not mean that every member supports every provision, believes the agreement is perfect, or does not see areas where more should have been achieved.
Ratification is ultimately a decision about the agreement as a whole: the gains secured, the issues that remain, the three-year term, and the circumstances and options that existed at the conclusion of this round of bargaining.
Members may have reached their decisions for different reasons. What the result tells us is that the membership has collectively decided to accept CA2 as its next Collective Agreement.
The Bargaining Committee respects both that decision and the seriousness with which members approached it.
CA2: BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR CA3
CA2 represents the agreement the Bargaining Committee concluded was the strongest overall package it could responsibly recommend under the circumstances of this round.
It contains meaningful improvements to compensation, working conditions, protections and entitlements, while also leaving work to be done. That is the reality of successive rounds of collective bargaining.
As only our second Collective Agreement, CA2 builds on the foundation established through CA1. The issues members believe remain unresolved, did not go far enough, or should be approached differently will now help shape the work toward CA3.
Because CA2 is a three-year agreement, preparation for the next round cannot wait until expiry is approaching. Within approximately the next year, the Local will begin the work that will ultimately lead to the establishment of the next bargaining committee and the development of priorities for CA3.
That work will include a serious review of this round, what was successfully advanced, what remains unfinished, and what we need to learn from the experience of bargaining CA2.
Member engagement and mobilization were a force throughout this round. The strike vote, member actions, participation in the ratification process and the collective pressure created by the membership strengthened the Union's position at the bargaining table.
That same engagement will be needed as we build on CA2 and begin preparing for CA3.
IMPLEMENTATION OF CA2
Our immediate focus now shifts to implementation.
The Union and Company must work through the implementation of the new and amended provisions contained in CA2, and the Local is developing a comprehensive implementation timeline so members can clearly understand when individual changes will take effect.
The renewed Collective Agreement must also now be finalized.
Under Article 51, the Union is responsible for drafting the English version of the Collective Agreement, while the Company is responsible for the costs associated with translating the French version. Both versions must be proofread and published within 120 days following ratification.
Unlike CA1, CA2 will be published entirely in digital form and printed copies will not be produced.
Information regarding implementation timelines, effective dates and progress on the final Collective Agreement will continue to be communicated to members and posted on the WJComponent website as that work progresses.
RED LANYARD CAMPAIGN
With the ratification process complete, the Bargaining Committee and Member Engagement and Strike Committee are advising members that the red lanyard campaign has officially concluded.
Members should now return to wearing the standard Company-issued lanyard or an approved ID clip.
A future update will be provided regarding Union-specific lanyards as contemplated under Article 28 - Uniforms.
Finally, thank you to every member who participated in this process.
Whether you voted yes or no, attended a town hall, raised questions, reviewed the agreement, participated in mobilization or walked a picket line, your participation mattered.
The membership has now made its decision on CA2. Our responsibility is to implement that decision, learn from this round, and begin preparing for what comes next.
In Unity,
WestJet Mainline Bargaining Committee