Fight to Save Air Canada Jobs Continues

The wrong headed decision made by Air Canada’s corporate elite to close flight attendant bases in Winnipeg and Halifax, and downsize the Vancouver base, will result in the unnecessary loss of over 460 jobs. While Air Canada would prefer to quietly proceed with their plans without further scrutiny, the flight attendants union, CUPE, is making sure that doesn't happen.

About 75 Flight Attendants met on September 10 to hear about progress on their battle with Air Canada, to keep their jobs and base in Winnipeg. They were joined by three MLAs, three MPs and a number of candidates in the current federal election. All expressed support for the attendants and their campaign to keep jobs and the base in Winnipeg.

CUPE has demonstrated that there are no savings to be made by the proposed base closures. In fact, according to CUPE, in order to maintain current flight schedules, it will cost about $2 million a year in accommodations and transporting attendants. And all of this is above and beyond any corporate losses incurred as a result of botched and delayed schedules resulting from the job cuts.

Among the many people who attended the September 10 meeting was MFL President Darlene Dziewit (standing, second from left). She says she has watched this story unfold with almost total disbelief.

"How in the world can Montie Brewer (President and CEO, Air Canada) and Robert Milton (Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ace Aviation Holdings Inc.) continue to argue for the closures of the bases when there appears to be no logical reason to do so, economic or otherwise. Do they have knowledge that we don’t, and if so why not share it and the secret study they claim makes the case for closures?

"Or, do they know that they can’t make a business case for the closures and are afraid to admit to their own incompetence? Or, is there some hidden agenda dealing with cuts to service to an already unhappy public?"

Dziewit calls upon the Federal government to take a leadership role in order to protect the public from this unscrupulous owner, who doesn’t seem to have the best interests of the public in mind.

"It is time for the Feds to update, in a meaningful way, the Air Canada Public Participation Act, which was enacted when the then Liberal government privatized Air Canada", she says. "Part of the promise back then was that Air Canada would maintain its operations across Canada, specifically in Winnipeg. This Act needs to be improved, in content, with teeth and enforcement improvements.

"Secondly, it is time for an Air Passenger Bill of Rights, along with mechanisms to ensure the protection and rights of the traveling public from an uncaring national airline carrier.

"Last and most importantly, I call upon Air Canada itself to reverse its destructive, unnecessary and wrong minded strategy of attendant base closures. These closures will not serve the public and they will harm the workers who will lose their jobs. They will further undermine public confidence in the Air Canada brand. If Air Canada will not step up to the plate and do the right thing on behalf of its employees and the traveling public, I then call upon the Federal government to do its job, and force Air Canada into doing the right thing."