“With each events declaring an deadlock in negotiations, with invaluable cargo grounded and passengers stranded, the federal government made the appropriate determination to refer the 2 sides to binding arbitration,” Matthew Holmes, chief of public coverage for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, stated in an announcement.
WAGE DISPUTE
Whereas probably the most contentious matter was compensation for time spent on the bottom, there was additionally disagreement over broader wage points. The service had provided a 38 p.c enhance in complete compensation for flight attendants over 4 years, with a 25 p.c elevate within the first yr, which CUPE stated was inadequate.
The union has stated Air Canada provided to compensate flight attendants for some work that’s now unpaid at 50 p.c of their hourly charge.
A supply near the negotiations advised Reuters the union was searching for parity on wages with Canadian leisure service Air Transat. Its flight attendants accepted a contract final yr that supplied for complete compounded will increase of 30 p.c over 5 years, making them the very best paid within the trade in Canada.
Air Canada didn’t verify if such a proposal had been put forth by the union.
Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada part of CUPE, stated in a press convention in Toronto earlier on Saturday that there have been no bargaining periods scheduled between the 2 sides, which have held on-and-off negotiations for months.
Earlier within the day outdoors Toronto Pearson Worldwide Airport, the nation’s busiest, lots of of cabin crew waved flags, banners and picket indicators. Union officers referred to as on members to assemble outdoors the entire nation’s main airports, together with in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.
