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After years of sacrifices to help the struggling airline, Air Canada’s 3,800 customer service agents are gearing for a fight, threatening a strike at midnight Monday night.
Two big issues are a proposed discount airline and pension changes. The low-cost carrier would fly to vacation destinations down south and to Europe that would require lower wages and different work rules. The company wants significant pension changes including switching to a defined contribution pension plan for new hires from the current defined benefit plan, which has a guaranteed payout.
Another non-starter is the discount carrier, which was resoundingly rejected by pilots who recently voted down a tentative deal. Rank-and-file pilots were so upset by those plans that they ousted four union officials. Internal elections are being held now, and bargaining will likely resume next month.
Under federal law, the CAW would need to give 72 hours’ notice on Friday that it plans to walk off the job at 11:59 p.m. Monday. It has scheduled a rally at Pearson airport on Thursday to show management that the union is serious and members are united, getting a 98 per cent strike mandate.
It is unclear whether other unions including pilots, flight attendants and mechanics could create chaos by slowing down at picket lines or refusing to cross at all.
After years of sacrifices to help the struggling airline, Air Canada’s 3,800 customer service agents are gearing for a fight, threatening a strike at midnight Monday night.
Two big issues are a proposed discount airline and pension changes. The low-cost carrier would fly to vacation destinations down south and to Europe that would require lower wages and different work rules. The company wants significant pension changes including switching to a defined contribution pension plan for new hires from the current defined benefit plan, which has a guaranteed payout.
Another non-starter is the discount carrier, which was resoundingly rejected by pilots who recently voted down a tentative deal. Rank-and-file pilots were so upset by those plans that they ousted four union officials. Internal elections are being held now, and bargaining will likely resume next month.
Under federal law, the CAW would need to give 72 hours’ notice on Friday that it plans to walk off the job at 11:59 p.m. Monday. It has scheduled a rally at Pearson airport on Thursday to show management that the union is serious and members are united, getting a 98 per cent strike mandate.
It is unclear whether other unions including pilots, flight attendants and mechanics could create chaos by slowing down at picket lines or refusing to cross at all.
