WestJet's AMFA/Engineers reach a T/A with the company

[SWAMECH]

With a large number of Engineers requesting a strike authorization vote, since as early as the beginning of April (2) as the company put out a notice indicating as such.
AMFA smartly decided to press on with nego without a strike vote until after month of April to see the companies promised movements towards an agreement by mid April. So with company positive movement towards an agreement AMFA was able to avoid a strike vote.
A surprise announcement by co to start a 72hr lock out notice to start as early as April 7th AMFA still did not take focus off of getting an agreement done. However the co is well aware of the majority that wants a strike vote by the Engineers/Mechanics.
Glad to see both sides working towards an agreement even with all the chatter talk about strike votes and lockouts, as both sides were able to get an agreement done prior to any strike vote or lockout dates as neither side would really want to do, as it woould just upset the customers and send them to other airlines and possibly a perm move.
New agreement will make them the highest paid in Canada's industry, another win-win for AMFA Mechanics/Engineers in Canada. Now we await the vote on the new T/A from the membership.
All the nego's can be followed on the AMFA National web sites by link below:


WESTJET
AMFA was certified at WestJet on March 30, 2023, and the Association currently represents approximately 670 aircraft maintenance engineers and skilled trade groups. AMFA will soon begin negotiating the group's first collective bargaining agreement.
Read More

 

[WeAAsles]

AMFA p*ssied out. This was their update from only about a month ago. I’ll bet any amount of money that what they were being offered then had no improvements to what they had shoved down their throats now.

AMFA-WJA Negotiations Update #11: Negotiations Hit a Wall

April 18, 2024 -- As you will recall, Senior Manager, Labour Relations Virginia Swindall, by email dated February 1, 2024, advised, “It is our intention to have a tentative agreement for the Union to recommend to its members not later than April 13.” WestJet subsequently submitted a...

www.amfanational.org

 

[SWAMECH]

And as most of us already know, another new agreement on T/A @ WestJet was completed as well. Below is the 'road show" dates for the info meetings to discuss all the parameters of the new T/A.


AMFA-WJA NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE #16: TENTATIVE AGREEMENT INFORMATION MEETING NOTICE
May 17, 2024 - On May 5, 2024, AMFA and WestJet announced a Tentative Agreement (TA) on a new four-and-a-half-year agreement. The Committee has been working with the Company for the last two weeks to finalize the language. The full text of the TA will be emailed to each AMFA-WJA member in good standing (MIGS) for your review prior to scheduled station informational meetings.
Read More

 

[SWAMECH]

Shite has hit the fan at WJ. Co refuses to continue to nego's, after WJ engineers overwhelmingly vote down TA 97%+, and then a 99% strike vote, and since WJ now refuses to go into nego's already scheduled and set for 19-20th this month, the engineers at WJ has notified the co of a 72 hour strike date set for the 20th.
I'm in hopes all the updates below do load up, they are all the updates on the AMFA National page that have happened since the overwhelming T/A was voted down...

AMFA-WJ NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE #18: WJ REFUSES TO NEGOTIATE; AMFA ISSUES 72-HOUR STRIKE NOTICE June 17, 2024 -- A more cutting demonstration of WestJet’s disrespect for its Tech Ops employees could hardly be conceived. Tonight Vice President Tech Ops Gandeephan Ganeshalingam advised AMFA President Bret Oestreich that WestJet is refusing to proceed with negotiations scheduled for June 19 and 20 in Calgary. After the resolute rejection of the tentative agreement by 97.5 percent of the voting AMEs, the parties agreed that a crisis existed that must be addressed immediately. Read More

AMFA–WJ REJECTED TENTATIVE AGREEMENT SURVEY NOTICE June 13, 2024 -- The AMFA-WJ Negotiating Committee has called for a membership survey regarding the recent rejection of the AMFA-WJ Technical Operation Tentative Agreement. Your feedback will help guide your Negotiating Committee to pursue an agreement worthy of the membership's approval. Read More

AMFA–WJ STRIKE AUTHORIZATION REFERENDUM RESULTS June 12, 2024 -- The votes for the AMFA – WestJet Airlines (WJA) Strike Authorization Referendum were tallied on May 9, 2024. Votes for this referendum were counted and certified by ElectionBuddy, and the results are as follows... Read More

 

[WeAAsles]

Shite has hit the fan at WJ. Co refuses to continue to nego's, after WJ engineers overwhelmingly vote down TA 97%+, and then a 99% strike vote, and since WJ now refuses to go into nego's already scheduled and set for 19-20th this month, the engineers at WJ has notified the co of a 72 hour strike date set for the 20th.
I'm in hopes all the updates below do load up, they are all the updates on the AMFA National page that have happened since the overwhelming T/A was voted down...

​

AMFA-WJ NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE #18: WJ REFUSES TO NEGOTIATE; AMFA ISSUES 72-HOUR STRIKE NOTICE June 17, 2024 -- A more cutting demonstration of WestJet’s disrespect for its Tech Ops employees could hardly be conceived. Tonight Vice President Tech Ops Gandeephan Ganeshalingam advised AMFA President Bret Oestreich that WestJet is refusing to proceed with negotiations scheduled for June 19 and 20 in Calgary. After the resolute rejection of the tentative agreement by 97.5 percent of the voting AMEs, the parties agreed that a crisis existed that must be addressed immediately. Read More

AMFA–WJ REJECTED TENTATIVE AGREEMENT SURVEY NOTICE June 13, 2024 -- The AMFA-WJ Negotiating Committee has called for a membership survey regarding the recent rejection of the AMFA-WJ Technical Operation Tentative Agreement. Your feedback will help guide your Negotiating Committee to pursue an agreement worthy of the membership's approval. Read More

AMFA–WJ STRIKE AUTHORIZATION REFERENDUM RESULTS June 12, 2024 -- The votes for the AMFA – WestJet Airlines (WJA) Strike Authorization Referendum were tallied on May 9, 2024. Votes for this referendum were counted and certified by ElectionBuddy, and the results are as follows... Read More

It’s likely that Management believes the Strike vote solidarity will dissolve once the workers are led to believe or understand that Management isn’t budging?

But the Members made the call by voting no so now whatever happens is totally on them.

Over 600 people is a lot of people to try to work around not being there if they truly are united.

 

[eolesen]

The optics of operating an all-Boeing fleet are bad enough since every mechanical issue is already on the news. Now let people know the professionals walked off the job....

 

[SWAMECH]

I guess today is the day, and we shall see come 9pm what happens next...

 

[CorvetteMan]

WestJet Cancels 40 Flights Ahead Of Maintenance & Tech Ops Strike

While WestJet said that its offer was generous, its maintenance technicians' union said that there were problems inside the airline.

simpleflying.com

 

[ThirdSeatHero]

So Westjet went from a "Lock Out" threat, to a request for arbitration, and has now started parking aircraft. While the end certainly remains to be seen, it looks like Westjet blinked first, most likely due to that TA rejection.

Westjet has apprx 3 times as many pilots as AME's, and they secured a contract with 24% increase in total, last year. If they can remain united, the Westjet AME's should do alright.

 

[WeAAsles]

So Westjet went from a "Lock Out" threat, to a request for arbitration, and has now started parking aircraft. While the end certainly remains to be seen, it looks like Westjet blinked first, most likely due to that TA rejection.

Westjet has apprx 3 times as many pilots as AME's, and they secured a contract with 24% increase in total, last year. If they can remain united, the Westjet AME's should do alright.

Doesn’t sound like Westjet blinked. It sounds like they’re trying to get the Canadian Government to impose a contract through binding arbitration. Essentially shove the deal the membership rejected down their throats.

“Union members had voted overwhelmingly to reject a tentative deal last week and opposed the airline's request for arbitration this week.

Calgary-based WestJet had requested that the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) intervene with binding arbitration, which would see the labour tribunal hammer out a contract between the two sides — their first collective agreement. In the meantime, the board could bar a work stoppage.

The union, whose members voted overwhelmingly to reject a tentative agreement last week, says it opposed the move, saying it would undermine their goal of an "industry-changing contract."

In its statement on Wednesday night, WestJet said that the CIRB had advised it would need more time before making a decision on whether to use binding arbitration to create the collective agreement”

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7240746

 

[WeAAsles]

Sounds to me a lot like the NMB. Ultimately another Government entity that makes sure labor doesn’t ever get too rowdy.

About the Board - Canada Industrial Relations Board

cirb-ccri.gc.ca

 

[ThirdSeatHero]

Doesn’t sound like Westjet blinked. It sounds like they’re trying to get the Canadian Government to impose a contract through binding arbitration. Essentially shove the deal the membership rejected down their throats.

"Doesn't sound like Westjet blinked" ... really?

First, they threaten a lock out and replacement, then when Westjet AME's resoundingly reject the TA, Westjet management refuses to return to scheduled negotiations, and instead tries to force arbitration. Then after the CIRB refuses to provide them a shield against the AME's strike, did they follow through with a lock out? No, they finally agreed to go back to the negotiating table.

Sure appears like they blinked

 

[WeAAsles]

"Doesn't sound like Westjet blinked" ... really?

First, they threaten a lock out and replacement, then when Westjet AME's resoundingly reject the TA, Westjet management refuses to return to scheduled negotiations, and instead tries to force arbitration. Then after the CIRB refuses to provide them a shield against the AME's strike, did they follow through with a lock out? No, they finally agreed to go back to the negotiating table.

Sure appears like they blinked

Reading comprehension not your strong suit?

“With respect to WestJet’s request for arbitration, the CIRB has advised it will require additional time and submissions from both parties before making a decision on whether or not collective bargaining for our first agreement should be resolved by way of arbitration.

In the meantime, ”

 

[ThirdSeatHero]

Reading comprehension not your strong suit?

Oh mines just fine ... it clearly isn't yours.

"Press Release: CIRB Reaffirms Union’s Right To Strike; AMFA and WestJet Return To The Bargaining Table"

"On June 17, WestJet informed AMFA that it was refusing to engage in bargaining sessions scheduled for June 19-20 in Calgary. Instead, WestJet would pursue compulsory arbitration of contractual terms or force the adoption of a collective bargaining agreement that had been rejected by 97.5% of the employees. AMFA served a strike notice in direct response to WestJet refusal to bargain. Subsequently, WestJet asked for a request for relief and CIRB intervention.

In a decision rendered late last night, the CIRB declined WestJet’s application for an injunction that would have prevented WestJet’s Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) from striking.

The CIRB’s decision is a critical reaffirmation of union employees’ fundamental right to strike providing the parties have satisfied the appropriate conditions and requirements. As such, the Board will not interfere with AMFA’s strike action urging WestJet to return to the bargaining table and achieve a deal.

Immediately following the CIRB’s decision, WestJet agreed to return to the bargaining table June 25-26 in Toronto and July 2-3 in Calgary. WestJet’s commitment to return to the table prompted AMFA to withdraw its strike notice."

https://www.amfanational.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=923450



Did Westjet follow through with their lock out threat? No, they ran to the CIRB to try to stop AMFA from striking, the CIRB declined to get involved immediately and stop the strike, and then Westjet agreed to go back to the table ... in other words THEY BLINKED

 

[WeAAsles]

Oh so I guess AMFA didn’t blink also by not telling their members to walk out?

Look man I know you LOVE AMFA but the reality is NO the Airline didn’t lock them out and NO AMFA didn’t walk out either. NEITHER side pulled their triggers. They BOTH blinked.

And the CIRB has also not decided what they want to do yet. They could still shove a deal down their throats. And more than likely it was the CIRB who told BOTH sides to sit their asses back down and figure it out.

Do you really think ANY Airline Union out there has an upper hand against big business and Governments. Give me a break if you’re that stupid.

How long before you get your retarded buddy to chime in and say I’m a yahoo and he’s so happy he ignores me again , 🤣