Over 1,000 Aircraft Mechanics to be laid Off in April!
For Immediate Release
Toronto, ON – “Over one thousand highly skilled aircraft mechanics at Air Canada will be laid off this April and the company doesn’t give a damn,” says a disgusted Fred Hospes, IAMAW District 140 Regional Assistant Directing General Chairperson –Western Region.
“The Machinists have been negotiating layoff mitigation decisions with the company for months now and they agreed to everything but at the last minute, they tried to black mail us. It’s bad faith bargaining plain and simple.” Hospes was referring to a last minute decision by Air Canada not to agree to the government-sponsored EI Workshare program unless the union agreed to withdraw from the mitigation programs already negotiated between the parties. “This unethical bargaining tactic was simply requested because Air Canada is not willing to administrate the EI Workshare program,” explained Hospes. “This program would have lessened the blow to our members and the company simply doesn’t care.”
The layoffs will impact Air Canada stations in Vancouver, Winnipeg and Montréal.
The Machinists have continued throughout the weekend in attempts to bring Air Canada back to the table but without success. “We are very concerned for the future of the more than one thousand members and their families who be impacted by this layoff,” said Hospes. “We are currently in consultation with government officials as a result of Air Canada’s unethical bargaining tactic and their decision to flat out reject the Government-sponsored EI Workshare program.”
The IAMAW is the largest union at Air Canada representing more than 11,000 workers.
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For Immediate Release
Toronto, ON – “Over one thousand highly skilled aircraft mechanics at Air Canada will be laid off this April and the company doesn’t give a damn,” says a disgusted Fred Hospes, IAMAW District 140 Regional Assistant Directing General Chairperson –Western Region.
“The Machinists have been negotiating layoff mitigation decisions with the company for months now and they agreed to everything but at the last minute, they tried to black mail us. It’s bad faith bargaining plain and simple.” Hospes was referring to a last minute decision by Air Canada not to agree to the government-sponsored EI Workshare program unless the union agreed to withdraw from the mitigation programs already negotiated between the parties. “This unethical bargaining tactic was simply requested because Air Canada is not willing to administrate the EI Workshare program,” explained Hospes. “This program would have lessened the blow to our members and the company simply doesn’t care.”
The layoffs will impact Air Canada stations in Vancouver, Winnipeg and Montréal.
The Machinists have continued throughout the weekend in attempts to bring Air Canada back to the table but without success. “We are very concerned for the future of the more than one thousand members and their families who be impacted by this layoff,” said Hospes. “We are currently in consultation with government officials as a result of Air Canada’s unethical bargaining tactic and their decision to flat out reject the Government-sponsored EI Workshare program.”
The IAMAW is the largest union at Air Canada representing more than 11,000 workers.
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