Monday June 20, 2016
For Immediate Release
Ottawa, On – An IAM delegation to the Senate Standing Committee on Transport and Communications today offered amendments to Bill C-10 – The Air Canada Public Participation Act – that would ensure the survival and growth of the aircraft Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry. The IAM is asking the Senate to send the amended Bill back to the House of Commons for reconsideration.
The IAM amendment concerns Maintenance Activities referred to in paragraph (1) (d) –for the purpose of carrying out or causing to be carried out the aircraft maintenance activities in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba, the Corporation (Air Canada) shall,
- Maintain, at minimum, levels and volume of maintenance in the provinces of Canada where it currently performs maintenance activities.
- Contribute to the creation of centres of excellence in Quebec and Manitoba, while maintaining the current level of employment in any or all of those activities across Canada. Specifically, the corporation shall contribute to the creation of a centre of excellence in Quebec providing heavy maintenance of aircrafts for at least 20 years generating at least 1,000 jobs over 15 years.
- Contribute to the creation of a centre of excellence in Manitoba by providing with three of its aviation suppliers and partners generating at 150 jobs.
- Re-establish its former heavy maintenance and overhaul presence in Canada by repatriating the 2,600 highly skilled maintenance jobs lost following the bankruptcy and liquidation of Aveos. The Corporation will have a completion date for this undertaking of no later than January 2019.
“As it stands, the act endangers the livelihood of the Canadian MRO industry,” stated IAM Transportation District Lodge 140 President and Directing General Chairperson Fred Hospes. "In particular, this bill explicitly allows Air Canada to change the type or volume of any or all of its aircraft maintenance work as well as the level of employment.”
“Our suggested amendments force Air Canada to back up its vague promises of future jobs while protecting the current industry and securing future employment,” said IAM Canadian General Vice President Stan Pickthall.
“The current version of this legislation is too vague,” continued Pickthall. “It takes away any leverage that any government currently has to maintain Canadian jobs in this country.”
The 16-member IAM delegation will continue to seek support from members of the Senate all this week.
The IAM is the largest union in Canada’s Air Transport Sector and the largest union at Air Canada representing 8,000 workers.
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For further information:
Stan Pickthall – IAM Canadian General Vice President
416-386-1789
David Chartrand –IAM Quebec Coordinator
514-336-3031/514-231-9100
Fred Hospes – IAM Transportation District 140 President & Directing General Chairperson
604-448-0721/778-829-8140
Bill Trbovich – IAM Director of Communications
416-386-1789 Ext#6331/416-735-9765
