Wednesday July 11, 2018
For Immediate release
Washington, DC – “This order puts us in a good position to secure the jobs of Québec aerospace workers,” said IAM Quebec coordinator David Chartrand. “Even though the confirmation of the change in the name of the program (The name of the C-Series -300 was changed to A220-300 on July 10th by Airbus which officially took majority stake in the C-series program at the beginning of the month)) has made us feel really sick, the bottom line is that the order book for this device allows us to keep and create good jobs in aerospace in Québec.”
The assembly line in Alabama and the fact that Jet Blue is a US carrier, raise some questions about the production of this order. However, Québec will certainly do a lot of work on Jet Blue aircraft.
“Several components and cockpits for all A220s are only made in Québec,” said Chartrand. “The assembly line in Alabama is a fact that cannot be denied, but it should not be thought that the Mirabel plant will not benefit from growth in the A220 order book. The people who work on these devices are experienced, the infrastructure is in place, the aerospace cluster of Québec is one of the best in the world and that is also what Airbus has come to get by taking control of the C-Series program. Air carriers do not want to receive their aircraft in 10 years. So if the order book imposes a high production rate, it is certain that the Mirabel plant and the entire aerospace cluster in Québec will benefit.”
IAM Canadian General Vice President Stan Pickthall also recalled the quality of the Canadian aerospace workforce and cluster and the importance for the government to ensure its viability.
“It’s the workers who make the success of a program like the A220,” he said. “Their skills and know-how belong to them and they are central players in the success of the aerospace cluster in Canada. To continue on this path, they deserve the Canadian government to provide the tools and resources necessary to sustain the industry.”
-30-
For further information:
Guillaume Valois – IAM Local Lodge 712
Bureau: (514)-332-1912
Cell: (514)-966-0915
g.valois@aimta712.org
