Thunder Bay, ON – “It has been a long road to reach industry wage equality for the IAM members employed at Wasaya Airways and this new collective agreement is a good next step,” explained IAM District Lodge 140 General Chairperson Tony Didoshak. “These workers are still grossly underpaid compared to other similar operators in the industry.”
The first collective agreement provided an average wage increase of 10 per cent over the two-year period giving some members an increase of $4.00 an hour with benefits fully paid by the employer.
The new four-year agreement includes wage increases in the first year from 12 to 15 per cent depending upon member classification followed by wage increases of 2.7 to 3.7 per cent in each of the remaining three years. There were also significant improvements made to vacation allotments for all members as well as improvements to contract language and health and safety.
“The membership was well served at the bargaining table by Mark Daley and Gina Boisvert who worked tirelessly throughout the entire process,” said Didoshak. The membership ratified the agreement by a margin of 80 per cent.
The 16 members of IAM Local Lodge 714 consist of Passenger Service Agents, Cargo Agents, Station Attendants and Ground Equipment Maintenance personnel. They joined the IAM in April 2009.
Wasaya Airlines provides scheduled passenger service to 26 First Nation communities in northwestern Ontario. The airline operates a fleet of Beech 1900D passenger aircraft.
The first collective agreement provided an average wage increase of 10 per cent over the two-year period giving some members an increase of $4.00 an hour with benefits fully paid by the employer.
The new four-year agreement includes wage increases in the first year from 12 to 15 per cent depending upon member classification followed by wage increases of 2.7 to 3.7 per cent in each of the remaining three years. There were also significant improvements made to vacation allotments for all members as well as improvements to contract language and health and safety.
“The membership was well served at the bargaining table by Mark Daley and Gina Boisvert who worked tirelessly throughout the entire process,” said Didoshak. The membership ratified the agreement by a margin of 80 per cent.
The 16 members of IAM Local Lodge 714 consist of Passenger Service Agents, Cargo Agents, Station Attendants and Ground Equipment Maintenance personnel. They joined the IAM in April 2009.
Wasaya Airlines provides scheduled passenger service to 26 First Nation communities in northwestern Ontario. The airline operates a fleet of Beech 1900D passenger aircraft.