Transportation Developments Usher In Change
Fort Lauderdale, Fla – Over a five-day period, 600 delegates to the 2015 IAM Transportation Conference heard of organizing victories, the promise of real change in the Canadian political landscape, the implications of contract flipping as well as the need to do more. But at the end of the week, delegates left knowing that “This is Our Time.”
“Air Canada sold off its heavy maintenance and its passenger rewards program when it came out of bankruptcy protection,” he said. “But rather than invest those proceeds back into the company, they gave them to their outgoing CEO and the shareholders. Be aware, that there are discussions underway with some US carriers who want to sell off their baggage services and that isn't good news for our members.”
“Airlines on both sides of the border have the money to pay our members a decent wage with decent benefits and when we demand it at the bargaining table they run to the government to take away our right to strike,” he said. “We can fight that tactic at the ballot box by electing politicians who are accountable to us the people. In that regard I have never been as optimistic as I am today about the chances for real political change in Canada. We are on the verge of forming the first federal socialist government on October 19th and I couldn’t ask for a better retirement gift.”
One of the reasons for Ritchie’s optimism was the election of a New Democratic Party government in Alberta in the spring of 2015. The landslide victory ended 44 years of Conservative rule with one of the new Members of the Legislative Assembly coming from the ranks of the IAM. Jamie Kleinsteuber attended the first Canadian Political Action Symposium at the William Winpinsinger Center in the fall of 2014. It was then that the former Air Canada baggage agent from IAM Local Lodge 1681 decided to follow through on his political beliefs. He became one of eight trade unionists to be elected as part of Premier Rachel Notley's government.
“The hard work was building a base of volunteers and those who wanted to get involved in building the riding association,” he told delegates. “After that it was easier to get our message out into the community.”
Afternoon sessions during the conference were devoted to Territorial meetings. The Caqnadian delegates broke into three groups, Screeners, Service and Aircraft Maintenance.
The Screener sub-committee identified a variety of issues including multiple layers of management from different administrative bodies. Collective agreement issues included extending shifts without notice, management doing bargaining unit work and unions being excluded from Health and Safety investigations.
The Service sub-committee dealt with low cost providers, outsourcing and the Air Canada Act. The Aircraft Maintenance sub-committee dealt with recognition of the aircraft maintenance trade, the lack of apprenticeship, mentoring programs and recurrent training.
