Many of you are reaching out to the Union regarding what your rights are if you are away and a Strike or Lock out moves forward. We are aware the Company has been reaching out by email and phone to advise you that your hotels and expenses will be paid while away. The Union was not advised of this, nor have we entered into an agreement with the Company in regard to your rights in the event of job action.
Your Union, as you have been advised, has gone to Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge to secure an orderly shut down, including requesting confirmation no one will be stranded. What we asked was clear, and to ensure there was no interruption to those that went to work to ensure our customers were able to complete the portion of their journeys.
This is what we sent to the employer and have requested discussion on since the beginning of bargaining, and specifically on December 11, 2024, and again during the early stages of conciliation on July 23, 2025:
Ramp Down:
- The safe return to home base of all CUPE members that find themselves away from home base because of their work for the employer. All terms of the CA would apply until all members have been returned. This would apply in both a strike and lockout scenario.
- If a member was not returned to their home base the employer will be responsible for this and make ever effort to return the member in 72hrs.
- If needed, members would operate these flights home and all provisions of the current CA would apply.
- The employer will provide the Union with a comprehensive list of all members operating away from home base at the time either parties provide 72 hr notice of a strike or lockout.
The employer commenced engaging with the Union August 13, 2025, with the below noted for the Ramp Down – to be clear – WE DID NOT AGREE:
4. All Crew who operate flight(s) prior to the Work Disruption, including flights that are in operation at the time a Work Disruption takes effect, may also be required to operate flight(s) to return them to Home Base, as they are not intended to be on strike/lockout until they return to Home Base.
5. The Company will make best efforts to deadhead Crew who have operated flight(s) away from their Home Base prior to the Work Disruption to their Home Base, subject to availability and operational need.
6. Crew deadheading to return to Home Base will not be paid or receive flight time credits, including any Duty Period Extension Premium, if applicable. Crew may be required to waive minimum crew rest in order to deadhead to their Home Base.
7. The 2022-2025 Collective Agreement draft provisions (Article B9 – Draft and L55.14.12) shall not apply to Crew deadheading after the start of the Work Disruption as it pertains to flight(s) that return the Crew to Home Base.
8. All Crew operating during the Work Disruption pursuant to this Memorandum of Agreement, will receive the applicable flight time credits or flight credits in accordance with the collective agreement and shall operate the flight, including performing the service, in accordance with all applicable practices, standards, procedures, rules and policies.
So, to be clear, VERY clear, the Collective Agreement has expired, and it will cease to apply when the strike commences on Saturday, August 16, 2025, at 12:58 am (When the strike or lockout ends, a new Collective Agreement will apply.)
There are some Crew who may be away from home base when the strike commences. The Union proposed that the Collective Agreement continue to apply to Crew until they returned back to their home base. The Company said no.
What this means for you: after 12:58 am on Saturday, August 16, 2025, there is no binding Collective Agreement. All of the protections and standards of the Collective Agreement – rules and entitlements that were bargained over many rounds of bargaining for your protection and benefit – are no longer in force.
For example, if the Company refuses to pay you the rate of pay you would normally be paid under the Collective Agreement, the Union cannot grieve on your behalf. You will no longer have any Collective Agreement protections. Govern yourself accordingly.
In solidarity,
Your Bargaining Committee