MONTREAL 004100690072 Canada flight attendants officially opened bargaining October 14, with a presentation by Judy Darcy, National President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Management was told by Darcy that, “the time has come for the company to reward its employees for the sacrifices which were made to get it where it is today. Air Canada enjoys profits that could well top half a billion dollars. Much of the responsibility for this profit level rests with our members.”
Darcy advised Air Canada that, “the five thousand CUPE members who work at Air Canada as flight attendants are asking for improved wages and benefits as well as the workplace respect that they deserve.”
Air Canada reported record profits of $427 million for 1997, and the trend is continuing. The second quarter ending June 30, 1998 was the best second quarter operating result in the Companies history.
Darcy said that, “with the company profits topping $1.2 million daily flight attendants deserve their fair share.”
CUPE represents 9,000 members in the Airline Division, most of whom are flight attendants, as well as over 460,000 women and men across Canada working in the municipal, health, education, utilities and social services sectors.
For information please contact:
Catherine Louli, CUPE Communications (613) 850-7488 (cell phone), or (613) 237-1590