Approximately 50 representatives of CUPE unions of flight attendants met all day Sunday. This biennial meeting of CUPE’s Airline Division focused mainly on the revision of the constitution. Funding of joint projects received particular attention.
CUPE represents the cabin crew members of Air Canada and Air Canada Red, Air Transat, Calm Air, Canadian North, Cathay Pacific, First Air and Sunwing. Each of these companies has its own union group called a “component”. The largest of these components comprise several locals.
The discussion focused particularly on the operation of the Division’s Defence Fund, shared jointly by the components, which provides various forms of financial support. The deposit and withdrawal procedures for the Fund were revised through the adoption of various resolutions.
The participants reaffirmed the importance of launching projects aimed at improving the health and safety of flight attendants, and consequently of passengers as well.
They also stressed the importance of solidarity among the components when taking action in situations such as waves of layoffs or airline tragedies.
In the morning’s speeches, the national leaders of CUPE warmly thanked the participants for their union involvement. They reiterated their intention to support, by every means at their disposal, the restoration of the standard of one flight attendant per 40 passengers. As the Conservatives changed the regulations, the standard of one flight attendant per 50 passenger seats is now in effect.