TRURO, NS – CUPE Nova Scotia President Danny Cavanagh is asking the 18,000 members of his union to find alternative means of transportation while carrying out their duties and responsibilities to their membership during the Air Canada strike.
“We are in full support of our sisters and brothers in CAW who are defending themselves against concessions and attacks on their pension plans.
“We also stand in solidarity with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in their dispute with Canada Post. We were shocked yesterday when Canada Post locked out their workers who were participating in a series of rotating strikes across the country. These workers are also defending themselves against pension attacks and a two tier benefit structure for new employees,” says Cavanagh.
CUPE National – the largest union in the country with over 600,000 members and 800 staff - has suspended all of its normal business travel with Air Canada for the immediate future.
Says Cavanagh, “Our national president, Paul Moist, made that announcement this week and we hope this sends a clear signal to the company that employees are not about to see their working conditions attacked.”
Canadian Auto Workers (CAW Local 2002) are currently in the midst of a strike with Air Canada. CUPE represents 6,800 Air Canada flight attendants, who are also currently in bargaining. The Air Canada Component of CUPE recently requested conciliation in the hopes of reaching a fair agreement with the employer.
Cavanagh says, “The Harper government should stop siding with the managers in these two disputes and give free democratic collective bargaining an opportunity to work.”
For more information:
Danny Cavanagh
CUPE NS President
(902) 957-0822 (Cell)
John McCracken
CUPE Communications Representative
(902) 880-8057 (Cell)