CUPE has won the first volley in the legal proceedings surrounding bankruptcy protection for Air Canada. After considering CUPE’s objections, a judge ruled that layoffs scheduled for May 4 should be put on hold.
As a result, 200 flight attendants in Vancouver and Edmonton will continue flying and other future layoffs have been averted at least until after the company has entered into further negotiations with the union.
CUPE continues to press for the recall of 400 flight attendants laid off April 1, but the union’s legal efforts have been hampered by the terms of the bankruptcy protection and the judge has not yet ruled on this point.
Meetings with Air Canada to explore ways to avoid layoffs are scheduled for this week. As well, the airline has invited all its unions to a meeting to discuss its restructuring plans.
Meanwhile CUPE has been working to ensure flight attendants at Air Canada, Air Transat and other airlines continue to qualify for Employment Insurance. Coverage was put in jeopardy by an April 1 ruling that only a flight attendant’s hours in the air would be considered in calculating eligibility. But ’air time’ represents only half the time the job requires.
CUPE appealed the ruling and learned this past week that all the hours worked by a flight attendant, including the time in airports awaiting flights, will be used to calculate eligible hours.
As a result, 200 flight attendants in Vancouver and Edmonton will continue flying and other future layoffs have been averted at least until after the company has entered into further negotiations with the union.
CUPE continues to press for the recall of 400 flight attendants laid off April 1, but the union’s legal efforts have been hampered by the terms of the bankruptcy protection and the judge has not yet ruled on this point.
Meetings with Air Canada to explore ways to avoid layoffs are scheduled for this week. As well, the airline has invited all its unions to a meeting to discuss its restructuring plans.
Meanwhile CUPE has been working to ensure flight attendants at Air Canada, Air Transat and other airlines continue to qualify for Employment Insurance. Coverage was put in jeopardy by an April 1 ruling that only a flight attendant’s hours in the air would be considered in calculating eligibility. But ’air time’ represents only half the time the job requires.
CUPE appealed the ruling and learned this past week that all the hours worked by a flight attendant, including the time in airports awaiting flights, will be used to calculate eligible hours.