CUPE’s Political Action Committee is working hard to turn out the flight attendant vote on October 19. As federally regulated workers, government policy directly affects our health and safety, and bargaining rights. 

Recently, we sent a questionnaire to all the major parties asking them if they would scrap regulations and laws that are detrimental to us, and implement beneficial new ones like an affordable national child care program. The NDP, Green Party, Bloc, and Liberals have now responded. Despite our many attempts to reach them, the CPC has not.

Before you vote, assess which party most strongly supports our interests, especially on the commitment to scrapping the 1:50 flight attendant ratio.

Here is our analysis of what each of the three respondents had to say:

New Democratic Party (NDP)

The NDP has answered “yes” to all questions, including  scrapping 1:50 – without conditions. During the Harper government we have worked closely with our allies in the party, especially Hoang Mai and Mike Sullivan who are members on the Standing Committee for Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities. Both Hoang and Mike were the only Members of Parliament who took the time to show up at the May 22, 2014 Transport Canada meeting about 1:50, and strongly condemned TC for proposing to change the regulation. We think an NDP government is our best bet for scrapping 1:50.

Liberal Party                              

Most of the Liberal Party’s answers were nuanced with various conditions. On scrapping 1:50, for example, the devil is in the details. They would scrap 1:50 after consultation “with stakeholders and experts”. During the Harper government, CUPE’s expert research showing that 1:50 does not provide an equivalent level of safety to 1:40 has been ignored. More consultation is not a promise to scrap 1:50.

Green Party

Like the NDP, the Green Party seemed pretty unequivocal in scrapping 1:50. Though they won’t be able to scrap the legislation since they can’t form government, they will keep advocating for its reversal.

Bloc québécois

The Bloc responded favorably to five of our six issues, including the reversal of the 1:50 ratio. However, the Bloc is opposed to a national child care program.