TO ALL IAMAW MEMBERS
DISTRICT 140 LOW COST CARRIER
(AC rouge – AC Express)
STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
The DL 140 Low Cost Carrier (AC rouge) Committee met internally and with Air Canada in YYZ on March 5 and 6, 2014. These meetings were a continuation of our discussions from the previous meetings between the parties in November 2013.
The ultimate goal of these meetings is to obtain an agreement between Air Canada, AC rouge and the IAMAW that will offer job protection for our Members at Air Canada as well as to allow our Members to benefit from the additional flying and work that will be generated through the expansion of the AC rouge fleet in the coming years as well as the structural reorganization of the regional feeder flying under the Air Canada Express brand.
A number of issues have now solidified since our last meeting. Air Canada has awarded an RFP to Air Georgian to perform an as yet undisclosed amount of transborder flying under the AC Express brand. Some of this flying is or was being performed by Jazz. This is the first part of a larger reorganization of their entire regional flying operation under the AC Express brand that will have an impact on the ground handling work performed by our Members.
The Company has also provided the Committee with an update on the AC rouge summer schedule and an increase in the transfer rate of aircraft from the mainline fleet. AC rouge now plans to have thirty-eight (38) aircraft in their fleet by the end of 2014, up from their initial target of thirty (30) aircraft.
The Committee was also given an update of AC rouge’s requirements with respect to the duties and functions that are historic IAMAW scope duties. These duties and functions are currently being performed for AC rouge by our Air Canada Members under the terms and conditions of the Air Canada IAMAW mainline Collective Agreement and multiple Service Level Agreements (SLAs) between Air Canada and AC rouge. Your LCC Committee has identified many issues and concerns arising from the creation of AC rouge and the structural reorganization of the regional flying operation performed under the Air Canada Express brand that will affect our existing Membership. The purpose of the LCC Committee is to protect our Members in their existing jobs as well as to add new jobs and increase the future job security for all IAMAW Members at Air Canada and AC rouge.
These discussions are on an aggressive timeline and the parties are committed to reaching a final agreement in the next few months. This is to allow AC rouge to enter their 2014 summer schedule with this agreement in place and IAMAW Members performing IAMAW scope work for AC rouge.
Air Canada, AC rouge and the IAMAW have agreed to meet again in YYZ on April 10, 2014 to continue this process. The LCC Steering Committee thanks our Membership for your support and we will keep you informed at every stage of this process as we move forward.
In Solidarity,
Your LCC Steering Committee
Tony Didoshak, General Chairperson
Transportation District 140 – IAMAW – Western Region
