Not Fair – Machinists Reject Air Canada Tentative Deal!
Thursday February 23, 2012
For Immediate Release
Toronto, ON – After nine months of face to face bargaining, The Membership of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, The Largest Union at Air Canada has voted to reject a proposed tentative agreement.
During the voting process, it became quite clear that the membership was in no mood to accept what they considered a sub-standard offer from the Airline. As a result, they have also voted 78% in support of strike action.
Today our members across the board are earning less in real terms than they did after the CCAA hearings in 2002. In real dollars, the members have been falling behind each year for over a decade.
During this time, the people that are in charge of running the company are walking away with millions of dollars in their pockets and that’s not fair!
Robert Milton inherited a profitable company and managed Air Canada into bankruptcy. He sold off the divisions that were the most profitable and then he walked away with between $82,000,000.00 and $100,000,000.00.
Montie Brewer was next at the trough and left with around $17,500,000.00, leaving behind a company that was again in trouble.
In 2009, all of the employees of Air Canada were once again asked to save the Airline. They agreed to allow the company to delay their pension payments until 2014.
Now we have Mr. Calin Rovinescu who will soon get another $5,000,000.00 as a retention bonus. Our members are saying this cannot continue!
The IAMAW will be meeting next week to prepare for a return to bargaining with Air Canada.
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For further information:
Chuck Atkinson – IAMAW District Lodge 140 President and General Chairperson
905-671-3192.416-833-8140
Marcel St-Jean – IAMAW Local Lodge 1751 President
514-332-2668/mst-jean@aimta1751.ca
Bill Trbovich – IAMAW Director of Communications
416-386-1789 ext #6331/416-735-9765
