TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE IAMAW WORKING AT AIR CANADA
Back-to-Work Legislation
Dear Sisters and Brothers:
Labour Minister Lisa Raitt has introduced back-to-work legislation in the House of Commons.
The proposal states that the parties will be subjected to binding arbitration using a “Final Offer Selection” arbitration process, which further complicates the issue.
Under this process, the arbitrator is only allowed to choose the complete submission of one party or the other. There is no opportunity to take parts from each submission and produce a balanced decision.
In addition, we are not allowed to choose who the arbitrator will be. The government will appoint “a person that the Minister considers appropriate.”
Our lawyers are reviewing the proposed legislation at this time.
While the review by legal is ongoing, members of the TMOS bargaining committee have been sent home to spend time with their families and get some well-deserved rest.
Tomorrow in Ottawa, we will be attending a case management meeting at the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB). The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the Minister of Labour’s application to the CIRB regarding the question of whether or not our work for Air Canada represents an essential service.
We will keep the membership apprised of the situation as the process moves along.
The IAMAW would like to thank its members and the members of the other unions for supporting us through this difficult process.
In solidarity,
Chuck Atkinson
President and Directing General Chairperson
