TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE IAMAW
Aveos – CCAA
Dear Sisters and Brothers:
On Sunday, March 18, 2012, at around 1700 hours, we were informed that Aveos had closed the doors on its Heavy Maintenance operation in Montreal and subsequently did the same for the rest of the country.
As the week began, the IAMAW was notified that Aveos had applied in the Superior Court of Quebec, Commercial Division, for relief under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA).
The CCAA application was received in our offices in Montreal at 0021 hours on the morning of Monday, March 19.
Numerous attempts were made to get information from Aveos’s Labour Relations and/or its CEO,
Joe Kolshak. Yesterday afternoon, the company finally responded to us. It was a very short conversation. We asked several questions, which Mr. Kolshak refused to answer. Instead, he directed us to have our lawyers contact their lawyers for any further information.
On Monday, the IAMAW held a press conference in Toronto and released a statement to the press regarding what we consider a direct violation to the Air Canada Public Participation Act (ACPPA).
General Vice President Dave Ritchie made it clear that, in addition to Aveos, Air Canada also has an obligation to the workers and their families.
We want the Federal government to intervene before these highly skilled workers are forced to move on and disappear forever.
At 14:29 today, we received a phone message from Aveos Labour Relations informing us that the company is insolvent and all employees will be terminated.
We will be discussing this with legal and more information will be made available as we get it. In solidarity,
Chuck Atkinson
President and Directing General Chairperson
CA/mcb
