Air Canada employees serve strike notice

[jar_e]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...rticle2056969/

The Canadian Auto Workers union has issued strike notice against Air Canada, clearing the way for a walkout by 3,800 sales and service agents next week.
The CAW opposes management’s proposal to place new hires on defined-contribution pensions, which don’t provide a guaranteed level of payout upon retirement.

Could start as early as Monday night.

[simmonjam1]

I hope my flight doesn't delay Monday....

[jar_e]

^^Highly recommend you check out http://www.aircanada.com/en/news/tra...r_updates.html and the FAQs. Some good info if you're traveling soon.

[Yasa]

It's ok, I think we all know how to put our seatbelts on by this point.

[Reaper]

Air Canada? That's like Westjet but more expensive, eh? I've no idea.

[Mad Mel]

Good. Stay on strike until that third-world airline goes tits-up.

[chalms04]

Originally Posted by jar_e

^^Highly recommend you check out http://www.westjet.com/guest/en/home.shtml. Some good info if you're traveling soon.

fyp

[DementedReality]

i used to travel 20-30 times a year and thought AC was terrrible!

ever since they installed those entertainment systems and upgraded their aircraft, i must admit they are far better to fly on then WestJet.

Way more seat room and far more comfortable. Still crappy service from the miserable employee's though.

[Dion]

I thought it was called Government Airlines, considering all the handouts they've gotten over the years from the Feds.

[jar_e]

Originally Posted by chalms04

fyp

Unfortunately, there are still numerous towns in Canada that westjet doesn't fly to, and thus, air canada becomes almost a necessity.

[CaramonLS]

Anything with AC Jazz is a brutal flight.

[Mtt48]

I prefer flying Air Canada. It's nicer, the clientele seems to know how to travel and I find the service superior. I used the fly Westjet fairly frequently but I just can't do it anymore.

[HOZ]

Originally Posted by Mtt48

I prefer flying Air Canada. It's nicer, the clientele seems to know how to travel and I find the service superior. I used the fly Westjet fairly frequently but I just can't do it anymore.

Why is that? Don't leave us hanging here.

Interested in knowing.

[FlameOn]

Speaking from the perspective of someone whos immediate family works at AC, there's a reason the staff are so miserable all the time and there's such horrible service. AC is a horribly run company and all the employees know it.

Ever since AC took over Canadian airlines, its never been quite the same. Company went into chapter 11 for a bit and had to restructure this lead to pay cuts and freezes that have lasted for eight years... and even with the some increases lately, the pay increases have not really been enough to cover inflation. Basically there have been no pay increases for almost 8ish years now? Also, parts of the company like ACTS are being outsourced to Aveo and people are being forced to take layoffs or transfer to Aveo or relocating to bases far outside your home city?

This is all while the CEOes have taken huge bonuses... I believe Kevin Benson or one of his successors took hundreds of millions of bonuses in the year that hundreds of employees got laid off. The sum of his bonuses alone (let alone the board) would have more than covered the layoffs. All this coupled with the fact AC keeps on cutting flights and shrinking their business makes a lot of AC employees very depressed.

[drewboy12]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

Speaking from the perspective of someone whos immediate family works at AC, there's a reason the staff are so miserable all the time and there's such horrible service. AC is a horribly run company and all the employees know it.

Ever since AC took over Canadian airlines, its never been quite the same. Company went into chapter 11 for a bit and had to restructure this lead to pay cuts and freezes that have lasted for eight years... and even with the some increases lately, the pay increases have not really been enough to cover inflation. Basically there have been no pay increases for almost 8ish years now? Also, parts of the company like ACTS are being outsourced to Aveo and people are being forced to take layoffs or transfer to Aveo or relocating to bases far outside your home city?

This is all while the CEOes have taken huge bonuses... I believe Kevin Benson or one of his successors took hundreds of millions of bonuses in the year that hundreds of employees got laid off. The sum of his bonuses alone (let alone the board) would have more than covered the layoffs. All this coupled with the fact AC keeps on cutting flights and shrinking their business makes a lot of AC employees very depressed.

They make more then WestJet employees... They can suck it up and stop complaining.... They have a job.

[burn_this_city]

I hope I can get home on wednesday.

[mykalberta]

For me:

Domestically AC is #2
To Europe AC is #2 after only BA and AC is very competitively priced.
To South America they are #1 but you have to go to YYZ to fly down.
To Asia they are #3 IMO.

This is what I dont get about unions. The strike is about new employees - I get that the Union wants to protect its long term viability but why would current workers who this doesnt affect strike? This is what RGMG about unions and why I really have a tough time supporting them in anything they do.

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by drewboy12

They make more then WestJet employees... They can suck it up and stop complaining.... They have a job.

Westjet owners...

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

This is what I dont get about unions. The strike is about new employees - I get that the Union wants to protect its long term viability but why would current workers who this doesnt affect strike?

They were saying that the employees are a bit peeved that they want to cut pensions when the employees themselves have contributed a billion dollars to the pension fund over the past few years.

When you have CEO's and managment taking huge bonuses, than wanting to cut the pension of employees, that won't go over well.

[Lee of Red]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

For me:

Domestically AC is #2
To Europe AC is #2 after only BA and AC is very competitively priced.
To South America they are #1 but you have to go to YYZ to fly down.
To Asia they are #3 IMO.

You can often fly on the Canadian Affair affiliates to Europe for less than Westjet to Toronto or Montreal.

Air travel in Canada is utter madness.