Globe and Mail Article, Foreign pilots

[Gilles Hudicourt]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-o ... 82/?page=2

The blistering debate is making Mr. Rowe, at CanJet, rethink his hiring practices. Next month, he said, he will change the qualifications listed on job postings to ensure Canadian pilots with big-jet operator experience are eligible. “It’s becoming a sensitive issue,” he said.

In the airline sector, the use of temporary foreign workers has become a divisive topic. CanJet Airlines used the program to bring in about 30 seasonal foreign pilots this winter. It needs them given the seasonality of its business and the large expense it would incur in training Canadian pilots with experience in smaller aircraft, said Stephen Rowe, president of the Nova Scotia-based firm. It’s hard to find Canadians willing to work a 4.5-month stint and who are qualified, he says, so that if the program were scrapped, “we would really have to look at the business to see if it makes sense,” he said. “And if it didn’t make sense, we’d be out of the charter business. And there are 700 jobs that would be gone with it.”

Rival carrier Sunwing made two applications for temporary foreign pilots last fall, for 60 and 59 pilots, respectively, according to the Air Line Pilots Association, which obtained documents relating to those applications through access to information. That touches a nerve with many pilots who have been out of work, such as Steve Zago, a 14-year veteran. He and about 60 other pilots were laid off at Transat A.T. last October. All of them were qualified airline pilots, he said, so they applied to open positions at both Sunwing and CanJet, but did not get a response.

“When we started losing our jobs, and the vast majority of us, myself included, were all experienced airline pilots applying – and none of us got the call,” Mr. Zago said. “It’s upsetting and very frustrating.”

Montreal-based Transat complained to the federal government that rivals such as Sunwing are using seasonal workers at a much lower cost. Transat says its workforce is Canadian, but could be forced to resort to foreign pilots in the future given the competitive pressure. “Of course, we will adapt our model to the new reality. It’s important for us, for business and competitive reasons,” said spokesman Pierre Tessier.

The blistering debate is making Mr. Rowe, at CanJet, rethink his hiring practices. Next month, he said, he will change the qualifications listed on job postings to ensure Canadian pilots with big-jet operator experience are eligible. “It’s becoming a sensitive issue,” he said.

Some companies on the list say they need to move staff between countries. Deloitte Canada, one of several accounting and consulting firms who use the program, moves employees around its network, a practice that also involves Canadian staff working in other countries. “As part of our mobility culture we do encourage our people from Canada and abroad to experience a variety of professional experiences and to share their professional expertise within our global network,” Deloitte spokeswoman Jeannie Tsang said.

Some business owners are ardent defenders of the practice. Paul Vickers, owner of four restaurants and a casino in Calgary, argues the food service business needs reliable people, regardless of where they come from. “You pay them and they show up for work,” he said of temporary foreign workers. He said he has hired small numbers of workers, mostly from the Philippines, to work as chefs and dishwashers and pays them the same or more as his other workers. He has resorted to the program because of what Mr. Vickers calls a “disturbing trend” in hiring local workers who sometimes don’t show up. “You fire him, and he doesn’t even think of it, he just goes onto the next job,” he said.

The agriculture sector has long relied on foreign workers to meet seasonal demands. Church and State Wines, a B.C. company that runs wineries, has used the program for the past four years, hiring between three and five Mexicans to weed, prune and harvest for a six-month period. “It’s hard physical labour and you’re doing it in the heat of summer,” said Lyndell Curry, the winery’s administration manager.

Workers, typically men in their 30s with families in Mexico, have come back for successive seasons. “We have had repeat employees – it’s a six-month term, they can make a lot of money and go back home,” Ms. Curry said. “For us, it’s $10.25 an hour; for them, that allows them to support a family.”

Not all business owners are fans of the program though. Roxanne Jones, manager of the Toddle Inn Day Care in Strathmore, Alta., just east of Calgary, said she is constantly looking for qualified staff. But after bringing in a temporary foreign worker from the U.S. two years ago who did not work out, and footing the associated extra costs of the program, she wouldn’t do it again, “Unless I had to,” Ms. Jones said, adding the program “is just all kinds of paperwork.”

[FICU]

Gaining traction!

Well done Gilles and thank you!!

[Gilles Hudicourt]

Another Globe Article, another Air Transat pilot in the news

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/report-on- ... ice=mobile

Temporary foreign worker program twists labour market: economists

The growth of Canada’s temporary foreign worker program has created distortions in the labour market, from downward pressure on wages in some sectors to acting as a disincentive to train workers, economists say.

Documents obtained by The Globe and Mail this week show 33,000 employers, spanning all sectors, have used the program in recent years.

The huge uptake, which totalled more than 330,000 foreign workers last year, has likely suppressed wages in some industries, such as retail and construction, and affected opportunities for youth and immigrants, labour market experts say. And the rush to use foreign workers has created problems on the training front.

“Canada already has an abysmal record on training and this is another incentive not to train existing workers,” said Robert Fairholm, partner and economist at the Milton, Ont.-based Centre for Spatial Economics. “Not training people who are here can be very detrimental because we’re hollowing out skills in the country … and that has the potential for big negative long-term consequences.”

Mr. Fairholm said the program needs to pared back. “I think it’s run amok.” But he and others don’t want to see the TFW program scrapped, saying it’s valuable to bring in highly skilled people who share their knowledge.

There is plenty of underutilized labour in Canada. The country’s jobless rate as a whole is 7.2 per cent, but the broadest measure of unemployment – which includes the unemployed, part-time workers who’d prefer to be full-time and discouraged people, is 11.2 per cent, Statistics Canada figures show.

Underemployment is particularly acute among young people and immigrants, who have likely been most affected by the growth in temporary foreign workers. Young people, newcomers and the aboriginal population are “the groups most affected by the influx of TFWs” since their connection to the labour market is more tenuous, and they are thus “first to be pushed out,” said Jason Foster, an industrial relations expert at Athabasca University who’s written a paper on the topic.

Plus, he added, these groups are more likely to be found in the sectors, such as restaurants, hotels, retail and construction, where the TFW influx has been strongest.

Just four in 10 skilled immigrants are working in jobs commensurate with their skills and training, a portion that hasn’t improved in recent years, said Ratna Omidvar, president of the Maytree Foundation who has long argued the TFW needs to be fixed in favour of permanent immigrants who settle, pay taxes and integrate in Canada.

“What’s happening to the other six [in 10]? With very little effort one could reach out to them.”

Montreal-based pilot Tanguy Castric was laid off from a Canadian airline last fall, and applied to Sunwing and CanJet. Despite 18 years of experience and related qualifications flying large-sized aircraft, he didn’t even land an interview. At around the same time, the two firms were bringing in dozens of temporary foreign workers, according to information obtained by the Air Line Pilots Association.

He later found himself moving from one city to another in Pakistan on a contract with an airline there. It wasn’t an easy decision to leave his family behind, missing his baby son’s first birthday and first Christmas. And it was stressful.

On his first flight, from Lahore to Dubai, the flaps failed and so did a reverser, causing a hair-raising landing.

In Peshawar, he was told not to leave his hotel.

He felt he didn’t have much choice taking the job, however, if he wanted to keep his skills fresh.

“It’s hard to understand,” said Mr. Castric, now back in Canada with his girlfriend and baby. “I’m not angry about the companies” that employ foreign workers, he said, “and I’m not angry at the people coming here. I’m angry about the government letting this happen. I pay taxes in Canada, and I believe that I deserve some rights.”

[Mach7]

Kudo's to the article, but read between the lines when Rowe says;

Next month, he said, he will change the qualifications listed on job postings to ensure Canadian pilots with big-jet operator experience are eligible.

The buzz word here is "with big-jet operator experience" and that IMO allows a loop hole of sorts.

I would think the government loves this Foreign work program only because they get the tax money whilst at the same time these individuals are not eligible for EI (?).

[Localizer]

So pilots have been beating this drum for over a year and it takes 45 bankers to lose their jobs at RBC before anyone takes notice? Its sad, but at least its finally being realized by the general public. Where is Dan Adamus and the ALPA Canada Board?? Shouldn't we be seeing his face on CBC? CTV? CityTV? Politics with Evan Solomon? Something?? When something has momentum shouldn't you get while the getting's good??

[Mig29]

I totally agree!!

[Changes in Latitudes]

Not sure where we'd be headed without your tireless efforts, Gilles. Greatly appreciated.

[YHZGOOSE]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-o ... 82/?page=2

Montreal-based Transat complained to the federal government that rivals such as Sunwing are using seasonal workers at a much lower cost. Transat says its workforce is Canadian, but could be forced to resort to foreign pilots in the future given the competitive pressure. “Of course, we will adapt our model to the new reality. It’s important for us, for business and competitive reasons,” said spokesman Pierre Tessier.

The blistering debate is making Mr. Rowe, at CanJet, rethink his hiring practices. Next month, he said, he will change the qualifications listed on job postings to ensure Canadian pilots with big-jet operator experience are eligible. “It’s becoming a sensitive issue,” he said.

.”

I've said it all along Air Transat will adapt to the new reality. Gilles, we have agreed to disagree on it because I have never ever said it was right, I said its fact and a reality and there is no way that airlines will stop doing it.

I have changed airlines too many times, and not by choice, by necessity. I've come a long way from a whippersnapper with ambition. Years of military and commercial experience to wondering what next. Will SWG continue the practise? Will Rowe shut CanJet? Will Air Transat bring on foreign pilots? What, if, when? Not that certain pilots at CJ care, they have the protection of everlasting jobs ( sarcasm inserted ).

You wait and see and it won't be too long unti Air Transat uses the loophole to their advantage. And I am curious what are the Air Transat pilots going to do about it? CanJet has the same union as you guys do and it's never served us. Gilles, a few of us guys mentioned ALPA stepping up to the plate and not because we were riding you, but because it's been apparent their lack of intervention on the topic was deafening and it seems you have done all the work while they collect dues.

Air Transat admits they looked at the business plans of Sunwing and CanJet and they snuggled right next to it. You will be getting your 737's and the foreign pilots! Dont think for a minute they would make statements to the press about doing it on the widebodies if it hasn't already been around the board room table.

Here's a question for everyone. Are you ready to wildcat strike over this to affect the operation so passengers become aware of it because right now passengers don't care. They will still pay their fare and jump on a flight. As long as they get to the all inclusive they worked hard all year to get to, it won't matter if someone in the right seat isnt' Canadian. People buy '' made in Hong Kong products all the time!

OR you can take it to Justin Trudeau. He's chomping at the mouth to get something of substance to fight with in his campaign. Maybe he wants to fight for Canadians having the right to fill vacant job positions.

[Sasquash]

Hyzgoose is right in that eventually all major airlines could, in fact, copy the current model to hire foreign airline pilots.

The airlines will do so because of necessity, as a result of the Regulators (notice the plural form) of all the federal departments involved, refusing to do what they are mandated to do. The astonishing lack of accountability does not help either.

Yes, it is political to the Nth degree, and one of the option to right this wrong is speaking up like Gilles does.

Everyone may or may not have an opinion on this issue. I think I understand why one could have a defeatist view of the process and to sincerely believe nothing will change.

Perhaps nothing will, but at least if we have to go down, lets go down with a fight first.

Cat Driver had a similar story with the Regulator that lasted several years. His final resolution was not ideal in his case, but I am pretty sure he had the satisfaction of keeping the regulator's feet in the fire for many years. (Correct me if I am wrong, Cat)

What's happening in Canada with foreign Airline pilots is wrong. Issuing Foreign license validation certificates in violation of the regulations is wrong.

All of us should support this effort and not drop the ball until a positive change is mad.

And whomever suggested a while ago that Gilles should never have to buy a drink again, I am on board with that as well!!