Porter Cancelling CEWS and Health Benefits: UNIFOR

[DHC-1 Jockey]

https://www.unifor.org/en/whats-new/pre ... duce-costs

I’m not sure why Jerry D’s last name got censored when I tried to post the link text, but here it is anyways.

January 19, 2021

TORONTO – Porter Airlines is using the pandemic as an excuse to stop paying workers using the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) and terminating health care coverage for its furloughed workers.

"It's disgusting that Porter Airlines would use the pandemic as an excuse to attack workers making little more than minimum wage," said Jerry ****, Unifor National President. "This employer wanted to open the collective agreement and cut 10%. The problem is that for most of these workers, a 10% cut would put them well below minimum wage. It's clear that the decision to stop CEWS and benefits for those on layoff is retaliatory."

[altiplano]

I didn't know that Porter was unionized. What employee group is represented by Unifor?

I think this is Porter stopping playing the Federal gov's game of artificially propping up employment numbers while doing nothing for the industry.

Tough for the employees, but when 10s of thousands on the street passes a hundred thousand in this business it starts opening some eyes and get some attention.

[fish4life]

It could also be that they can’t afford to keep paying health benefits considering they haven’t spun a prop in almost a year.

[Grey_Wolf]

I didn't know that Porter was unionized. What employee group is represented by Unifor?

Unifor represents the Customer Service Representatives/Ambassadore (CSR/CSA) and Ramp/Baggage Handlers

Pilot are not unionized.

Company memo went out in early December stating, game plan was to restart in the spring, assuming "all things lining up".
Also stated that the first 12-24 months would be difficult due to the recovery phase, and hopeing "passenger levels would return to adequate" by 2022
As a result, there would be need to be cuts across the board, no department left untouched.

Pilots went from 85 hour guarantee down to 77. Other departments would have their scales adjusted accordingly.

[fish4life]

Did the pilots agree to the change or was it just decided for them?

[Grey_Wolf]

Did the pilots agree to the change or was it just decided for them?

tl:dr - Decided for them!

As mentioned, Porter Pilots aren't unionized, however they do have a Flight Operations Administrative Guide (FOAG). It's a 'terms and conditions' that governs how they do do scheduling, including policies and procedures for various topics like Passports, RAIC, Absences, Per diems, Cell Phone allowance, etc...). It isn't a CBA, and doesn't have the legal teeth a CBA would.

The FOAG does have peer elected members, that speak to management on our behalf about the policies in place. Any changes are debated through them, and then introduced to the Pilot group for further scrutiny before any addition, cancelation, and amendment is made. In normal circumstances, these changes would role out after a Pilot Town Hall Forum.

[Canuck1988]

Did the pilots agree to the change or was it just decided for them?

tl:dr - Decided for them!

As mentioned, Porter Pilots aren't unionized, however they do have a Flight Operations Administrative Guide (FOAG). It's a 'terms and conditions' that governs how they do do scheduling, including policies and procedures for various topics like Passports, RAIC, Absences, Per diems, Cell Phone allowance, etc...). It isn't a CBA, and doesn't have the legal teeth a CBA would.

The FOAG does have peer elected members, that speak to management on our behalf about the policies in place. Any changes are debated through them, and then introduced to the Pilot group for further scrutiny before any addition, cancelation, and amendment is made. In normal circumstances, these changes would role out after a Pilot Town Hall Forum.

.... wait, what? Cell phone allowance?!?

[notwhoyouthinkIam]

.... wait, what? Cell phone allowance?!?

Cell phone allowance may be nice, but it’s probably $50 per month.