ALPA Canada and Lisa Raitt

[Donald]

Anyone else see this?

Visit from the Labour Minister

The Board also held a closed-door meeting with the Honourable Minister of Labour Lisa Raitt. Members of the Board raised several important issues of concern to Canadian pilots, including the issue of back-to-work legislation for certain companies, and the issue of foreign workers, and specifically, foreign pilots who airlines are bringing into Canada to fill seasonal positions. Minister Raitt also indicated that they plan to reopen the Canadian Labour Code in the near future.

Seems ironic considering that Canjet is represented by ALPA...

[mbav8r]

How is that ironic? Do you think the Canjet MEC created this situation? I believe Canjet is doing what they want regardless of how the Pilot's feel about it, which is why ALPA canada board is approaching the Minister with their concerns. Unless they(Canjet ALPA) negotiate it into the contract, which would require bargaining capital, the only other way to change this would be on an legislative level. The latter being the better option, considering it would prevent others from doing the same thing.

[confuzed]

That's true mbaviator, at least the Canjet MEC represented by ALPA has help. The Sunwing guys don't even get that, and from what I'm hearing they're bringing in close to 200 foreign pilots this season!

[CD]

At the same time, you have to wonder just how many Canadian pilots are currently working off-shore... If the situation were to be addressed at the "legislative level", would all those expat pilots also have to then come "home" to work? That would only be fair, right?

[ng78]

At the same time, you have to wonder just how many Canadian pilots are currently working off-shore... If the situation were to be addressed at the "legislative level", would all those expat pilots also have to then come "home" to work? That would only be fair, right?

Why are these Canadians working off-shore? A few reasons, including lack of jobs in Canada, or better terms and conditions overseas. The reason there are jobs overseas for expats in the first place is that those places don't have enough pilots of their own which is an entirely different situation. Clearly that isn't the case in Canada when you have plenty of trained and qualified pilots ready to work, only to find out that airlines such as Canjet and Sunwing shamelessly bring in foreign pilots without having an equivalent number of pilots going overseas on a reciprocal agreement.

[Donald]

How is that ironic?

I find it ironic in that if you were to question or criticize CanJet, specifically mentioning their practice of hiring foreign pilots due to the apparent lack of qualified Canadians, you would be met with resistance by CanJet's own pilots as well as their praise for their company and it's business practices. Now the pilot's own union is taking action to try and change the rules about this. Doubly interesting when you throw Ken Rowe and his history in the mix.

[YVR Dude]

That's true mbaviator, at least the Canjet MEC represented by ALPA has help. The Sunwing guys don't even get that, and from what I'm hearing they're bringing in close to 200 foreign pilots this season!

Over 200 pilots are being brought in...and now they've stopped hiring..after only hiring 8 pilots!!

[YYZatcboy]

only to find out that airlines such as Canjet and Sunwing shamelessly bring in foreign pilots without having an equivalent number of pilots going overseas on a reciprocal agreement.

Canjet brought in 40 pilots from overseas and sent 20 Canadians over last summer, with a plan to increase that as much as possible. The 20 pilot difference hardly seems shameless, especially since they plan to even it up.

Sunwing on the other hand... Yeah I'm with you 100% on that one N.

[flyinthebug]

How is that ironic?

I find it ironic in that if you were to question or criticize CanJet, specifically mentioning their practice of hiring foreign pilots due to the apparent lack of qualified Canadians, you would be met with resistance by CanJet's own pilots as well as their praise for their company and it's business practices. Now the pilot's own union is taking action to try and change the rules about this.

+1

I have a very good friend at Canjet that would echo these sentiments. He has been there going on 8 years now, and loves his job & company.

*Edit to appease (checks dictionary... ya thats right) trey kule lol aka grammar sherriff

[trey kule]

I have a very good friend at Canjet that would echo these sediments. He has been there going on 8 years now, and loves his job & company

.

No need to be bringing up dirt on the company

[flyinthebug]

I have a very good friend at Canjet that would echo these sentiments. He has been there going on 8 years now, and loves his job & company

.

No need to be bringing up dirt on the company

Sentiments smart a$$ lol. I missed that class in grade 9

[teacher]

At the same time, you have to wonder just how many Canadian pilots are currently working off-shore... If the situation were to be addressed at the "legislative level", would all those expat pilots also have to then come "home" to work? That would only be fair, right?

Why are these Canadians working off-shore? A few reasons, including lack of jobs in Canada, or better terms and conditions overseas. The reason there are jobs overseas for expats in the first place is that those places don't have enough pilots of their own which is an entirely different situation. Clearly that isn't the case in Canada when you have plenty of trained and qualified pilots ready to work, only to find out that airlines such as Canjet and Sunwing shamelessly bring in foreign pilots without having an equivalent number of pilots going overseas on a reciprocal agreement.

They're also working overseas because in many of those countries there are NO qualified local pilots to take those jobs.

[whipline]

I haven't started with them (Sunwing) yet, but I'm in the next class for Jan 28th ..seemed like a good bunch, and easy going...Interview fairly straight forward, tech exam ( 20 questions) and sim eval..mine was on the 767 so no real trouble..

Good plans moving forward with new planes arriving next year (2008), although I don't know how many or when..not yet, anyway! Heard lots of good from the guys that already are there so, we'll see I guess..

YVR Dude

Things not work out for you YVR Dude?

Facts. Sunwing has sent more pilots over to the UK/Europe then brought to Canada. The only reason Sunwing is doing it now is Canjet getting away with it without any recip agreements. No Sunwing pilots want more then a 1 for 1 recip agreement.

As a side note Sunwing pilots were just turned down by ALPA. How seriously can you take ALPA's complaint when they had a chance to try and fix the problem from within?

[Les Habitants]

Right Wing Capitalism at it's best...hmph

[teacher]

As a side note Sunwing pilots were just turned down by ALPA. How seriously can you take ALPA's complaint when they had a chance to try and fix the problem from within?

I doubt it. They've certified smaller carriers before. Did the Sunwing pilot group not have enough internal support? Without the right numbers there's nothing they can do.

[The Hammer]

As a side note Sunwing pilots were just turned down by ALPA. How seriously can you take ALPA's complaint when they had a chance to try and fix the problem from within?

I doubt it. They've certified smaller carriers before. Did the Sunwing pilot group not have enough internal support? Without the right numbers there's nothing they can do.

ALPA is at Wasaya, they run caravans, PC12's 1900's and a few dash 8's (3 I think) and maybe a couple of hs748 if they are still servicable.

There was something other than "size matters"

[whipline]

Hi teacher/hammer. We were given reasons as to why we were turned down. Bogus or not I have know idea? We've had an association for yrs that does a great job. We have a bunch of cash in the bank so I dont think it had anything to do with support numbers. I'm personally on the fence about joining any union, but my preference was ALPA. That's now gone never to return.

As for winter flying, the problem with southern charters is we're busy in the winter and slow in the summer. Sunwing just took another step forward in producing yr round work with the acquisition of an American tour company that's busy in the summer that we'll be providing lift for.

As a pilot group we're making strides to bring reciprocal agreements 1 for 1. I think one of the problems is we always see it from purely a pilots perspective. For every one crew we bring over we also hire flight att's, dispatchers, crew schedulers, ground staff, catering, etc. couple that with the fact it's a government program the company operates under. This year is bogus with the amount of foreign pilots we've brought in, and we all know it.

[YVR Dude]

I haven't started with them (Sunwing) yet, but I'm in the next class for Jan 28th ..seemed like a good bunch, and easy going...Interview fairly straight forward, tech exam ( 20 questions) and sim eval..mine was on the 767 so no real trouble..

Good plans moving forward with new planes arriving next year (2008), although I don't know how many or when..not yet, anyway! Heard lots of good from the guys that already are there so, we'll see I guess..

YVR Dude

Things not work out for you YVR Dude?

Facts. Sunwing has sent more pilots over to the UK/Europe then brought to Canada. The only reason Sunwing is doing it now is Canjet getting away with it without any recip agreements. No Sunwing pilots want more then a 1 for 1 recip agreement.

As a side note Sunwing pilots were just turned down by ALPA. How seriously can you take ALPA's complaint when they had a chance to try and fix the problem from within?

Ummm, wrong whipline...

Sunwing sent over approx 46 pilots to the UK last summer, and they are bringing in over 200 foreign pilots this winter...hardly a reciprocal agreement!

...and things are fine for me, thanks for asking!!

[whipline]

Since day 1 yvr dude. The first 4 yrs sunwing sent crews to the uk with no foreign pilots coming to Canada. Of course you knew that though, right? Oh and your last years numbers are also incorrect.