Encore Pilots Lose Reserved Seniority

[JBI]

For those hired before Dec 5, 2022, they still retain their reserved seniority when they flow. They will be slotted in where they were previously supposed to be with respect to the WestJet Pilots that are currently on the WJ/Encore Combined seniority list. There may be a former SWG pilot beside them or not. But basically, if someone was hired at Encore Aug 1, 2018, they will go on the new list behind a WJ pilot hired July 2018 and above a WJ pilot hired later in Aug 2018.

Yeah, there's not going to be major grievances made regarding that. If an Encore pilot is slotted between slot 500 and 502, but now there's four Sunwing pilots there, where does the Encore pilot go?

haha agreed "Adjacent to" is a pretty ambiguous term!

[dontcallmeshirley]

For those hired before Dec 5, 2022, they still retain their reserved seniority when they flow. They will be slotted in where they were previously supposed to be with respect to the WestJet Pilots that are currently on the WJ/Encore Combined seniority list. There may be a former SWG pilot beside them or not. But basically, if someone was hired at Encore Aug 1, 2018, they will go on the new list behind a WJ pilot hired July 2018 and above a WJ pilot hired later in Aug 2018.

Yeah, there's not going to be major grievances made regarding that. If an Encore pilot is slotted between slot 500 and 502, but now there's four Sunwing pilots there, where does the Encore pilot go?

haha agreed "Adjacent to" is a pretty ambiguous term!

And it's all great until WestJet sells the dash operation to another operator and the MOA at the end of the contract comes into play.

WHEREAS:
A.
The Parties wish to provide a commitment to Pilots that there would be preferential hiring at WestJet in the event that Encore were to cease operations.
NOW THEREFORE, the Parties agree to the following:
1) In the event that Encore were to be dissolved, the Pilots shall, for a period of four (4) years from the date their employment with Encore ceases, have priority to receive an offer of employment for a Pilot vacancy at WestJet, an Alberta Partnership, for which they meet the minimum requirements. For clarity, Pilots accepting a position following the dissolution of Encore shall not be entitled to REIP.

[BrianLarson]

the comments here are very confusing and seem to contradict each other with every post... can someone confirm what this merger award did to the encore pilots? ie those hired before Dec 5, 2022 and those hired after?

It's business as usual for both.

For those hired before Dec 5, 2022, they still retain their reserved seniority when they flow. They will be slotted in where they were previously supposed to be with respect to the WestJet Pilots that are currently on the WJ/Encore Combined seniority list. There may be a former SWG pilot beside them or not. But basically, if someone was hired at Encore Aug 1, 2018, they will go on the new list behind a WJ pilot hired July 2018 and above a WJ pilot hired later in Aug 2018.

For those hired after Dec 5, 2022, they do not carry over any reserved seniority. So although the Company may still give them the opportunity to flow to WJ without another interview, when they start at WJ, they will be at the bottom of the seniority list. If an Encore pilot started at Encore in in February 2023 and flowed in March 2028, their start date at WJ would be March 2028, not Feb 2023.

For the most part, both of these situations is as they already are.

Thanks for your reply. I was just looking for that information.