Arbitrator sides with the company for machinists CBA

[chatman]

The mechanics are sure getting far behind on their wages...Its pretty sad that flight attendants and ticket agents almost make the same amount as mechanics.

[TKTguy]

The biggest problem you guys have is having the ramp and cargo guys with you in the same contract. You should have your own agreement. You won't get the increases you should get until that is changed. The same happened with the Air Ontario group. As much as I hate the skilled and un-skilled reference it is very much the case here.

[Stu Pidasso]

New Air Canada Recruiting Campaign:

Come join the team at Air Canada we are proud to offer the highest pay in NORTH AMERICA for; Flight Attendants, Ticket Agents and Baggage Handlers.

But Ben Smith had the audacity at the YC AGM to tell us that AC's wages are 35% higher than Westjets.

News flash Ben, you clowns did nothing about it! The AME's and Pilots are not the problem.

[Rockie]

AC will probably get most of what it wants in arbitration and it will still not be enough. Looks like ACPA, the retirees, and every other union will be asked to support yet another pension funding moratorium that may last into the next decade.

That's stating the obvious.

What we're all still waiting to hear is a plan to restore Air Canada to viability, instead we get Jetstar north from an executive branch plumb out of ideas of their own. We get a plan to wind down Air Canada as an entity putting everybody out of work, but not before transferring what's left of the wealth into some other entity exactly like what's happening in Australia. Do you have a good reason we should all make further sacrifices toward the goal of eliminating our jobs completely?

If Rovinescu or some other "best and brightest" actually had a plan to save Air Canada you wouldn't believe the lengths the employees would go to to make it happen. But first it requires two things:

1. A plan. Seems obvious but completely missing at this point. And;
2. A leader. Also completely missing at this point.

[Localizer]

IMO .. its doomed. The company is on life support and this is nothing more then delaying the decision to pull the plug. There are going to be a lot of pissed off people when this shame finally hits the wall ... ie. Nortel. I'd be willing to guess that anyone with less then 15 yrs in will never collect on their pension.

[ratherbee]

Rockie,

What we don't need are pilots claiming that they know how to run an airline. The days of MacGregor and McConachie are gone.

Fact is that AC had $600M in the bank in 2009 and now has $2.2B. Our costs have been slashed yet I am making more money today than I was then even though I haven't moved anywhere. We're adding more revenue with slight increases to capacity. We keep winning awards and getting good survey results.

The biggest problem we have is that ACPA hasn't figured out that they have lost the "war" they started last summer. Now that their retreat has begun the finger-pointing will pre-occupy their remaining days in power and no work will get done.

Hopefully, the new COO replacing Dee, will be more of an operational type maybe even with some charisma. The CEO on the otherhand needs to be tough, shrewd and know how to run the Corporation. Like him or not, he is smart.

[DrBoeing]

I hope you all take a couple minutes to read the 17 page report, piche says a couple times that the decision is based on the limitations of the bill and not normal for this type of arbitrator. He mentions that usualy the ability to pay is not a concideration, however it is in this case. The arbitrator has no choice but to side with the company, or all they have to argue is that the company can not comply and continue to operate under the award, making the judgement illegal. It was made to look like a fair shake but it can only go one way. We will get the same thing, the company's approval is required. I am very concerned about the 10 year releif of pension requirements. A 5 year deal with a 10 year pension releif means we will be fighting this same fight in 5 years and a bill requiring the company to get their way.

I wish they had at least been honest and just F^@%ed us hard, given us a kiss on the cheek on the way out the door. This just wasted our time.

Union negotiations have just evolved in Canada. They are a public relations fight and negotiation with the company is a waste of time. We should focus on public opinion.

Please phone/email your mp and tell him/her how upset you are with this award, as well as the rail, and canada post. I have received a letter in return for every letter I have sent.

Piche is full of crap.
this was two separate submission, one for airports and one for maintenance, he chose the company on both. All he has done is ensure that contrary to what he states about the wage disparity gap closing is that it will now become larger, he is basing his choice on the assumption that West jet and all will NOT be getting any pay increases until after 2015, has he lost his MIND. Everyone outside of AC is seeing a min of 3% increase per year, so with our 2% lumps sum and then 2% this year, we are now a further 4% behind compared to the already 20% before this contract and as of this time next year with another 2% for us and 3 plus for the others, we now fall to 25% behind, so i would like Piche and the AC management greedy Ba$tards to explain how they have closed the wage parity gap. I hope AC is ready for the self inflicted crap storm coming their way. They are going to lose hundreds of multi licensed AME's in the next year, guys were waiting to see if there were true gains, now that there is NOTHING, why stick around, your best 3 years are long gone

[Rockie]

Rockie,

What we don't need are pilots claiming that they know how to run an airline.

I never claimed to know how to run an airline so I don't see your point.

The company wants our scope language gone from the contract. Ever wonder why?

[Stu Pidasso]

Vote with your feet, Doc!

This company could care less if you quit, I quit, we all quit, there is plenty of work around for both of our groups. The Office Monkeys can Fly and Fix the Airplanes.

[DrBoeing]

Vote with your feet, Doc!

This company could care less if you quit, I quit, we all quit, there is plenty of work around for both of our groups. The Office Monkeys can Fly and Fix the Airplanes.

Unfortunately at 51 I am a whore to my pension, but had i been late 30's or early 40, it would be the big C YA!

[DrBoeing]

Rockie,

What we don't need are pilots claiming that they know how to run an airline. The days of MacGregor and McConachie are gone.

Fact is that AC had $600M in the bank in 2009 and now has $2.2B. Our costs have been slashed yet I am making more money today than I was then even though I haven't moved anywhere. We're adding more revenue with slight increases to capacity. We keep winning awards and getting good survey results.

The biggest problem we have is that ACPA hasn't figured out that they have lost the "war" they started last summer. Now that their retreat has begun the finger-pointing will pre-occupy their remaining days in power and no work will get done.

Hopefully, the new COO replacing Dee, will be more of an operational type maybe even with some charisma. The CEO on the otherhand needs to be tough, shrewd and know how to run the Corporation. Like him or not, he is smart.

And you are trying to snow me into believing an acquisitions lawyer who is only interested in lining his pocket does??????

Where did you get that nonsense about only having 600 million on hand, just to be able to hold the credit card covenant AC had to have a billion on hand!

Duncan left left because he had a fall out with rovinescu as the word is that Duncan does not believe in the LCC, but then again the acquisitions lawyer knows better

[Zip Tie]

.

[TheStig]

Vote with your feet, Doc!

This company could care less if you quit, I quit, we all quit, there is plenty of work around for both of our groups. The Office Monkeys can Fly and Fix the Airplanes.

Unfortunately at 51 I am a whore to my pension, but had i been late 30's or early 40, it would be the big C YA!

Therein lies the problem with DB plans in todays world.

The Federal Government has removed the right to negotiate, and commitment to the pension plan removes employees ability to obtain 'real' market value for their services.

Dr. B at least you'll be able to retire before the proposed 10 funding arrangement expires.