Four days ago Unifor sent an email about the recent scheduling situation at YEG and why good intentions are not the same as enforceable rights.

That message laid out a simple reality. Informal employee groups can raise concerns but they do not have the legal authority to enforce rules hold the employer accountable or prevent the same issues from happening again.

This follow up is about the next step.

Thank you for signing your Unifor membership card

Thank you for taking this important step.

Because of you we are making real progress toward building majority support at YEG. We are on our way to certification but we are not there yet. Every signed card strengthens your collective voice.

This is an exciting moment. Certification is the point where workers formally join the union and gain the legal right to bargain together. That is what opens the door to collective bargaining and real enforceable workplace protections.

That is the difference between hoping issues are addressed and knowing there are rules that must be followed.

Being part of the winning team

Certification does not happen automatically. It happens when workers stand together and reach majority support.

Being part of the winning team means more than signing your own card. It means talking with coworkers sharing accurate information and encouraging others to take the same step.

If someone you work with is frustrated by scheduling changes uncertainty or the lack of enforceable rules this is how that changes.

Encourage them to sign their Unifor membership card at join.unifor.org/westjet

The stronger the support the stronger your position when to move forward.

What is collective bargaining

Collective bargaining is the process where workers come together as a group and negotiate the terms and conditions of their jobs with the employer.

Instead of each person having to deal with management on their own the union represents everyone together. That collective voice is what gives workers real leverage and protection.

The outcome of collective bargaining is a collective agreement sometimes called a union contract. This agreement is a written legal and binding document between the union and the employer. It sets the rules for how work is done and how workers are treated.

Once signed a collective agreement cannot be changed unless both sides agree. That means the employer cannot unilaterally change wages schedules benefits or workplace rules.

What a collective agreement does for you at YEG

A collective agreement creates certainty and predictability in your working life. It clearly spells out

• wages and how increases happen
• schedules hours and overtime rules
• vacation and time off
• benefits and protections
• job security and layoffs
• discipline and fair treatment
• how disputes are resolved

Without a collective agreement these things can be changed by the employer at any time. With one they are locked in enforceable and protected.

That difference matters especially in the airline industry where restructuring outsourcing and operational changes are common.

Who negotiates on your behalf

Unifor is a member driven union. That means bargaining priorities come from the workers themselves.

Elected workplace representatives work alongside local and national union leadership supported by experienced staff. Members shape bargaining priorities through surveys meetings and ongoing communication.

Your priorities become the agenda. The union negotiates with you not for you.

The power of collective bargaining

Collective bargaining is about fairness balance and accountability.

It replaces selective application with enforceable rights. It replaces uncertainty with clear rules. It replaces good intentions with obligations.

For YEG workers it means having a real seat at the table when decisions are made about your work your schedules and your future.

We are close. Help finish the job by talking with coworkers and encouraging them to sign their card at join.unifor.org/westjet

That is how winning teams are built.

Billy O'Neill
Unifor National Representative, Organizing
416.605.1443
billy.oneill@unifor.org

Lucy Alessio
Unifor National Coordinator, Organizing
416.998.3189
lucy.alessio@unifor.org