Unifor would like to wish you and yours a Happy Holiday and all the best for the New Year.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause turmoil on both global and domestic travel hurting airline workers across Canada and around the world. The holidays are typically one of the busiest travel seasons for airline workers. This year many face furlough and job loss with hopes of a return to the sector. As vaccine programs roll out worldwide, and we continue to see improvements to rapid testing programs, we are hopeful that airline travel will rebound.

There have been significant changes at Onex WestJet in 2020, with more still to come in the new year. Many of your colleagues saw Onex eliminate their jobs; outsourcing the work to the lowest bidder. Those who are still employed are uncertain about their future with the threat of outsourcing and the steady push to move customers over to airport terminal kiosk’s to reduce staffing.

At times like these, the importance of a good union can help. With a strong collective agreement, airport workers can negotiate staffing levels with language around outsourcing or insourcing of jobs, scheduling with contract language based on predictability, flexibility and fairness, and a grievance procedure to settle any disputes.

We will talk about all that and more in the New Year, along with keeping you up to date.

Until then, enjoy your time off over the holidays.

If you get the chance, please also remember those who are less fortunate, and donate to food and toy drives in your neighbourhood. Unifor participates in toy, food and clothing drives across Canada – because everyone deserves a happy holiday season.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

If you have any questions or would like to sign a Unifor card or help your co-workers sign a card, please reach out to one of your organizers.

Billy O'Neill, Unifor
[email protected] | 416-605-1443

Quebec
Ada Zampini, Unifor
[email protected] | 514-701-6227

Prairies
Bruce Fafard, Unifor
[email protected] | 587-341-0945

British Columbia
Simon Lau, Unifor
[email protected] | 778-928-9630

Atlantic
Patrick Murray, Unifor
[email protected] | 506-850-7996