With all of the turmoil in the airline industry these days leading to more and more WestJet frontline airport workers signing Unifor membership cards, it’s worth looking at the steps involved in forming a union and gaining a voice in the workplace.

The entire process is laid out in the Canada Labour Code, which must be followed exactly before a bargaining unit can be certified.
The first step is signing a Unifor membership card. We have organizers in airports across the country who can help with that.

Once enough WestJet customer service agents, guest service ambassadors, baggage service attendants, TAC and call centre workers sign Unifor cards, an application is made to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to certify Unifor as the bargaining agent for WestJet frontline airport workers.

It sounds very simple, but you can rest assured that there are strict rules that must be followed to protect your interests and ensure the true intent of workers is reflected. This is right and proper, and Unifor is glad to see such laws in place.

For example, membership cards must be filled out in full, with each applicable section completed, the card dated with the month, day and year, and include your signature. The labour code also requires that each card be accompanied by $5 from the worker signing the card.

Pilots, flight attendants and dispatchers at WestJet have already followed this process, giving them a voice in the workplace during this period of transition.

The company never sees the membership cards and is never told who signed a card. All such information is kept strictly confidential.
Joining a union brings great advantages to members and their communities:

• The fair wages and work hours that unions negotiate deliver nearly $823.3 million more every week into local economies across the country.
• Collective bargaining and pay equity measures significantly reduce the wage gap between women and men.
• Union members in Canada make up roughly 31 per cent of the workforce.
• Unionized workers make on average $5.17 more per hour than non-union workers.
• Women union members will make on average $6.89 more, and
• Young members (15-24) make on average $3.16 more.

The first step to gaining the union advantage is signing a Unifor membership card, along with that $5.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of us.

Ontario
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