WestJetters from Unifor local 531 Bargaining Committee are outreaching to their colleagues in Edmonton this week, and the relationships and discussions have begun to develop.
There has been a growing interest in joining Unifor at YEG. Workers are excited to hear how WestJetters in Calgary and Vancouver are at the table, with management regularly advocating for the changes they want to see in their bases. This collective approach to resolving and solving workplace issues has proven beneficial to Unifor members at local 531.
It seems there has been some misinformation about what it means to join the union; sometimes, in workplaces, those who benefit from favouritism or lack of transparent process like to keep things just the way they are.
When we talk to workers about ways the union can help ensure fairness in job postings, scheduling of hours and workload, they are happy to hear there is an alternative to the status quo. WestJetters, with the support of Unifor experts, will negotiate the collective agreement and represent your coworkers.
Once WestJetters in Edmonton, Toronto and the Contact Centre join the bargaining table, they too will have the ability to bring forward ideas and suggestions on how to improve their workplace. Once part of the union and at the bargaining table, they will see just how valuable a collective agreement can be and quickly learn that the current representation with the AEA or the CCEA is not the same.
Take the time to learn about the union and how it works. You will see that joining the union is a group of workers who love their jobs coming together to protect what they love and work towards improving the things that can be better, such as job protection. The power of having honest conversations with your coworkers who have already chosen to join the union is powerful in helping you to make the changes you want in your terms and conditions of employment.
Swoop continues to expand
Onex Swoop was present at the #RoutesAmerica conference in San Antonio last week, celebrating the expansion into five new U.S markets while looking for other markets to continue to grow its business. This success is excellent news that they are doing well in the highly competitive Ultra Low-Cost Carrier (ULCC) market. This success doesn’t need to come at the cost of job loss to loyal WestJetters who helped build WestJet into the large International Airline it is today.
We continue to see “jobs move down the counter” in Edmonton and Toronto as Swoop continues to build its business. Many of these routes were previously done by WestJetters. As they move down to the Swoop counter, you watch your work reduce and the increase in hiring at low-cost ground handling companies. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Did you know?
The workers we represent at Air Canada have also watched as they launched AC Rouge. The difference was that these workers had a strong collective agreement that prohibited the employer from outsourcing the work. Our Unifor members at Air Canada still do the work for Rouge for the same pay and benefits they make as Air Canada workers.
If you haven’t talked to your coworkers at YYZ, YEG or the Contact Centre, let them know they can sign a Unifor Membership card today. It is time for them to join you at the bargaining table; they can do this at join.unifor.org/WestJet
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