WestJet workers are organizing, bargaining and building a stronger voice at work.

Now there is an opportunity for TAPS members to be part of what is happening across WestJet.

Last week, nearly 750 WestJet Contact Centre employees voted overwhelmingly to join Unifor. They will join approximately 1,800 WestJetters already represented by Unifor at YYC, YYZ and YVR.

That means approximately 2,550 WestJet employees are now represented by Unifor.

And this isn't just about joining a union. WestJet airport workers are already putting their collective voice into action. Last Monday and Tuesday, Unifor began collective bargaining for the second collective agreement with WestJet for our airport members.

Airport workers forged ahead. Contact Centre workers have now forged ahead.

TAPS members have the same opportunity.

TAPS members deserve more than an internal association

TAPS has brought employees together and given workers a place to discuss workplace issues. But an internal employee association is not the same as a certified union.

Unionization provides something fundamentally different: legal recognition, collective bargaining rights and the ability to negotiate an enforceable collective agreement with your employer.

Instead of relying on company policies that can be changed, workers can negotiate the terms and conditions of their employment and put those protections into a collective agreement.

That can include wages, job security, scheduling, benefits, vacation, seniority, contracting out and outsourcing, workplace changes, discipline, grievance and arbitration procedures, and other issues employees identify as priorities.

Most importantly, TAPS members themselves would determine what they want to bring to the bargaining table.

This opportunity belongs to all TAPS members

The TAPS membership encompasses employees throughout WestJet, including:

Business Development
Business Solutions
Cargo Operations
Catering Services
Central Reservation Control
Contact Centre Admin
Continuous Improvement
Co-Op Program
Corporate Real Estate
Creative Services
Crew Services
Distribution Strategy
Distribution - Web Business
Emergency Response
Finance / Procurement / Mails & Material
Flight Operations - Admin
Flight Simulator
Flight Standards
GE & Op Performance
GS CDN Airports
GS - International Airports
GS - Planning & Support
GS Safety
Guest Experience
Guest Services/Head office
Inflight operations
Inflight Services
Inflight Training
Internal communications and culture
IT
L&D / Org & People Development
Marketing Communications
National/Corporate Sales
Network Planning & Alliances
OCC (Operations Control Centre)
Operations Research
People Relations & Benefits
Perf Analytics & insights
Public Relations
Recruitment
Revenue Management
Safety, Security and Quality
Sales & Business Development
Sponsorship / Community Investments
Technical Documents
Tech Ops - Quality and Receiving inspectors
Treasury
WestJet Store

Whether you work in IT, OCC, Finance, Revenue Management, Cargo, Inflight, Guest Experience, Technical Operations, Sales or one of the many other areas represented by TAPS, you have an opportunity to build a legally recognized collective voice at WestJet.

But it won't happen without you

The Contact Centre didn't become unionized because somebody else did the work for them. Employees talked to one another, signed membership cards, organized their workplace and ultimately voted on whether they wanted Unifor representation.

TAPS members can do the same.

If you've been thinking that your workplace needs a stronger voice, better protections or a real seat at the bargaining table, get involved now.

Sign a Unifor membership card.

Talk to the people you work with.

Ask your coworkers what they would want to improve through collective bargaining.

And, most importantly, don't assume somebody else will make it happen.

Approximately 2,550 WestJetters have already chosen union representation.

Now TAPS members have an opportunity to decide whether they want to build on that foundation and take the next step together.

If you're interested in helping organize your department, we want to hear from you.

Sign your Unifor membership card today:

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

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