Airline Says It's 'Business As Usual' As Negotiations Will Continue

After nine months of face to face bargaining, the membership of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the largest union at Air Canada, has voted to reject a proposed tentative agreement.

During the voting process, the union says it became quite clear that the membership was in no mood to accept what they considered a sub-standard offer from the Airline. As a result, they have also voted 78% in support of strike action.

The union says that across the board, its members are earning less in real terms than they did after the CCAA hearings in 2002. In real dollars, the members have been falling behind each year for over a decade. They say that during this time the people that are in charge of running the company have walked away with millions of dollars in their pockets.

For its part, the airline says it will be business as usual for the airline and that its customers can continue to book Air Canada flights "with confidence."

As a result of the vote, the conciliation commissioner, the Honourable Justice Louise Otis, will be filing her report to the Minister of Labour, the Honourable Lisa Raitt, for consideration and determining next steps. Air Canada is confident that there is sufficient time for the parties to avoid a disruption of service.

The IAMAW represents the airline's approximately 8,600 mechanics, baggage handlers, cargo agents and certain finance and clerical staff.

The airline says it will provide further updates as developments warrant. The IAMAW says it will be meeting next week to prepare for a return to bargaining with Air Canada.

FMI: www.aircanada.com