The ACWA (Air Canada Workers Association)

[Jake]

I’m not a pilot…but, I don’t think it’s possible
with the AO law suite hanging over ACPA.
Lot of time and money have gone under that bridge
for the AO guy’s to roll over.

[RogerD@YYZ]

Clever and innovative way to join forces and harness resources to flight Globalism. > Big Labor Goes Global

[wantmore]

PEOPLE-SERVICE-PROFIT VS LIE-CHEAT-STEAL
Some of us got so confused before and during our brankruptcy scare we thought yes rally with PEOPLE-SERVICE-PROFIT we accomplished all WE THE WORKERS now we see it was all smoke and mirrors what do we really have LIE-CHEAT-STEAL we have been wronged in so many ways...LET US NOT BE CONFUSED WE MUST SEE THE TRUTH ONLY "WE" CAN MAKE THINGS CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by RogerD@YYZ

OK, enough observation and trepidity. Time to wade in, so let's go!!! I will tackle this from a "union" perspective.

The concept of one Air Canada Trade Union (ACTU), uniting all workers for common goals sounds wonderful in theory, but so does Heaven and Utopia. In practice, the reality is very difficult to achieve, especially to rally ALL under one banner. I am not dismissing the idea but let's look at it under a microscope.

What is the reason one would champion this cause? To build a better mousetrap or break up and discard the old? For what reason, genuine dissatisfaction with the status quo or to advance another agenda? Simply wanting to blame the Union for all the Company's woes is ignorant and regressive.

I have the advantage of a perspective of working for an organization that is not unionized. Reason why? It does not need one because they treat workers with respect and dignity. Their guiding philosophy is a simple formula created and maintained by the founder, Fred Smith. "When people are placed first they will provide the highest possible service, and profits will follow". The FedEx corporate philosophy is the result from this belief: People-Service-Profit. These three corporate goals form the basis for all business decisions. It works when the Company consistently turns a profit and is ranked in the Fortune 500/Global 1000 with ISO 9001 standing. Year-after-year, they are ranked in the Top100 Best Companies to work for.

That being said, I do not subscribe to the benevolence of my boss-master, nor blind faith loyalty of any kind. Anything I have gained as a worker has been earned at the negotiations table. Before I even entertain ever giving up on the CAW Canada, you have to come good. Warts and all, they have served me well thus far, so show me the beef. They have tremendous resources and clout.


Before I am asked to jump ship, I want to know if there are any sharks in the waters. We seem to always see grass greener on the other side of the fence, but once some reach beyond, they want to go back. We are a fickle bunch and leopards don't really change their spots, right?

This has been talked about before in other forums, albeit not to any great depth. It's usually prompted by members fed up by some latest move on the union's part. I hope that we can dissect under better examination this time.

There is a definite chasm that disconnects the leadership from the membership and each side of the divide, bears some responsibility.

The Pension Issue has unified the various unions like never before I can remember and the coalition has stood it's ground well, so far, despite some cracks in the armour.

There are some definite things I would like to see evolve with my Trade Union Movement. Principally, to start, a democratic evolution from Maximum Leadership to Maximum Participaction. Sounds good, but what it means in effect is responsive representation.

That would mean effective and informed consultation with the entire rank-and-file membership prior to negotes, to best arm the bargaining committee with member's priorities. Not during negotes. If and when a tentative agreement is reached, then ratification would follow per the Canada Labour Code in force, guided by the CIRB.

There are distinct advantages to forming one union as there are some distinct disadvantages. Let's examine.

One Union means power at the negotiation table, but it could mean some individual member's voice getting lost in a large mob and loud crowd.

Leaving recognized so-called "International" unions could mean the same difference. Replace it with National, then Regional, then Local.

We in the CAW did that when we left the UAW. Now we are the largest private sector trade union in Canada and Local 2002 (the airline division) is now the third largest and the AC Bargaining Unit is the largest within.

To counter that would require a well-structured organization that responds to collective needs but respects individual rights.

What we could envision is a National Union with a global master agreement or Collective Convention regarding and defining "common" issues, like pensions, benefits, including industry travel, etc.

Then, one could see sub-grouping into Local divisions centered on the valued scope work of a defined work-group. CS&S, SA's, FA's, Pilots, Tech-Mech's etc.

Each would have Local Agreements to add and address "local" needs. Wages, Scheduling, Vacations, etc.

Published "Location" Agreements could also exist per the need and "District/Location" level which adds, not subtracts from the Main or Local agreements to fulfil nuanced requirements.

There is also the factor that as a commune the needs of the collective have to be balanced with the needs of the individuals when the art of negotiation comes into play. Items that are more easily achieved from a "national" perespective than a "local" one when presented from a united larger front. However the test of fungibility should always be for the priority of the "whole collective" to maintain unified solidarity, unless "civil/human" rights are trampelled upon.

Before we beam that far into the future, maybe a thrust could be a more formal amalgamation of our current unified focus.

An AC Union Coalition (ACUC), comprising: ACPA <> CALDA <> CAW <> CUPE <> IAMAW

Modelled on the ITF's Star Union Coalition's (formerly known as the Star Solidarity Alliance).

http://www.itf.org.uk/itfweb/civil_a...ance/index.htm

If "we" take care of our People, everything else will fall in place.

[jedard]

Sorry Roger,
I have always been active for ACOBU.. Air Canada One Big Union.

My memory takes me back to CALEA, small but strong. We were sold out one fine spring day, I was there and voted against it. History is a teacher. I am not hitting on the CAW. God knows they tried there best.
But If one thing and only one thing still gives me an itch, it was the takeover of CP air and integration of seniority. We at Air Canada should have immediately went on strike. But like sheep we were led to slaughter. We believed all would be great. When Sir Milton took us into bankruptcy, we should have hit the bricks.
Yes I have heard all the stories, fines, jail. loss of jobs and so on. But we believed all would be well.

History is now your qualified teacher.

It is time to change, time for change, OBU or or ACTU, call it what you want but it is neccesary. In order for that to happen a huge strike with all players on the bricks at the same time will be necessary to tell those biggots at AC we mean to keep AC active with or without them!

Well I will pray for all of you, especially the non believers.
Good luck and open your minds this time around.

[wantmore]

jedard...i'm sorry that i have to use your entry as an example...you didn't take ovr cp air as cp air was lost years ago..."you" took over canadian airlines...but your remark does proof my point we are still a house divided...ac against canadian...we are all workers for air canada at this point and life as we know it is going to come to an end real quick if WE UNITED dont do anything about it...we were forced into dirty deals by both milton and hargrove...but this is history we no w must survive and show this corporation that we are not divided and we're all ready to "hit the bricks" to gain what "WE" all lost and then some...to any othr ac employee out there i truly sympathize with all of you as being original cp i've been merged 7 times...but in your case it has only happened once...and i know that first one takes along time to get over...i know that for all the ac people you were the first in line every morning for that loaf of warm home made bread and then one day you woke up and there was a line ahead of you(sorry for this analogy)...what ever words you use this is not a good feeling and most of you in yyzap have over time come to know us and formed friendships have been made...how about this lets not go back to how we were ALL screwed...let's move forward and show milton that he is looking at employees that will fight for whats right and just...WE MUST UNITE TO BE ABLE TO FIGHT FOR WHAT'S RIGHT...i'm a "senior agent" what ever that means...but i will spend my last few months fighting for all of you that have just begun or are in the middle of your careers...my heart goes out to those who are in fear of layoffs...and everyone knows that i'm there to support and fight

[RogerD@YYZ]

AC History Lesson 101

"Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santayana

As we enter a new domain, let's not try to rewrite history as some revisionist are trying to do. It is disingenuous, disrespectful and unproductive. I will list in chronological order, some info and dates of record for review and posterity. The fact remains that the inheritance of superfluous staff and debt levels at integration is cause and effect. The duplicity has contributed heavily to the trouble we are now in and the pain that we will all suffer as a result. As the renown scientist, Sir Isaac Newton discovered, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. That being said, many of the key players of the day, stated that the workforce would not suffer any adverse or negative impact. Let's frankly, hold them to their words.

"It is what we prevent, rather than what we do that counts most in Government." -- William Lyon Mackenzie King , August 26, 1936.

In the early 1930's Canada was one of the few industrialized countries without a national airline. There were a number of regional bush airlines scattered across the country, and Canadian Pacific had part ownership in Canadian Airways, a group of regional airlines that served mining communities and transported mail. However, there was no air service linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. R.B. Bennett's Conservative government was interested in launching an airline, but couldn't afford to do so during the Great Depression. It wasn't until 1935 when Mackenzie King, a Liberal came to power that the idea became a reality. King created a Department of Transport and appointed Clarence Decatur Howe, the man who would be Air Canada's architect and most passionate defender, as minister.

C.D. Howe intended for the airline to be under government control, but also initially wanted private enterprise to take a role in it. He proposed collaboration between CP Rail, CN Rail, and Canadian Airways. Although Canadian Airways badly wanted to operate the airline, political manoeuvring got in the way and it was shut out. Trans-Canada Air was legislated into existence April 11, 1936, a subsidiary of CNR, which was in turn owned by the federal government.

April 10, 1937 - The government passes an act establishing Trans-Canada Air Lines.
Trans-Canada Air Lines started up with $5 million in seed money. It bought three airplanes from Canadian Airways, and hired a number of executives from U.S. airlines, such as United and American Airlines. TCA set forth on its inaugural flight July 30th, 1937. C.D. Howe boarded a Lockheed aircraft in Montreal at dawn, and more than 17 hours later landed in Vancouver at dusk, after touching down in five cities across the country. TCA's first regular route was between Vancouver and Seattle, a flight that cost $14.20 round trip. Travel was quite a bit less comfortable back then. Pressurized cabins were a thing of the future, the planes were drafty and no oxygen was provided during flights.

1942 - Canadian Pacific suggests to the government that Canadian Airways, now known as Canadian Pacific Airlines, merge with TCA. Mackenzie King refused and soon after declared TCA to be Canada's only international flag-ship airline, as well as the only carrier allowed to provide transcontinental service in Canada. This was the basis of legislation that would regulate the aviation industry for the next forty years. It also permanently changed the tone of TCA's relationship with Canadian Pacific from competitive to combative.

Jan. 1, 1965 - Act of Parliament changes the name of Trans-Canada Air Lines to Air Canada.

1977 - Air Canada is reorganized under the Air Canada Act.

1978 - US Airline Deregulation Act becomes law.

1983 - Alberta government privatizes Pacific Western Airlines.

1986 - PWA takes over Canadian Pacific Airlines. Air Canada employs more than 22,000 and has sales and assets totalling close to $6 billion.

1987 - Deregulation of the Canadian airline/aviation takes root, under the guidance of Mulroney's Conservative Government. It is loosely patterned as inspired on the ideas for reformation following the US experience, led by their chief proponent and architect, Professor Alfred Kahn. In essence, extensions of FTA, NAFTA and MAI principles and policy.

1987 - PWA changes its name to Canadian Airlines International Ltd. (CAI) The airline's parent company is PWA Corp.

1988 - Air Canada is privatized in order to level the playing field between the two major airlines amid historic and growing calls for competition between privately-owned airlines and refusal of the Federal Government to finance the high-capital cost of renewing to a needed, more-modernized fleet. Forty-three per cent of Air Canada's shares are sold to the public.

July 1989 - The balance of Air Canada's shares are sold to the public. Under the 1987 Air Canada Public Participation Act, no individual or group of individuals can vote more than 10 per cent of the shares and foreigners collectively cannot own more than 25 per cent of the voting shares.

August 1990 - Fears of terrorism in the Persian Gulf rock the markets and cause the international travel market to plunge. Persian Gulf War - Part 1 causes negative reactions and turbulence in the airline/aviation industry.

October 1990 - Air Canada announces that it will cut close to 3,000 jobs in an effort to reduce costs by $570 million.

1991 - CAI is suffering financially and its parent company PWA Corp. begins merger discussions with Air Canada.

1992 - The North American recession hits the travel industry hard. Passenger traffic drops dramatically and the two major airlines are each losing more than a million dollars a day. In an attempt to return to profitability, Air Canada grounds its fleet of freighters, sending the courier business into turmoil, and lays off more than 2,000 employees. At the same time, Air Canada sees this as a buying opportunity and proposes to merge the two airlines. After CAI accepts Air Canada's merger proposal, Air Canada starts to have doubts it can manage the combined $7.7-billion debt load and the deal dies.

1995 - Canada-US Open Skies Agreement instituted as policy by Chretien's Liberal Government.

1996 - Canadian WestJet Airline start-up takes flight mirrored on the exploits of certain select routes and LCC structure similar to US counter-part, SouthWest Airlines.

May 14, 1997 - Air Canada, Lufthansa, SAS, Thai Airways International and United Airlines as partners, found and launch the Star Alliance network.

Feb. 1, 1999 - American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Canadian Airlines and Qantas as foundation members announced oneworld is launched.

Aug. 13, 1999 - Ottawa suspends Competition Act to let the airlines legally talk about restructuring.

Aug. 20, 1999 - Air Canada proposes to buy Canadian Airlines' international routes. It's rejected.

[RogerD@YYZ]

Aug. 24, 1999 - Onex announces plan. It involves Onex, backed by American Airlines parent AMR Corp., paying $1.8 million and assuming $3.9 billion in debt. Canadian said it would recommend the offer to its shareholders.

Aug. 31, 1999 - Air Canada adopts a poison pill aimed at thwarting a take-over. It schedules a shareholders meeting for Jan. 7 to consider Onex's offer and others that might arise. Onex asks court to force Air Canada to hold shareholders meeting by Nov. 8, one day before its offer expires.

Sept. 2, 1999 - 18,500 airline employees say they'll strike Sept. 27 if the government doesn't guarantee there will be no forced job losses in airline restructuring.

Sept. 13, 1999 - Air Canada asks Federal Court to rule that Onex's bid isn't exempt from a review under Competition Act.

Sept. 17, 1999 - Air Canada reports early its strong financial results, to show shareholders before they make decisions on industry restructuring.

Sept. 18, 1999 - Schwartz accuses Air Canada of a smear campaign against his hostile bid for the carrier and calls on Ottawa to hold parliamentary hearings.

Sept. 20, 1999 - Air Canada board urges shareholders to reject Onex bid.

Sept. 23, 1999 - IAMAW airline machinists call off threatened strike.

Sept. 24, 1999 - Canadian Airlines CEO Kevin Benson says Air Canada and Canadian held merger talks earlier in the year, but Air Canada backed out.

Sept. 28, 1999 - Onex wins court battle on shareholder vote, calls meeting for Nov. 8.

Oct. 8, 1999 - Onex makes 'iron-clad' guarantees on jobs, regional service, fares.

Oct. 19, 1999 - Air Canada, backed by Star Alliance partners, Lufthansa, United Airlines and CIBC, unveils a $930 million counterbid to the Onex offer. Air Canada offers $92 million for Canadian Airlines but says it would run its rival as separate company.

Oct. 25, 1999 - Canadian Airlines rejects the Air Canada counter-offer.

Oct. 26, 1999 - Onex CEO Gerry Schwartz denies American Airlines would dominate new merged airline.

Oct. 28, 1999 - Onex raises its offer for Air Canada to $13 a share.

Nov. 1, 1999 - Canadian Auto Workers union president Buzz Hargrove announces support for Onex bid after receiving job guarantees.

Nov. 2, 1999 - Air Canada raises the stakes, offering $16 a share to buy back 36.4 per cent of the airline.

Nov. 4, 1999 - Air Canada unions say they won't support Onex bid.

Nov. 5, 1999 - Onex raises its offer to $17.50 a share.

Nov. 5, 1999 - Quebec judge says Onex offer illegal, breaking law which limits single shareholder in Air Canada to 10 per cent.

Nov. 5, 1999 - Onex withdraws its offer, Air Canada says it will press ahead with bid to take over Canadian Airlines.

Nov. 8, 1999 - Transport Minister David Collenette says he expects Air Canada to take over Canadian Airlines.

Nov. 9, 1999 - Canadian Airlines says it has enough money to last at least another year after receiving assurances from AMR-- American Airlines parent-- that it can defer payments on fees owed to American.

Nov. 15, 1999 - Air Canada mails $92 million take-over bid to Canadian shareholders.

Nov. 16, 1999 - Robert Deluce and Regional Airlines Holdings Inc. proposes to buy and merge Canada's regional carriers: Air Ontario, Air Nova, Air B.C., and Canadian Regional Airlines.

Nov. 22, 1999 - Canadian CEO Kevin Benson meets privately with Oneworld alliance partners American Airlines, British Airways, Qantas and Cathay Pacific.

Nov. 24, 1999 - International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers signs deal with Air Canada to protect 6,000 Canadian employees from lay-offs and relocations if the deal goes through.

Nov. 25, 1999 - Canadian Airlines sends a circular to shareholders, telling them to hold on to their shares while it takes more time to consider Air Canada's bid.

Nov. 27, 1999 - InterCanadian, a regional partner of Canadian Airlines cancels all flights with no warning or explanation.

Nov. 29, 1999 - Board of Canadian Airlines responds to Air Canada bid, saying it is fair financially but because of certain conditions Canadian refrains from making a recommendation to shareholders.

Dec. 4, 1999 - Board of Canadian Airlines recommends Air Canada's $92 million bid to its shareholders, after failing to come up with a better alternative from its Oneworld Alliance partners.

Dec. 7, 1999 - The Air Canada offer expires at 5 p.m. ET. Air Canada extends the buyout until Dec. 23.

Dec. 8, 1999 - Air Canada takes control of Canadian Airlines with more than 50 per cent of Canadian shares tendered. AMR Corp. agrees to sell its convertible preferred shares in Canadian Airlines to Air Canada for between $55 to $60 million. The two also reach an agreement on American Airlines' relationship with Canadian: allowing code-sharing between the two airlines and maintaining a joint frequent flyer program.

Dec. 21, 1999 - The Federal Competition Bureau says it will allow Air Canada's take-over of Canadian if the airline meets certain conditions. Air Canada agreed to surrender some peak-hour runway slots at Toronto's Pearson Airport, sell Canadian Regional Airlines and maintain service to all current domestic routes.

Dec. 23, 1999 - Air Canada officially wins its bid for Canadian, after receiving more than half of Canadian's shares and striking a deal with American Airlines for its 25 per cent stake in Canadian. Air Canada made it a condition of its acquisition of Canadian Airlines that the latter's debt be restructured under CCAA bankruptcy protection, before it could become a wholly owned subsidiary. Currently, it controls Canadian Airlines indirectly through a numbered Alberta company, 853350 Alberta Ltd.

[RogerD@YYZ]

With the dawn of a new century and millennium, the saga continued...

April 4, 2000 - Canada's airlines begin integration Air Canada is taking another big step today toward creating one dominant airline in this country. It's starting to combine its schedule with Canadian Airlines, in the wake of its $92-million take-over. Air Canada has filed for Common Employer Status.

Spring/Summer of 2000, the Feds introduced Bill C-26 to amend certain provisions of that and related Acts in consequence to deal with the growing pains of the AC/CP merger. That resulted in changes to the Law, where Individual Ownership was increased to 15% and Foreign Ownership remained at 25% cap. This maintained that no individuals, individual corporations, pairs of corporations or groups of corporations should have effective control or become dominant which means limiting the individual shareholder to 15% of common voting shares.

Aug. 30, 2000 - No buyers for Canadian Regional; joins Air Canada Canadian Regional Airlines will become part of the Air Canada stable after all.

Dec. 22, 2000 - Air Canada issues profit warning, cuts 3,500 jobs Air Canada issued a profit warning late Thursday and announced that it is cutting 3,500 jobs. Canada's largest airline also said that higher energy costs is forcing it to implement a six per cent fare hike effective Jan. 1.

Feb. 2, 2001 - Air Canada hunkers down as losses soar Canada's dominant airline, Air Canada, has reported a fourth-quarter loss of $274 million, saying it suffered from the soaring cost of jet fuel and a slowdown in travel that has it bracing for more stormy weather ahead.

March 8, 2001 - Roots Air charges Air Canada with predatory pricing Roots Air has yet to fly a single mile, but add its name to the list of airlines charging Air Canada with predatory pricing.

July 4, 2001 - Air Canada aims to cut labour costs Seeking to cut its payroll costs, Air Canada is asking its employees to take a leave of absence or voluntarily work reduced hours.

July 21, 2001 Air Canada will launch its own discount carrier Air Canada said it is backing out of its deal to launch a discount airline with SkyService, the former operator of Roots Air.

July 27, 2001 - Air Canada fined $1 million over selective disclosure case Air Canada must cough up more than $1 million as part of a settlement with securities regulators after the airline told selected analysts about lower profits before making the information public.

Sep. 11, 2001 - 911 terrorist strike at the USA.

Sep. 19, 2001 - Air Canada asks for $4 billion in aid from Ottawa.

Dec. 18, 2001 - Bill C-38 comes into force, an Act to amend the Air Canada Public Participation Act. This enactment amends the Air Canada Public Participation Act to remove the individual shareholder ownership limit on the holding of voting shares of Air Canada by any one person or group of persons acting in concert.

Feb. 7, 2002 - Air Canada reports record $1.25 billion loss for 2001.

Apr. 19, 2002 - Air Canada unveils 'Zip': new western discount.

Sept. 23, 2002 - Zip enters no-frills airline war.

Feb. 6, 2003 - Air Canada to sell assets, slash costs after posting $428-million annual loss.

Feb/Mar, 2003 - Persian Gulf War - Part 2 by US-led coalition as "Attack To Free Iraq" causes unprecedented upheaval to the US airline/aviation industry, including UA that has spill-over effects on Star Alliance Partner AC. AC calls for matching concessions to compete. US airlines use ATA to lobby more loudly for continued support and calls for partial industry re-regulation for a crippled industry.

Mar. 20, 2003 - Air Canada slashing 3,600 jobs

March 21, 2003 - Canada slashing 3,600 jobs; says war is worsening financial picture Collenette says Ottawa may help Air Canada

April 1, 2003 - Air Canada files for CCAA bankruptcy protection due mainly as a result of its inability to reach settlement with the deficit in the AC Pension Plan Trust Fund reported under-funded at C1.8B.

Eureka >>>

Feb. 19, 2004 - Air Canada and representatives of the Pension Beneficiaries Group representing unionized, non-unionized employees and retirees have come to an agreement with respect to the funding of the Air Canada pension deficit which includes a provision for a funding schedule over a 10-year period. The parties will jointly seek the approval of the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions for the funding plan.

In 2003 and again in 2004, Concession Bargaining was the order-of-the-day.

Following that, PROFIT$ with rewards to only certain select stakeholders of the corporate elite and their vulture fund shareholders have followed as AC (Another Crisis) lands on another pretext to position and demand even more concessions.

[RogerD@YYZ]

Ah ha, the pension-tension pretext...

Pension and CCAA

Trinity Time Investment via Robert Milton and Calin Rovanescu will most likely try to threaten all our members into submission if we do not give more concessions than we gave in last June. However we are firmly convinced that if the company is successful in obtaining more concessions, they will continue to demand more.

BANKRUPTCIES, LAY-OFFS AND PLANT CLOSURES

To his credit, Pierre Jeanniot, the former President and CEO of Air Canada wrote a blistering letter (see attched) to the National Post condemning the huge companies in this investment group who are demanding that workers lose their pensions before the companies lose their investment. He found, as I did, their position to be absolutely abhorrent and he called on the government to step in to ensure that this does not happen. I have put a copy of his letter on your tables. It happens so rarely that a CEO takes such a position. We are fighting to make sure that our pensions at Air Canada are protected. There is another aspect of the Air Canada situation that I have difficulty believing. Robert Milton, Air Canada's current President and CEO and Calin Rovinescu, chief restructuring officer, have both made a fortune during the restructuring period ? a period in which Air Canada has lost over two and a half billion dollars. Moreover, these executives have also signed an agreement with both potential investors which ensures that they will get a major block of shares in the successful company. Over the next two or three years, this agreement could end up providing $20 or $30 million in bonuses to these two executives as a reward for all the problems they have created.

[cargo3816]

*AC 101 History lesson*
Good read
Cargo3816