October 1, 2025
Participants for AMFA
Pat Amore– National Vice President
Will Abbott– Region II Director
Collin Ayotte – Airline Representative
Lucas Middlebrook – Legal Counsel
Peter Manikowski – Economist
Participants for Calm Air
Randi McCallum – Vice President of HR & Payroll
Tim Kroeker – Vice President of Maintenance / PRM
Darcy Mawby – Director of Maintenance
Britney Bella – HRIS/Payroll Manager
The AMFA-Calm Air Negotiating Committee (“the Committee”) is providing this update to the membership at Calm Air International LP (“Calm Air” or the “Company”). This is the only official source of negotiating communications by the Committee.
Session Summary
The Parties met in Winnipeg (September 23-25, 2025) for a three-day collective bargaining session. The Parties reached TA on four articles during this session:
- Article 11 – Overtime (contingent on open economic items)
- Article 14 – Shift Scheduling
- Article 23 – Field Service & Charters (contingent on open economic items)
- Article 28 – Scope/Sub-Contracting (previously Sub-Contracting)
This brings the total number of TA’d articles from the first five sessions to twenty-four. In addition to the four standalone TA’d articles referenced above, the Parties each countered twice during this session with their respective economic term sheets. These term sheets brought the Parties closer together on base wages, but on economic issues such as vacation accruals, sick leave accruals, and overtime pay, the Parties have not yet found common ground. AMFA presented the last Economic Term Sheet counterproposal at the conclusion of Day 3, and we therefore expect the Company to be prepared with its Term Sheet counterproposal on Day 1 of the next session. Your Committee is hopeful the Company will address all our economic proposals in a meaningful way.
The next bargaining session is scheduled for October 14-17 in Winnipeg. We want to thank all the observers who attended this session. Your support is greatly appreciated. We also thank the members who have reached out to express gratitude for AMFA bringing your voice to the table and informing the Company of the issues important to you. If any member wishes to attend the October 14-17 session as an observer, please contact your Airline Representative (“ALR”), Collin Ayotte.
Please continue reading for a day-by-day breakdown of last week’s negotiation session.
Day One
The Company owed responses on all open articles and the Economic Term Sheet to begin this session, and in the morning of Day 1 presented the following counterproposals: Article 11 – Overtime; Article 23 – Field Service; Article 14 – Shift Scheduling; Article 27 – Union Business; and Article 28 – Scope / Sub-Contracting. The Company proposed a different overtime selection process than that presented by the Union, which AMFA took under review. In addition, the Company’s counterproposal on Field Service adopted some of AMFA’s concepts, but more work was needed to ensure the process offered sufficient stability for you. The Company’s Shift Scheduling counterproposal brought the Parties closer to TA; however, AMFA needed to review and counter on certain issues, such as those related to schedule changes, before reaching alignment. The Company made some movement on notice issues related to the Union Business article, but maintained its position on issues within that article that related to economics. AMFA took the Company’s counterproposal on Scope/Sub-Contracting under advisement, and thereafter the Parties confirmed they had reached TA on this article.
The Company also presented its first Economic Term Sheet counterproposal in the early afternoon of Day 1. Before presenting this counterproposal, the Company negotiators advised AMFA the Company was “blown away” by AMFA’s first economic proposal. The Company cited its calculations of theoretical pay increases on a percentage basis for some of you under AMFA’s proposals that the Company viewed as far too high. We had productive discussions about these computations but reminded the Company that any amount added to a low wage is a big percentage. For example, the Parties found some alignment on the concept of a night shift premium; however, when the night shift premium (of any amount) is added to an underpaid apprentice, the resulting percentage increase can be very large. AMFA thinks these very large increases are not only needed but have been earned with your hard work.
The Company’s first economic term cited comparator pay for GSE and Technical Records positions, and its first offer on Wage Base increases ranged from zero for those positions following Provincial/Nunavut apprentice minimums to approximately 9.5% for certain Technical Records steps. The AME and GSE increases fell in the middle. We queried the Company about the disparate pay increases for different classifications (and even steps within classifications) to better understand the Company’s position.
The Company’s proposals brought us closer on how ACA premiums would be paid, aligning on a percentage-based model as opposed to the current flat rate model per endorsement. We appreciated the Company’s first proposal on this concept.
On per diem, we felt the Company’s proposal did not address the increases and realities of the price of food when you are traveling on Company business over the present CA’s terms.
However, the Company did not include changes to how pay is computed for Overtime and other pay situations. We are still apart on the concept of including enforcements / ACA pay into the Overtime computations and other pay situations.
The Parties then each caucused and returned in the afternoon to exchange further proposals.
AMFA, late in the afternoon on Day 1, returned a counterproposal on Article 14 – Shift Scheduling, which made minor movement intended to address some Company concerns, but also held on important pieces related to schedule changes designed to provide you with stability. Following this counterproposal from AMFA, the Parties confirmed a TA on Article 14 – Shift Scheduling.
Day 2
At the outset of Day 2, AMFA presented counterproposals on Article 11 – Overtime; Article 23 – Field Service & Charters; and the Economic Term Sheet. AMFA’s counterproposal on Article 11 attempted to address certain Company concerns related to the overtime selection/assignment process while maintaining a stable system of administration. AMFA took a similar approach with respect to its counterproposal on Field Service & Charters to ensure that assignment of Rescue Missions and Charters also provided the schedule stability and an orderly process of administration you have indicated are important to you. Following discussion of these individual articles, AMFA presented its first Economic Term Sheet counterproposal. AMFA continued its approach to address the Members’ proposals from the survey on major issues and to, wherever possible, propose a wage base increase that is similar for all Members. At the same time, we recognize that Apprentice pay requires structural changes for the A and Level Apprentices – AMFA’s proposals have put the A and Level Apprentices on the same scale.
Your Committee continued to address vacation, sick leave, pension, pay computations and more in this proposal. We are keenly aware, and reinforced to the Company, the comparators in Canada and Winnipeg/Nunavut for AME and GSE work. In a discussion about useful comparators, AMFA reiterated that we are willing to prepare illustrations and comparator analyses for all classifications if this would help negotiations process. We see your expertise in the Canada and Manitoba / Nunavut markets as commanding the pay increases that AMFA is proposing.
Regarding per diem, in an effort to align with the Company, we adopted an approach that blended Nunavut travel with other common destinations in Canada.
The Parties caucused following discussion of AMFA’s most recent counterproposals and reconvened later in the afternoon at which point the Company presented a counterproposal on Article 11 – Overtime. AMFA studied the Company’s Article 11 counterproposal and got to work immediately, preparing a counterproposal, which was delivered to the Company late on Day 2. AMFA’s counterproposal contained language cleanups and defined how certain qualifications would factor into the overtime administration process. With this counter, the Parties were able to reach a TA on Article 14 – Overtime contingent on the remaining economic items that would be addressed within the Party’s respective economic term sheet.
Day 3
The Company began Day 3 with a counterproposal on Article 23 – Field Service & Charters. The Company’s Article 23 counterproposal brought the Parties closer to alignment, but issues remained related to the selection process and associated timelines. AMFA advised the Company it planned to return a counterproposal in an attempt to reach TA on this article as well. The Parties caucused and reconvened shortly after lunch at which point AMFA presented a counterproposal to Article 23 – Field Service & Charters. AMFA proposed general cleanup and language intended to address Employees’ travel documents, Field Service & Charter selection, and the time periods related to assignment/notification by the Company of such trips.
The Company then presented its second Economic Term Sheet counterproposal. Like its first proposal, the Company stayed on its same themes to reject nearly all new economic concept proposals from AMFA except ACA pay computations and night shift. The Company continued its approach with Apprentice pay and disparate Wage Base increases. The Company proposed a new “Charter and AOG” hourly premium, which we reviewed and saw some benefits in for certain situations. The Company’s position on per diem did not increase from its first proposal.
Following return from caucus, the Company presented another counterproposal on Article 23 – Field Service & Charters. This counterproposal narrowed the remaining issues, but the Parties remained apart on certain items such as scheduling/assignment and reporting timelines.
AMFA then presented its third Economic Term Sheet to the Company (our second counterproposal). We maintained our positions on vacation and sick leave as well as solutions to improve pension/retirement options. We continued our philosophy on wage increases and structural adjustments to apprentice pay. For per diem, we aligned our proposal to some concepts found in the pilot and flight attendant CAs. Your Committee continued to propose that Overtime should be based on your “All-In Rate,” which we see as including your ACA/endorsements, loyalty pay, and other applicable premiums. Our presentation also made clear to the Company that we see wages as a major attraction and retention issue when the labor market in Nunavut and Manitoba is indeed challenging.
Your Committee echoed your feedback that Calm Air should be the first place apprentices in Nunavut and Manitoba should want to work – and Employees to stay. Following AMFA’s presentation of its Economic Term Sheet counter, your Committee went to work on a counterproposal for Article 23 – Field Service. AMFA requested the Company stay late on Day 3 so it could finalize and present this counterproposal. AMFA presented its Article 23 counterproposal, which countered on issues such as Rescue Mission and Charter selection/assignment and time periods with which to do so. The counter attempted to address some of the Company’s stated concerns while protecting Employees with an orderly selection and scheduling process. The Parties orally confirmed they reached TA on this article contingent on open economic items and await formalizing that TA document.
The Parties remain apart on many economic issues, but there was good progress on CA language that is challenging to bargain and find alignment. The Parties, with 24 TA articles can now focus, for the most part, on Economic Term Sheet counterproposals. We are hopeful and expect the Company to productively engage with an economic package your hard work has undoubtedly earned.
Remember - stay engaged, remain informed, and continue to support the Negotiating Committee. Our solidarity will produce a CA that your hard work has earned.
Fraternally,
Your AMFA-Calm Negotiating Committee
