June 17, 2024
A more cutting demonstration of WestJet’s disrespect for its Tech Ops employees could hardly be conceived. Tonight Vice President Tech Ops Gandeephan Ganeshalingam advised AMFA President Bret Oestreich that WestJet is refusing to proceed with negotiations scheduled for June 19 and 20 in Calgary.
After the resolute rejection of the tentative agreement by 97.5 percent of the voting AMEs, the parties agreed that a crisis existed that must be addressed immediately. Dates and a city location for negotiations were set. AME representatives had booked their flights. The Union had commenced its preparation of a one-page list of revisions designed to shift sufficient “no” votes so that a new agreement could be successfully ratified.
WestJet now refuses to negotiate despite previous commitments by several Company executives that bargaining would continue through this week.
Moreover, the airline has filed a submission to force the AMEs to arbitrate the terms of their collective bargaining agreement.
The tactic is a clever one. If adopted by the Canada Industrial Relations Board, it would utterly frustrate the AMEs’ goal of reaching an industry-changing contract because arbitrators are generally driven by industry “norms” – the same norms that have kept AMEs under the heel of management and industrial unions which favour the unskilled majority.
WestJet seeks to enlist the government of Canada as its accomplice. Its expressed objective is to use the government to impose the tentative agreement rejected by the membership or a potentially inferior agreement developed by an arbitrator.
We are left with only one response. It is time to march, demonstrate, and lobby your elected officials.
You must do your part. This must not stand. AMFA has served WestJet with legal notice of the bargaining unit’s intention to strike beginning at 9 pm Eastern Time on June 20, 2024. Until that time, we ask all bargaining unit members to refrain from economic self-help activities.
Fraternally,
AMFA-WestJet Negotiating Committee
