June 18, 2025
Participants for AMFA
Pat Amore – National Vice President
Earl Clark – Region I Director
Ian Evershed – Region IV Director
Collin Ayotte – Airline Representative
Lucas Middlebrook – Legal Counsel
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 (“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.
The Parties met in Winnipeg (June 9-12, 2025) for a four-day collective bargaining negotiation session.
On Day 1, the Parties spent time introducing themselves and engaged in general discussion regarding how each side foresaw the collective bargaining process. AMFA explained its philosophy regarding the ability of you, the Calm Air AMFA members, to attend negotiations as observers, and the Calm Air negotiators asked several questions to better understand the process of observers. The Company seemed initially reluctant to agree to allow observers but indicated they would engage in more internal discussion. AMFA then presented an opener document, which provided the Company with bargaining concepts, on an article-by-article basis that AMFA intended to address during these negotiations. The Parties engaged in productive discussion on this document and then broke for the day. The Parties also discussed the importance of being able to go “off the record” occasionally during negotiations to openly address issue.
On Day 2, the Company indicated it was willing to allow observers during these negotiations, and the Parties discussed some parameters around that process. AMFA presented a proposal on Article 2 – Purpose of Agreement, which proposed changes intended to “clean up” existing language for readability and consistent use of terms and to closer align the language with other AMFA collective bargaining agreements (CBA). The Parties engaged in dialogue regarding AMFA’s proposal and regarding Article 3 – Management Rights. Each party caucused so the Company could prepare a counter to AMFA’s Article 2 proposal and develop a first proposal on Article 3 – Management Rights. AMFA spent the caucus preparing additional articles for presentation. Upon reconvening, the Company presented a counterproposal to Article 2 – Purpose of Agreement and presented its first proposal on Article 3 – Management Rights. Following discussion on these articles, AMFA presented its first proposal on Article 4 – Dues Check Off, which sought to incorporate the previous LOU on this topic and update language to bring the article closer to alignment with the structure of an AMFA CA. The Parties caucused again to consider the respective proposals and counterproposals. Upon reconvening, the Parties engaged in discussion regarding proposed changes to Article 2 – Purpose of Agreement.
At the beginning of Day 3, the Company informed AMFA it had accepted the Union’s proposal on Article 4 – Dues Check Off and the Parties could tentatively agree on the article. When the Parties tentatively agree to an article in this fashion, it is referred to as a “TA,” and TA’d articles are then set aside as the Parties continue with other articles to complete the entire CBA. AMFA then presented a counterproposal on Article 2 – Purpose of Agreement, and following brief discussion, the Company indicated the Parties had reached a TA on that article as well. AMFA next presented a counterproposal to Article 3 – Management Rights, which updated language to align closer with AMFA CBAs and to clarify management rights will not be inconsistent with the terms of the CA. Again, following productive discussion, the Parties were able to reach TA on Article 3 – Management Rights. AMFA followed this with its first proposal on Article 5 – Probationary Period, which again sought to cleanup existing language and proposed language to address situations where the Company may seek to extend a probationary period by a maximum of six months.
Continuing on Day 3, AMFA proposed a deletion of Article 24 – Paid Education Leave. This was a provision that required the Company to pay $100 per month into a special fund established by the prior union to “upgrade employee skills in all aspects of trade union functions.” AMFA’s preference is to preserve economic components for your compensation. The Company agreed to this proposed deletion and the Parties reached a TA on Article 24. AMFA presented its first proposal for Article 26 – Personnel Files, and the Parties engaged in lengthy discussion, especially as it related to how long disciplinary action could remain in an Employee’s file. The Company is continuing to review AMFA’s proposal on this article, and we anticipate a response at the next session. In the afternoon of Day 3, the Company presented its counterproposal on Article 5 – Probationary Period, and a productive discussion occurred on this article. AMFA sent its next proposal on Article 5 electronically to the Company following the discussion, and the Parties reached a TA on this article as well. Day 3 concluded with AMFA presenting its first proposal on Article 25 – Technological Changes, which included clarifying cleanup and reorganization to existing language.
The Parties spent the morning of Day 4 in caucus preparing proposals. At the outset of the afternoon, AMFA responded to the Company’s proposal to incorporate the existing Letter of Understanding on Article 9 – Bereavement Leave / Leave of Absence and presented its first proposal on this article, including proposing to generalize the name of the Article to Leaves of Absence. AMFA’s proposal modified the structure of this article to provide clarity to the members and proposed substantive additions. The Parties engaged in helpful dialogue and then caucused until later in the afternoon on Day 4, at which point the Company presented a counterproposal on Article 9 – Leaves of Absence. The Company’s counterproposal brought the Parties closer to a TA. Following discussion, the Parties caucused and prior to the conclusion of the session, presented another counterproposal on Article 9 – Leaves of Absence and presented a first proposal on Article 10 – Sick Leave. AMFA looks forward to the Company’s counterproposals on Articles 9 and 10 at the next scheduled session.
The Parties reached TA on six articles during this session. In addition, AMFA presented proposals on three other articles and await the Company’s counters on those at the next session. The next negotiation session is scheduled for July 28-31 in Winnipeg. If you wish to attend this session as an observer, please contact your Airline Representative (ALR), Collin Ayotte. The observer guidelines agreed to by the Parties will be distributed in advance of the July negotiation session.
Remember - stay engaged, remain informed, and continue to support the Negotiating Committee. Our solidarity will produce a CBA that your hard work has earned.
Fraternally,
Your AMFA-Calm Negotiating Committee