8000 South Orange Avenue, Suite 107
Orlando, Florida 32809
(407) 438-6066
(407) 438-6040 (facsimile)
(800) 767-8791 (toll free)
AC Ballot Results
Dup. request form
Q & A # 3
Q & A # 2
Please distribute this e-mail to all members and post at work sites.
Air Canada management has brought to my attention that we have misinterpreted one Section of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).
#7 of the MOA states as follows: “For those employees in Atlanta and Houston who voluntarily sever their employment, Air Canada shall supplement the severance payments outlined in Article 19 of the collective bargaining agreement to provide the following lump sum payments”.
6) #8 question and answer in Proposal Q & a Update No. 1 dated December 1, 2008 stated as follows:
7)
“If we vote “yes” will the Atlanta and Houston members receive the severance pay AND the $20,000 for full time or $10,000 for part time?
Yes – If the proposal is ratified, those in Atlanta and Houston who chose to sever their employment with the company, will receive $20,000 if full time or $10,000 if part time IN ADDITION TO the number of weeks of severance that are applicable – up to 13 weeks pay.
The correction is as follows:
“If we vote “yes” will the Atlanta and Houston members receive the severance pay AND the $20,000 for full time or $10,000 for part time?
NO – If the proposal is ratified, those in Atlanta and Houston who chose to sever their employment with the company, will receive up to a maximum of $20,000 if full time or a maximum of $10,000 if part time. The number of weeks severance per Article 19 of the CBA with this company proposed supplement to TOTAL $20,000 or $10,000.
Thanks,
Daisy Q. Gonzalez
Business Representative
Teamsters Local Union No. 769
8000 South Orange Avenue, Suite 107
Orlando, Florida 32809
(407) 438-6066
(407) 438-6040 (facsimile)
(800) 767-8791 (toll free)
Update Number 1
December 1, 2008
TO: ALL TEAMSTERS LOCAL UNION NO. 769 MEMBERS WHO ARE EMPLOYED AND/OR ON FURLOUGH BY AIR CANADA:
===============================================
All should have received or in the process of receiving the Proposal ballot, instructions and letter from Airline Division Director, David Bourne.
As explained in the paperwork, we will be answering questions that we have received by the membership to assist in making their decision on whether to accept this company proposal or not.
Below are questions received by the membership along with our response to these questions.
1) If we vote “no” to this company proposal will there be contract negotiations in the future?
Yes – The CBA becomes amendable in June, 2009 and contract negotiations will commence sometime prior to June, 2009.
2) If we vote “no” will we see anything better when it comes to negotiations in 2009?
There is no way of knowing if you will see anything better or not: the negotiation process will take its course when the CBA becomes amendable in 2009.
3) Is this a “take it or leave it” proposal by the company?
No – The Company has presented its proposal now so that it can avoid having to engage in formal re-opener negotiations next year. If the proposal is rejected, the Company and Union will engage in formal negotiations this coming year, when the CBA becomes amendable. The Company clearly wants you all to vote “yes” and ratify the proposal. But if the proposal is rejected, please note that the Railway Labor Act does not allow a “take it or leave it” stance by the company, for it has to negotiate in good faith when the CBA becomes amendable in 2009.
4) If we commence negotiations when the CBA becomes amendable in 2009, will the company
fund our wage increases using monies from the US pension fund?
No - U.S. laws do not allow companies to take monies from pension funds for any reason whether wages or anything else.
5) If we vote “no” on this proposal, will be out of a job in June?
Voting “no” on this proposal does not put you out of a job in June. The company can change its flying in and out of the country regardless of which way you vote. A “yes” vote does not guarantee that they will not change their flying any more than a “no” vote does.
6) Can the company close more stations as they did with Atlanta and Houston?
Yes – Per the Arbitrator’s decision, if the company makes a station a totally Jazz station, they can close the station. This is true regardless of whether the company’s proposal is rejected.
7) Will voting “yes” for the company proposal guarantee that the company will not close any other station?
No – Voting “yes” does not guarantee that the company will not make other stations an all Jazz station which includes closings.
8) If we vote “yes” will the Atlanta and Houston members receive the severance pay AND the $20,000 for full time or $10,000 for part time?
Yes – If the proposal is ratified, those in Atlanta and Houston who chose to severe their employment with the company, will receive $20,000 if full time or $10,000 if part time IN ADDITION TO the number of weeks of severance that are applicable – up to 13 weeks pay.
9) Do the Atlanta and Houston packets diminish the other proposed 50 refresh packages?
No – The 50 proposed refresh packages are separate from and in addition to the packages proposed for the Atlanta and Houston members.
10) If this proposal passes and is ratified, will the 50 refresh packages be offered by seniority?
The refresh packages will be offered proportionally among the business units (reservations, cargo and airports) by seniority. (Ex: If Airports = 50% of work group = 25 refresh packages; If Reservations = 30% of work group = 15 refresh packages; If Cargo = 20% of work group = 10 refresh packages – offered by seniority within the business unit)
11) If this proposal is ratified, will those who accept a package be eligible for recall?
No – Those who chose a refresh package (including those in Atlanta and Houston) will sever their employment with the company and will not be eligible for recall.
12) If the proposal is ratified, will the Atlanta and Houston members receive the
lump sum money of $1,500 for full time or $750 for part time if January, 2009 if they chose to take the $20,000 for full time or $10,000 for part time?
No – If those members chose the package, their employment is severed and they will not receive the lump sum payment in January, 2009.
13) If the proposal passes and is ratified, will the furloughed employees be eligible for the lump sum payment in January, 2009 if they do not take a package and remain on furlough status?
Yes – Those who remain on furlough status will receive the lump sum payment in January, 2009 - $1,500 for full time or $750 for part time
14) If the proposal is ratified, will those employees who chose to remain on furlough from Atlanta and Houston be recalled if the company flies mainline back into these two stations?
Yes – It is the Union’s position that the only reason we are not staffing these stations is that the Arbitrator ruled that since Atlanta and Houston became totally Jazz stations – they were operated by a separate entity that is not party to or subject to the terms of the collective agreement.. However, that would not be the case if mainline flies in the station.
15) If the proposal is ratified, will the January, 2009 lump sum payment affect our scheduled 1% raise in March, 2009?
No – The 1% scheduled raise in March, 2009 was part of the Arbitrator’s ruling therefore, the March, 2009 raise will be paid to all regardless of the passing or rejecting of this proposal.
16) If the proposal is ratified, will the medical and dental coverage be the same as today?
Yes – The proposal freezes the employees’ costs (out of pocket, co-pays, deductibles, and any other employee expense) and also maintains the same coverage as currently exists for the remainder of the CBA extension.
17) If the proposal is ratified, will the scheduled wage increases per the current CBA apply?
Yes – Those employees who are due a wage increase per the progressive scale in the CBA will receive their wage increase as indicated in the CBA.
As more questions come in, we will answer and send to all.
In Unity,
Daisy Q. Gonzalez/via e-mail
Daisy Q. Gonzalez
Business Representative
Teamsters Local Union No. 769
Chairperson Air Canada System Board
**********
THIS IS TO SERVE NOTICE OF REFERENDUM ON WHETHER TO ACCEPT
THE AIR CANADA CONTRACT PROPOSAL.
THE REFERENDUM IS BEING CONDUCTED BY MAIL BALLOT.
BALLOTS WILL BE MAILED TO ALL ELIGIBLE MEMBERS ON OR
ABOUT NOVEMBER 26,2008. ALL BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED AT
THE DESIGNATED POST OFFICE BOX IN LANHAM, MARYLAND, BY
10:00 A.M EASTERN TIME ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2008, TO BE
COUNTED.
MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED A BALLOT BY DECEMBER 3,
2008, SHOULD CONTACT THEIR LOCAL UNION OFFICE AT 713-672-8155 - TO
REQUEST A BALLOT. BALLOTS MAYBE REQUESTED THROUGH
DECEMBER 11,2008, 12 NOON EASTERN TIME.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION OF THE BALLOT ARE ENCLOSED IN
THE BALLOT PACKAGE.
PLEASE POST **********
Good Morning All:
Questions and Answers
