CUPE 4070 Newsletter - September 2024
September's Content:
VP Personal Update
Scheduling Review Committee Update
Deadheading and Seating
Office Closure Update
Show your Kindness
WR USA Perdiem
737 Europe Check-In Times
Sick Means Sick
Calgary IT Bar
Long Layover Hotel Location
Rainmaker Reminder
WestJet Crew Socials
Unpaid Work Won't Fly Tags
Rainmaker Sick Day Discrepancy
Friends and Family Traveling on your Passes
Save the Dates
Communications Committee Corner
Galley Gossip
VP Personal Update:
Dear 4070 Members,
By the time of this newsletter, I should be transitioning back into my elected role as Vice-President.
As some of you may be aware, in early Spring I started to experience vision loss. By the beginning of summer I was legally blind and needed to take medical leave. Luckily, I was able to receive surgery on both of my eyes to reverse the vision loss.
Although my surgeon is unsure of the exact cause of my diagnosis, I have to impress upon you the importance of eye health. My situation was scary and extremely restrictive and I was very lucky that there was a solution. Please use eye protection whenever necessary (including sunglasses!) Please report any eye injuries or hazards while on duty! Please see an eye-care professional at least once a year, or any time you notice changes to your vision!
Thank you to Bryan for stepping into the role while I was on leave, and to Chris Amaddeo for filling the YYZ Base VP role. And thank you to those who sent well-wishes and kind messages.
In solidarity,
Tyson Conrod
Deadheading and Seating:
When deadheading, you cannot be forced to take the jumpseat as you have the right to a passenger seat. Please be considerate of commuters who may rely on available jumpseats to get to or from work on sold out flights.
Office Closure Update:
Please be advised that the CUPE 4070 offices in YVR and YYZ are in the process of being closed. The YYC office will remain operational. This change will not impact any member services. We will provide further updates as needed.
Show Your Kindness:
In each crew room, there is a spot to put un-used hotel amenities. These are then given to places such as shelters so they can use them. If during your hotel stay, you have unused amenities, such as shampoo, soaps, toothbrushes, combs etc., please bring them to a crew room. This is a great way to show kindness to those who may be in need.
WR USA Per Diem:
We have submitted a request to the company for per diem payments on routes that cross the border into the United States to be increased. Unfortunately, this request has been denied and will need to be addressed during future negotiations.
737 Europe Check-In Times:
The company has approached the union with concerns regarding crew showing up late to the gate when operating 737 flights from Europe to Canada. Although groomers and catering take longer to clean and prepare the aircraft in these destinations, we must adhere to the 60 minutes prior to departure check in time. The CSAs in Europe will note the time in the Turn Tool the full crew has arrived at the gate. The company has advised that if late gate arrivals continue to occur, they will be forced to push the hotel departure time to earlier, which will lead to shorter layovers.
Sick Means Sick:
As the summer continues, it's important to remain vigilant about your health. Given our frequent interaction with the public, practicing good hygiene is essential. Wash your hands regularly and use hand sanitizer when available.
If you're feeling unwell, please prioritize your health and book off sick. Your colleagues will appreciate your decision, and it will help prevent the spread of illness within our team.
Calgary IT Bar:
Need assistance with your CCD or have other IT concerns? The IT bar in YYC has been moved from the B gates to the Crew Room due to the damage in the terminal. Their hours are 0600-1800, 7 days a week. The team is currently in the process of moving back to their location in A gates by the food court and the company will send an update when this change has been made.
Long Layover Hotel Location:
If you have a layover that was scheduled to exceed 18 hours and were not placed downtown, please contact your Base VP. As per WS/WR CA 37-6, any layovers exceeding 18 hours that are within a normal 30 minute drive of the airport must be at the downtown hotel. Note – this requirement does not apply in IROP situations that extend your layover over the 18 hour mark, and may not always be possible for reserve callouts, but you’re welcome to check with CS if a downtown hotel was not provided and they can assist.
Rainmaker Reminder:
It’s always a good idea to double-check Rainmaker to ensure that your hours are paid correctly every month. If you aren’t sure how Rainmaker works, please visit the information page on Westnet, or contact your DPM.
WestJet Crew Socials:
WestJet is inviting cabin crew members (WS and WR) to join for a fun-filled evening of networking (and prizes)! Enjoy appetizers, drinks, and the company of colleagues, leadership, CUPE representatives and support teams.
The September socials will take place:
YYZ on Tuesday, September 10th
6:30 – 9:30 p.m. at CRAFT Beer Market (1 Adelaide St E, Toronto ON)
You must register here to attend before September 3.YVR on Wednesday, September 18th
6:30 – 9:30 p.m. at BREWHALL (97 2nd Ave E, Vancouver BC)
You must register here to attend before September 11.
YYC, YWG and YEG socials will be held in October. Stay tuned for more information!
We look forward to seeing you there!
Unpaid Work Won’t Fly Tags:
The initial supply provided by the CUPE Airlines Division has been depleted. While your union doesn't currently have tags available for purchase, we encourage you to visit Swag - Unpaid Work Won't Fly to purchase.
Due to budgetary constraints, offering luggage tags directly through our union is not currently feasible. Tags are typically ordered in bulk quantities of 5,000, with a cost of approximately $4 per tag. A significant investment would be required to maintain stock, and such an expenditure requires member approval.
Are you interested in seeing "Unpaid Work Won't Fly" tags available again? We encourage your participation in the upcoming General Membership Meeting on November 13th. This is a great opportunity to voice your support for this initiative.
We appreciate your understanding and continued commitment to combating unpaid work.
Rainmaker Sick Day Discrepancy:
A recent system update in Rainmaker on July 8th caused an unintended disruption to our sick bank. The Company has identified that the system is now incorrectly deducting sick days for layovers. Please note that this issue does not affect your pay. The Company is conducting a thorough audit of all sick days to ensure that any errors are corrected.
After the August 15th payroll was processed, the Crew Pay team reviewed each crew member's sick bank to verify that no days were deducted in error. Remember, sick days are only deducted for each duty period that you call in sick. The Company is actively working with Rainmaker to resolve this issue and will provide updates on the timeline for a solution. If you continue to see discrepancies after the amounts are manually audited each month, please reach out to Crew Pay.
Friends and Family Traveling on your Passes:
When sharing your WestJet travel privileges with friends and family, please remind them of the importance of adhering to our conduct and dress code expectations. Remember, these privileges are a benefit, and inappropriate behavior can result in the loss of access for the WestJetter who shared them.
Scheduling Review Committee Update:
In an effort to share the inner working of the scheduling review committee we thought we would share some insight to the committee.
For September schedules, we received 72 Day off Disputes and 37 Pairing Disputes. Our Scheduling Review Committee aims to investigate and respond to these disputes before the end of July. Investigating each individual dispute can be time-consuming, as it depends on the complexity of the issue and the need to analyze the entire schedule.
To avoid filing a dispute and receiving a schedule that does not work for you, we encourage you to reach out to us for bidding advice before the bidding period closes. We are always available to assist you proactively and help you avoid any scheduling issues.
The Scheduling Review Committee is responsible for investigating disputes monthly and handling other schedule-related matters such as Reserve call outs, pairing extensions, RTD assignments, and call outs. If you have any questions or investigations, you would like us to undertake, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
REMINDER 2025 Vacation Bidding is here!
2025 Vacation Bidding begins September 1st, 2024. Language for Vacation can be found in the Collective Agreement, Article 46. Click HERE to review.
To improve clarity on Vacation Bidding, the SRC will be issuing it's own communication.
Please remember to use this alongside the information available from the company, which you can find in your company email and on SharePoint.
WestJet Mainline
Schedule Dispute Period follows the language of the Collective Agreement,
WS - 34-2.02 In the event that a Cabin Personnel wants to address concerns with their issued monthly schedule, they will notify the Union representative on the Scheduling Review Committee within Seventy-two (72) hours of schedule release to review and respond.
**The form to file a Dispute can be found on SharePoint and will only be active for Seventy-two (72). You can also find the form HERE.
You do not need to fil out more than ONE dispute form for Pairing Disputes. Please DO NOT email the SRC with disputes. We cannot accept disputes through email, filling out the form is the only process.
Reminder that a dispute is not a grievance, and the investigation must be completed through the form as Step 1.
We have been working hard to implement new processes within the committee to improve efficiency and consistency for our members' benefit. We will be releasing a monthly communication with updates and important information. If you have any scheduling questions or specific inquiries, please send us an email HERE.
WestJet Encore
Schedule Dispute Period follows the language of the Collective Agreement.
WR - 34-2.03 In the event that a Cabin Crew Member wants to address concerns with their issued monthly schedule, they will notify a Union representative on the Scheduling Review Committee within seventy-two (72) hours of schedule release to review and respond.
To begin the dispute please send an email to your DPM and WR YYC Base VP within 72 hours of schedule release.
Please note that Reserve is not given on a seniority bases and you must use a bid line to "avoid" reserve.
Please contact the WR YYC Base VP with any questions proactively for the best opportunity of receiving a preferred schedule.
Save the Dates:
All events can be found "Events" on CUPE4070 website
General Membership Meeting (GMM)
Nov 13th, 2024 - 1100PT/1200MT/1400ET
Open to Members in Good Standing and/or to those who have completed the application process.
Elections
Elections will be held in November. More information will be available closer to the date.
Communications Committee Corner:
The Communications Committee will now be recognizing some days through our newsletter instead of through social media. We will be using our social media platforms to share more timely and educational information. Please take a moment to follow our social media platforms here:
Recognition Days
September 10, 2025: World Suicide Prevention Day
Together, we can make a difference. Let's promote awareness, reduce stigma, and support those in need. Remember, you're not alone. #WorldSuicidePreventionDay
September 18, 2025: International Equal Pay Day
It's time for change. Let's break down the barriers that perpetuate the wage gap and ensure everyone is paid fairly. #EqualPayDay
Share your story:
If you would like to share a short story/pictures for an upcoming recognition day; please email the Communications Team. We will do our best to include as many submissions as possible, we apologize if we do not have enough room on the Newsletter to share all of them.
Upcoming Days/Months:
October 10 World Mental Health Day
November 11 Remembrance Day
November 24 - 30 National Addiction and Awareness Week
Galley Gossip:
Previous months submissions: Galley Gossip Wall
CUPE 4070 can answer Union related inquiries only. For Company related inquiries, please reach out to your Leader or submit a Company E-Report.
Have a Galley Gossip question? Please submit here.
Q: Always hearing that integrated Swoopsters seniority is directly tied to Sunwings seniority decision. Is this true? When can we expect a decision for Swoopsters?
A: The integration of Swoop seniority is a complex process that's currently underway. While Swoop seniority may or may not be directly tied to the Sunwing seniority decision, both matters are being considered as part of the overall merging process.
We are actively working on resolving the Swoop integration seniority matter. We understand the importance of this issue and are committed to providing updates as soon as possible. Please stay tuned for further information from the union.
Q: Rumour has it that Swoop integration seniority has already been decided in their favour, giving them original DOH. However, the announcement/implementation of this decision is being withheld to give CUPE 4070 an edge at the bargaining table with CUPE 4055. Any truth to this?
A: As of now, no decisions have been made regarding Swoop integration seniority. We are still in the midst of this process.
Please refer to the merger emails, which will be released periodically as information becomes available. We encourage you to stay updated on the situation through these official communications.
Q: How can the company initiate absenteeism discipline proceedings for CCMs having less than 40 hours in a month if they voluntarily drop shifts on Flica? Our agreement does not have a set number listed, only that CCMs will not drop “excessive hours.” I explicitly remember during the agreement road show videos, when explaining this clause Chris and Jamie said that without a concrete number the company cannot enforce this as it is up for debate what constitutes “excessive.” Do we have protection by the union if we are to drop below 40 hours? How can the company suddenly come up with the random number of 40 hours and this be acceptable when Cupe4070 was not consulted?
A: Currently, the WestJet Inflight Attendance Management Program under ""Excessive Absenteeism"" states that dropping below 40 hours is considered excessive absence. You can review this on your CCD WS Cabin Crew - Manuals > Other Company Manuals and Policies.
The union's position is that this is a violation of the bargained language in the CA 34-20.01 which states: "A Cabin Personnel shall not be permitted to use Shift Trades to be absent from work for an excessive period(s) of time." but does not specifically state 40 hours. The union has already filed a policy grievance in this respect. Once an outcome has been determined - whether it be at its current step, or at arbitration, it will be communicated to the membership.
Although we suggest remaining above 40 hours (for full-time CCM) as dropping below 40 on a 6-month average basis may impact your access to health benefits, please feel free to drop as needed if you have a specific reason to. Your DPM was providing you with a warning as per the program, but if you explain to your DPM the reason as to why you need to drop, they may be willing to work with you on that - especially if it is for temporary purposes like a move.
In solidarity,
Your Local 4070 Executives:
President, Alia Hussain
Interim Vice President, Bryan Hansraj
Recording Secretary, Calvin Gautschi
Secretary-Treasurer, Alex Grigoriev
WestJet Encore YYC Base VP, Heather Crippen
WestJet Encore YYZ Base VP, Marcus Johnstone-McKinney
WestJet YEG/YVR Base VP, Chris Brewer
WestJet Interim YYC Base VP, Lisa Blayney
WestJet Interim YWG Base VP, Bryan Hansraj
WestJet Interim YYZ Base VP, Chris Amaddeo