Merger Update #9 - Seniority
Dear Members, Arbitrator William Kaplan has issued his decision on the seniority integration of the Sunwing and WestJet groups for the creation of the Integrated Seniority List (ISL). We encourage all members to review the ruling, which can be found HERE. The ISL will be constructed using the inflight date of hire. In his decision, Arbitrator Kaplan has directed the standardization of seniority dates between the two groups. Currently, WestJet assigns seniority based on the completion of inflight training, while Sunwing does so from the start of inflight training. Arbitrator Kaplan ruled that seniority dates will now be aligned with WestJet’s practice, where the date of hire is marked by the completion of inflight training. Next Steps Once the ISL is built by the parties and the company, a dispute period will be provided for members to review the list and ensure any errors are corrected. The details of this dispute process will be communicated once the ISL is finalized. More information will follow as we proceed.
To our Swoop-integrated members: now that the ruling has been issued, the Local Executive will focus on finalizing your integration into the WestJet unit. This will require coordination between the Executive Board and WestJet, and we will communicate further updates as they become available.
Landmark Decision and Looking Ahead We understand that today’s ruling may have varying impacts on our membership, and it’s natural for everyone to process this decision in their own way. As we reflect on the outcome, it’s important that we remain mindful of our interactions with one another, ensuring that we continue to uphold professionalism and respect in line with the WestJet Business Code of Conduct, we remind everyone to engage constructively as we move forward. It’s also important to recognize that this decision is legally binding. Arbitrator Kaplan, appointed by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), was entrusted with creating a fair and equitable seniority list for cabin crew members/flight attendants in the merged bargaining units at WestJet and Sunwing. His ruling, grounded in law, emphasizes the importance of seniority and the date-of-hire standard in our industry, reinforcing its value within case law. As we move forward from this long and challenging process, it’s now important that we turn our focus to the future, especially as we prepare for collective bargaining in 2025. While the outcome may not have aligned with everyone’s hopes, we must now come together as a unified group and work toward securing the best possible contract in our next round of negotiations. Your CUPE 4070 Executive
CUPE 4070 President - Alia Hussain
CUPE 4070 Vice-President - Tyson Conrod
CUPE 4070 Secretary-Treasurer - Alex Grigoriev
CUPE 4070 Recording Secretary - Calvin Gautschi
WestJet YVR/ YEG Base VP - Chris Brewer
WestJet YYC Base VP - Brandy Whitby
WestJet YWG Base VP - Tyson Conrod
WestJet YYZ Base VP - Bryan Hansraj
WestJet Encore YYC Base VP - Heather Crippen