Swoopsters Update January 2023

Dear Fellow Swoopsters, 

I wanted to update you on a few things. 

NEW BASE  

By now, I am sure all of you have received knowledge of the Town Hall presented by Bob Cummings, Jimmy Dean Porter and Mark Rallo on Wednesday, January 18, 2023.  The announcement of the new Abbotsford base comes with questions, some of which can be answered immediately while others will take some time as the details are worked through. 

WestJet confirmed on January 19, 2023, that they are opening a base in Edmonton as early as May 2023, which brought about conversations around the Flow MOA. Any changes to the Flow MOA, such as flowing earlier than two years, would have to be discussed between the Company and the Union. In the MOA, at least 3% of eligible Flight Attendants can flow per yearly quarter. This number can increase without any amendments to the agreement, however because of Swoop’s crewing need, even an increase to 4% would only be 16 Flight Attendants - Swoop cannot flow more Flight Attendants without the resources to replace them. 

UNION REPRESENTATION  

The Union is aware of Members attending disciplinary meetings without Union Representation. It is your right to request the presence of a Union Representative at any meeting that may lead to discipline and any meeting where discipline is issued (CA 29-1.04). Stewards are trained to represent you, take notes, to inform you of your rights under the Collective Agreement, and prepare (if necessary) the documents the Union requires to determine the merits of a grievance in the event of excessive discipline. If you receive a request from Management for a meeting, please reach out to me with the meeting details, your personal email, and your preferred contact number. A Steward with then be assigned from the seven excellent representatives we have for Swoop, who will then contact you for a briefing prior to your meeting.  

POLICY GRIEVANCE  

The Union has filed the Scheduling Policy Grievance and is awaiting the hearing date. Please keep emailing Crew Resources with your scheduling concerns and ensure to copy me in the email for the Union’s records and filing.  

GOSSIP AND CREWMOURS 

When referencing fellow colleagues in conversation, kindly ensure that the language used is kind natured and adheres to the Code of Business Conduct.  

CONTACTING THE UNION 

To connect, you can email me at sherrie.moore@cupe4070.ca or www.cupe4070.ca/contact. 

I can arrange your Union Representation for you, and I look forward to hearing from you with any questions or concerns you may have.  
 

Swoop Base VP, Sherrie Moore