Dear Members,


Your CUPE 4070 Executive Team had a meeting with our National CUPE reps to discuss concerns brought forward regarding base bidding and related topics. Many of the queries brought forward are items addressed within the Collective Agreement negotiations. Due to the confidentiality of the Collective Bargaining process, CUPE is unable to discuss these items at this time. To further explain, the Bargaining Committee is working tirelessly to  bargain your Collective Agreement to provide a point of reference to protect the Flight Attendants within the Swoop bargaining unit, along with their rights, and clear and concise working rules, regulations, and expectations on behalf of the Flight Attendants and the Company. While this legal document is being drafted, it cannot be shared outside of Collective Bargaining until such time as a Tentative Agreement is ready to present to the Membership for ratification. For this reason, nobody within the Union or the Company outside of that bargaining body is aware of the details of negotiations other than the subject/topics that are scheduled to be discussed. Items such as base bidding, bidding packages and policy relating to this have been discussed in negotiations already, and details will not be released until a complete draft of the Collective Agreement is finalized. Once this is complete, it will then be distributed to the Swoop Membership for ratification.

The main item brought forward was regarding the co-base between Hamilton and Toronto and what exactly a co-base is. This concern will be brought to the Company in the coming days for clarification on their definition of a ‘co-base’ and subsequently what it will mean for us as Flight Attendants in the YHM/YYZ base. Once we have a clear and concise response from the Company regarding this definition, CUPE will then have a better understanding of the Company’s intentions and can proceed accordingly to advocate for our Members.

There were also concerns brought forward regarding base bidding, bid packages, and other bidding-related items are part of Bargaining and currently in negotiations. Stipends, training, and any other matters that relate to pay are also being addressed in bargaining and thus cannot be shared until a draft of the Collective Agreement is complete. 

CUPE recognizes these are not suitable ‘answers’ for our Swoop Flight Attendants. However, at this time we are approaching the end of a very long process, and when negotiations are complete, many of these questions will be provided with clear answers. For now, we ask for your continued patience to allow the process to take the time it requires for CUPE, your Executive Team, and your Bargaining Committee to advocate for your rights and carry out their purpose. This is a historical time for WestJet, WestJet Encore, and Swoop; we have seen two out of three bargaining units with drafted agreements-- our turn is coming very soon!

As your Swoop elected CUPE Vice-President, I am proud to be part of the CUPE4070 team that has brought us to our very own Collective Agreement. The time it takes to get where we need to be will be well worth the wait. I ask that you continue to trust the process-- good things are on their way to us in the very near future. 

Upcoming bargaining dates for Swoop are: 

August 10 - 12, 2021 

August 23 - 26, 2021 

September 7 - 9, 2021 

September 21 - 23, 2021 

As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or require representation, please contact us at: cupe4070.ca/contact 

In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 Swoop Base VP & Executive Team