Dear WestJet Members,

As the month of June ends, we would like to provide you with an overall update on the following topics: 

1. Scheduling meeting with Senior WestJet Leadership-June 29, 2022 

1. Crew Scheduling Hold Times 

1. Cabin Temperatures and Summer Operations 

1. YYZ Metering - Fire Chief Order 

1. YEG Hotel – Westin Downtown 

1. Scheduling meeting with Senior WestJet Leadership-June 29, 2022 

The purpose of the scheduling meeting that occurred yesterday was to address the remedies the Union proposed in the three (3) policy grievances the Union filed on May 12, 2022, addressing the seniority PBS. As communicated earlier this month, the scheduling grievances are in abeyance. Rest assured, they are still very much active, and the Union is consistently identifying and communicating remedies for seniority scheduling.  

The Union maintains that the current system is in violation of the Collective Agreement. 

The Union has spent many, many hours reading emails from our membership and researching ways to make scheduling issues less impactful in the now, while also researching what system would meet the needs of the Membership.

The Meeting: 
The Union brought forward system improvements we identified and sought collaboration on a new system.  

The Union requested the following system improvements:  

• Bid Analyzer feature: The Bid Analyzer allows Cabin Personnel to validate their bids. It does not show you the schedule you will receive, only how your bids are reflected with the weighted system. It allows you to see how the system “satisfies” you with the bids you have entered, prior to bidding close 

• “Max NN” feature: this allows Cabin Personnel to limit the system on how many times a pairing will be awarded. This is helpful for more varied flying; for example, if you would like three BCN layovers, not an entire month of BCN layovers  

• More than 16 bid lines (a consistent request from the SRC and Executive since before this system was implemented)  

• A pairing credit bid option. This will allow members to see the benefit of the equalizer being gone 

• An option to bid for minimum rest between pairings, benefitting Members who bid for one day pairings 

• Consistent blocking windows 

• The ability to bid for where Members want their reserve blocks to be scheduled, outside of requesting days off. Days off requests are consistently not awarded due to how Reserve is scheduled. How and where Reserve is awarded continues to remain a mystery to the Union 

• A separate bid package for CFL Charters 

• Any other option that will provide flexibility, consistency, and more control over one's schedule, regardless of their seniority 

• The Union is also urging the Employer to apply the remedies outlined in Article 34-2.03 for valid Day Off violations  

• The Employer has taken all the Union’s requests back, and have scheduled a meeting with the SRC and ADopt for next Wednesday

The System Itself: 

Through feedback, disputes and issues brought forward by the Membership to the SRC and the Executive, what has been identified is the weighted system is not what our Members desire. We want simplicity. We have requested that the Employer collaborate with the Union in seeking a seniority-based sequential Preferential Bidding System. A sequential PBS does not try to maximize “satisfaction” through math; it awards top down, one bid at a time. If your #1 bid is available, you will be awarded your #1 bid. The system will then move on to #2, etc., etc., until your schedule is complete. This will allow everyone, senior, junior, and in between, a clear understanding of their schedules and what they can hold with their seniority. 

Meetings with ADopt: 

The Employer has pledged to regular meetings between the SRC and ADopt, the developer. The SRC is seeking answers to Reserve scheduling, bidding options, clear definitions in the monthly Reason’s Report, and an overall simplified Reason’s Report. The current Reason’s Report is exceptionally large, not user friendly, and takes a long time and repeated attempts to load, making investigation into scheduling disputes extremely time consuming.

2. Crew Scheduling Hold Times  

The Union has been receiving reports that Cabin Personnel who are calling Crew Scheduling to report sick have experienced lengthy hold times and are subsequently being coded as Late Sick when they finally are able to connect. Please document the number of times you tried to call, and/or the length of time you spent on hold by taking a screen shot of your phone screen. Email your DPM with the details and above documentation and copy your Base VP. 

A reminder to use FLICA to report yourself as Still Sick (STS), or Good to Go (G2G)/Return to Duty (RTD). 

Due to current operational challenges over the long weekend, the Employer has requested that Members only contact Crew Scheduling with immediate/emergency issues.

3. Cabin Temperatures and Summer Operations 

The Union has already been receiving reports of unsafe cabin temperatures. Cabin temperatures are federally regulated in the Canada Labour Code in Part 7 of Aviation Occupational Health and Safety Regulations:  

“7.1 If feasible, the temperature on board an aircraft shall, if feasible, be maintained at a level of not less than 18°C and not more than 29°C.” 

Your OH&S Committee has been working to get each Member their own personal thermometer, but have come across supply issues. The Union is working on an interim solution, and we will communicate further. 

Despite the absence of a thermometer, all our Members are familiar with the physiological effects to ourselves and our passengers when the APU is not running and the cabin gets too hot. In past summer months, Members have reported crew and passengers overheating, fainting, and requiring EMS. This is an unsafe workplace and action should be taken before this point. 

When you feel the cabin temperature is getting too hot, immediately contact the captain to get the air turned on.  

You have the right to a safe workplace. You have the right to refuse dangerous work until unsafe working conditions are made safe. You MUST report unsafe work conditions, including cabin temperature concerns, to the Employer and your OH&S Committee.

4. YYZ Metering - Fire Chief Order

The Union has been in repeated discussions with the Employer about metering, pay and the safety implications of metering, particularly as the hot summer months are upon us.  

Earlier today, the Employer released an Ops Comm - Metering Fire Chief Order. The order sent out from the Mississauga Fire Department to every airline that serves the GTAA further complicates an already fraught situation for both our Members and our guests. 

The Union, including your OH&S Committee, met with the Employer today. We shared our concerns that the procedures currently in place are insufficient for the crew under these circumstances and expressed our significant concern for our Members safety. The Employer advised that they have received little documentation related to ICM incidents and metering. For ICM procedures, please reference in the FAM section 3A.6.6.4.

All ICM incidents MUST be reported to the Company 

For the Union to effectively advocate for our membership, IHR reporting is required. For instructions on how to log in or submit an IHR please refer to the “Welcome Booklet Intune v.4” on your CCD. 

After the Union met with the Employer, we met with our CUPE National Occupational Health and Safety Advisor, Troy Winters. The Union is working on a form for Members to submit on cupe4070.ca to track Metering incidences and concerns ourselves. We will communicate to the Membership when the form is live.

5. YEG Hotel – Westin Downtown 

The Hotel & Transportation Committee and OH&S Committee met with the Employer to discuss concerns related to the area surrounding the YEG Westin Downtown hotel. The Employer has received 45 reports from Members since 2019, including several reports of assault. The Employer and Corporate Security conducted a thorough investigation into the YEG Westin Downtown hotel and determined that, despite the reports and the request to move hotels by the Union, the YEG Westin Downtown hotel location is safe.  

The Employer informed the Committees that they will continue to meet to hear concerns related to this property.  

ALPA’s Hotel & Transportation Committee have not received any safety reports, and they have decided that they do not want to be part of this move. 

We ask that you continue to submit concerns and incidents on the Crew Connex app and via IHR-Crew Accommodations and Transportation. For instructions on how to log into Crew Connex please search for the “Welcome Booklet Intune v.4” on your CCD.  

Every IHR submitted supports the Union’s position of demanding change. 

As always, if you require Union assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us: cupe4070.ca/contact 

In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 Executive Team
CUPE 4070 President, Crystal Hill
CUPE 4070 Vice-President, Alia Hussain
CUPE 4070 Secretary-Treasurer, Alex Grigoriev
CUPE 4070 Recording Secretary, Marco Di Virgilio
WestJet YVR Base VP, Chris Brewer
WestJet YYC Base VP, Brigitte Benoit
WestJet YYZ Base VP, Vacant - Pending By-election
WestJet Encore YYC Base VP, Colleen Tracey
WestJet Encore YYZ Base VP, Mauricio Mejia
Swoop Base VP, Allan Ramsarran