WS Scheduling Review Committee - Reserve Update
Dear Members,
This communication is being sent out regarding issues that have been consistently trending around reserve. Prior to addressing these issues though, we would like to first and foremost express our gratitude and thanks to our CCMs. We know that these times continue to be challenging, and we thank each of you for all the incredible work you do every day. Recalls are now complete, and we would like to welcome back all our CCMs! And finally, thank you to all the CCMs that have taken the time to document and follow up on perceived misapplications and violations of reserve callouts and assignments. Properly documenting these issues gives your union reps the tools to act and address these issues.
The Union has identified and brought forth to the Employer several inconsistencies with reserve across the bases. What we are seeing is call outs being done out of order of reverse seniority; types of reserve, including ASR and RTD, are being incorrectly assigned; and inconsistencies surrounding flex reserve. Your Scheduling Review Committee (SRC) has been working in collaboration with all the Base VPs to trend these issues and are working to hold the employer accountable for not following the language in the agreement as it pertains to reserve. As the Employer holds CCMs accountable to our work rules, so should we hold the Employer accountable to follow our agreement.
If you believe you think have been called out of seniority order, and/or assigned ASR or RFX incorrectly, please reach out to your DPM and CC your CUPE 4070 Scheduling Review Committee (ws.src@cupe4070.ca).
Note, it is important that the correct procedure be followed for your union to be able to advocate for you. Please contact your DPM via email to have an informal discussion regarding the matter. Be sure to CC the SRC (ws.src@cupe4070.ca) and provide the following details:
Type of reserve assigned (RAM/RPM/ASR/RTD/RFX)
Day of reserve duty
Assignment (pairing details)
Employee # & MSL #
What the violation was that occurred
Also, please be aware that you are responsible to ensure that all subsequent emails between you and your DPM continue to include your Union so that we can follow up.
Flex Reserve (RFX) - Update
We know that there have been questions around assignment of RFX. The concerns brought forth regarding RFX falls into two main categories; the first being that we were seeing anywhere from 1-6 people being assigned RFX, and the second being that these people are often all being assigned different start/end times for the RFX block. Reserve holders are being organized into reserve ‘buckets’; RAM, RFX, and RPM, and the Employer is assigning reserve by reverse seniority from these ‘buckets’. Your Union is taking issue with the lack of transparency that results from creating multiple RFX ‘buckets’ in terms of seniority based and ‘best fit’ callouts.
The SRC has been meeting with the Employer on an ongoing basis and will continue to do so in order to come to a solution that works for our members, as well as the operation. Starting in April the Company will be trialing the assignment of RFX with parameters that have been agreed upon by the union. RFX will be assigned to a maximum of 3 CCMs per day, except in cases of an IROP. All Cabin Personnel on RFX will hold the same callout window, except for instances of an IROP, to mitigate the current scenario where there are several callout windows, essentially creating the ability to circumvent seniority. Pairings will be assigned to RAM and RPM prior to assigning to RFX. This trial will extend until the end of May and reviewed by the SRC with the Company prior to May 9 to determine its effectiveness. Please refer to your Collective Agreement;
35-5.03 As operationally required, the Company may schedule a flexible Reserve period which will fit between 0600 LBT and 2100 LBT with a call out window no longer than twelve (12) hours.
35-5.04 For North American operations:
b) A Cabin Personnel assigned a flexible Reserve Period will not be required to operate a Red-eye Flight in the first duty period of an assigned pairing without the Cabin Personnel’s consent.
35-5.05 The Company may contact a Reserve Holder between 1000 LBT and 2000 LBT at least twelve (12) hours before the commencement of a Reserve Block to convert AM Reserve Periods to flexible Reserve Periods for a Reserve Block. This shall be assigned by reverse seniority. Once AM Reserve Periods are converted to flexible Reserve Periods, the call-out window for that Reserve Block will not be further modified.
As we continue discussions with the employer to rectify these misapplications and violations of our reserve rules, we ask for your continued respect when communicating with crew scheduling. The Crew Scheduling department has welcomed many new staff members to their team recently, all of whom are working to learn and understand the rules of our Collective Agreement. Likewise, we ask that each of you also take the time to read and fully understand the reserve processes as they are outlined in our agreement.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your elected representatives: cupe4070.ca/contact.
In Solidarity,
Your CUPE 4070 WestJet Scheduling Review Committee
WS YVR, Sarah Ferraro
WS YYC, Shelly MacDonald
WS YYZ, Calvin Gautschi
&
Your CUPE 4070 Executive Team
CUPE 4070 Interim President, Crystal Hill
CUPE 4070 Interim Vice-President, Brigitte Benoit
CUPE 4070 Secretary-Treasurer, Alex Grigoriev
CUPE 4070 Recording Secretary, Marco Di Virgilio
WestJet YVR Base VP, Chris Brewer
Interim WestJet YYC Base VP. Brandy Whitby
Interim WestJet YYZ Base VP, Bryan Hansraj
WestJet Encore YYC Base VP, Colleen Tracey
WestJet Encore YYZ Base VP, Mauricio Mejia
Swoop Base VP, Allan Ramsarran