Union officers representing flight attendants are calling for legislative modifications to finish what one in all them calls “rampant abuse of unpaid work.”
Representatives from the airline division of the Canadian Union of Public Staff (CUPE) — which represents 18,000 flight attendants — held a press convention alongside the NDP on Thursday to demand higher compensation for flight attendants.
Wesley Lesosky, a flight attendant and president of the CUPE air division, stated flight attendants do not begin getting paid till the airplane is in movement and their compensation ends when the airplane stops on the gate after touchdown.
“We’re right here in the present day speaking about an business apply that CEOs of our airways in all probability favor to maintain at the hours of darkness. And that’s the rampant abuse of unpaid work in our business,” he stated.
“A lot of my members are working grueling full-time schedules however nonetheless making lower than $30,000 a yr. That is merely unconscionable.”
Lesosky stated that, on common, flight attendants do 35 hours of unpaid work per month. That features duties reminiscent of overseeing the boarding and unboarding course of.
“I am unable to consider one other line of labor the place this may be acceptable, however for Canada’s multi-billion greenback airways it is enterprise as standard,” he stated.
Lesosky known as on the federal government to amend the labour code to crack down on unpaid work.
NDP Chief Jagmeet Singh, who joined Thursday’s press convention, stated he helps the decision for labour code reform.
“We need to ship a transparent message to the federal government — that is mistaken and we want you to repair it,” Singh stated.
NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo identified that the majority flight attendants are ladies.
“Unpaid work will not fly,” Zarrillo instructed the press convention.
Union agreements up for negotiation subsequent yr
Union agreements with two of Canada’s largest airways — Air Canada and WestJet — are up for renegotiation subsequent yr.
Lesosky stated a strike shouldn’t be one thing they’re contemplating at this second.
“We undoubtedly need to discount with our employers and comply with the proper plan of action,” he stated.
Earlier this month, the federal authorities held a “Nationwide Air Accessibility Summit” following a wave of complaints from Canadians with disabilities over how they have been handled throughout flights.
Lesosky argued that correct compensation for boarding and coaching will assist ease these points.
“At present, our pay construction is half-pay or minimal wage for fee for that sort of [training],” he stated.
