Conservative MP Lianne Rood has put ahead a personal member’s invoice that will guarantee flight attendants are paid for his or her pre- and post-flight duties.
Flight attendants have been advocating for adjustments to the labour code as a result of they do not begin getting paid till their airplane is in movement — and their compensation ends when the airplane stops on the gate after touchdown.
“That is unfair and places many ladies and numerous Canadians at an obstacle,” Rood mentioned Wednesday as she tabled the invoice.
The Canadian Union of Public Staff (CUPE) air division — which represents 18,000 flight attendants — says that on common, flight attendants do 35 hours of unpaid work per thirty days. That features such duties as overseeing the boarding and unboarding course of.
C-409 would amend the labour code by including a piece requiring that flight attendants be paid for “finishing up all pre-flight and post-flight duties regarding plane safety and passenger service, together with aiding with embarking and disembarking and pre-flight cabin and passenger security checks.”
Wesley Lesosky, a flight attendant and president of CUPE’s air division, mentioned the invoice being launched is “momentous.”
“I feel it is wonderful that we’re rising the assist behind the cost for flight attendants, so we’re very comfortable to see that one thing has been launched,” he mentioned.
However Lesosky mentioned the Conservatives did not seek the advice of with the union earlier than tabling the invoice and it may use some tweaks.
Because it stands, the invoice says that flight attendants needs to be compensated for finishing necessary coaching. However Lesosky mentioned that language must be altered to specify that attendants should obtain their full hourly wage for necessary coaching.
“For coaching, as an illustration … loads of us are paid half our hourly fee or minimal wage, whichever is larger,” he mentioned.
“Flight attendants should be paid their full hourly fee for any necessary coaching.”
The NDP has been calling on the federal government to make comparable adjustments to the labour code. Occasion chief Jagmeet Singh and MP Bonita Zarrillo joined CUPE members for a press convention to lift consciousness of the problem in Could.
Zarrillo instructed CBC Information she desires to make sure the adjustments the Conservatives suggest are thorough sufficient earlier than deciding on whether or not to assist the invoice.
“The session has been restricted on this invoice. So we undoubtedly wish to seek the advice of with the employees,” she mentioned.
“We undoubtedly wish to guarantee that the invoice is strong sufficient to cowl all of the wants of unpaid employees and unpaid flight attendants.”
In a media assertion, CUPE mentioned that the dearth of session by the Conservatives is “disappointing.” However Lesosky mentioned he was inspired by the truth that the problem is gaining cross-party assist.
“You’ve two events behind it. It undoubtedly provides us pause to mirror and see that this can be a good thing. It is transferring, it has momentum,” he mentioned.
Rood wasn’t made obtainable for an interview. A Conservative Occasion spokesperson referred CBC Information to her assertion on Wednesday, when she launched the invoice.
The Home of Commons has adjourned for the summer season, which means the invoice will not be debated till MPs return within the fall. However personal member payments not often get by the Parliament in a well timed method — in the event that they go in any respect.
When requested if the Liberals would assist the laws, Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan’s workplace mentioned they’re evaluating Rood’s invoice.
“We take the problems going through flight attendants very significantly and are at present reviewing the proposed laws,” a spokesperson mentioned in an electronic mail.
Lesosky mentioned he would not anticipate the laws will go earlier than the subsequent election, however hopes the labour code adjustments will make it into events’ platforms.
