Unifor for Transwest and West Wind pilots
The labour board has ordered a vote!
It has been many months since Unifor applied to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) with a majority of support from Transwest pilots seeking Unifor representation. They wanted to join their colleagues at West Wind, who already enjoyed the benefits of being in the union.
Typically, these processes are much quicker; however; your employer submitted several objections and extensions to submit further evidence and challenges to the CIRB.
We have requested that the CIRB order a vote for the larger overall membership of both Transwest and West Wind. We are happy to inform you that the labour board has issued an order calling on a secret ballot vote.
The Board will conduct an electronic representation vote to see if a majority of the employees in the expanded unit, being the pilots of both West Wind and Transwest who fall within the bargaining unit description want to be represented by Unifor.
We will keep you updated as we learn more from the labour board regarding the vote dates and times.
Pilots at West Wind aviation joined the union back in April 2008 because they wanted to be active in decisions that affected them with their employment. Since this time, they have enjoyed fairness at work, and a collective agreement that set out workplace rules that determined wages, per diem, benefits, scheduling, and so much more.
Recently your employer has started to provide Transwest pilots with some but not all of these benefits. It is clear that Unifor members at West Wind covered by the collective agreement still enjoy enhanced working conditions over pilots at Transwest.
If a majority pilots vote to join Unifor, we win the representation vote, all pilots will be covered by the existing collective agreement (although it expired March 31, 2020). We will continue to negotiate a new collective agreement moving forward.
Don’t gamble on your future, vote yes to Unifor representation and protect yourself with a legally binding collective agreement that sets out the rules and procedure that your employer needs to follow.
If you have any questions, please feel to reach out to me at any time.
Dave Kent
President Unifor Local 1604
306.380.3283
[email protected]
Billy O’Neill
Unifor National Representative Organizing
416.605.1443
[email protected]