The union representing Canadian flight attendants is crying foul over CanJet’s decision to permanently close its Vancouver operations.
The closure was supposed to be temporary, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 4004. But the union has learned that the closure will be permanent, which will mean the loss of 32 flight attendant positions in Vancouver.
“The employer promised that the flight attendants will go back to work in October 2013,” said CUPE 4044 president Johane Spada.
“We have now learned that they will not be recalled at all. Clearly, CanJet has some explaining to do to the flight attendants that took them at their word.”
A spokesperson for CanJet could not be reached for comment.
“Under our collective agreement, CanJet has the obligation to meet with the union to try to limit the consequences of the layoffs on Vancouver base flight attendants and a meeting will be held shortly,” Spada said.
The union is also worried about the airline’s other 450 flight attendants. The union says CanJet has a contract to provide Air Transat with outsourced connections. That contract expires in May 2014.
“When we met with CanJet president Stephen Rowe last February, he said that he had a plan B that would guarantee the jobs of all 450 flight attendants in case the negotiations with CanJet fell through,” Spada said.
“CanJet must now deliver on that plan to reassure the flight attendants that respect their end of the bargain by working hard for the benefit of CanJet passengers.”
