AC Rampies walk off the job

[accumulous]

If you don't think Air Canada's problems are due to bad management and our dictatorship of a government then you are stupid. Corporate culture starts from the top, just look at Westjet.

If you want to treat your workforce like garbage and as though they are a nuisance, they will reciprocate the treatment.

Exactly!

You don't stand much of a chance managing any employee group with the magnitude of internal battles that we 'enjoy' today. Just the myriad of special interest group seniority/merger fights and all the other internal splinter group issues amongst the pilots is a prime example of what it's like herding cats. WestJet employees don't have to deal with those issues, and therefore their management groups don't have to deal with it either.

[Mig29]

My take on this, is simply that Air Canada has the power
to take away employees rights to free speech.

These employees expressed their opinion about Lisa,
and were suspended for doing so...

To me that is a clear violation of their rights.

In my opinion, that Ramp Manager/Supervisor who allegedly suspended couple of those ramp guys should be suspended! He's suppose to manage and mitigate the situation, and he did exactly the opposite! He lit the fuse and made the situation worse!! He knows very well how his staff are feeling and that everyone is tense and ready to blow.....so instead of talking to this guys on the side, he sends them home!? What, now AC has moral and ethics police inside it's management and people are not allowed to applaud?!!??? But that jerk passenger can go and spit in the face of a female worker?!?

This is all spiraling down fast for AC and it's employees I'm afraid.....it is only going to get worse before things improve.

[Mig29]

Clement's comment pushes buttons: Treasury Board President Tony Clement says 'see you guys on West Jet' as he passes strikers infuriates workers at Pearson.


Fine example by the same people who we pay TAXES to be there!!??? What a flipping joke this government has become

[tbaylx]

You really expect workers to consider a PR campaign for public support? What's been happening is plain for you to see, you just don't give a rat's ass cause it doesn't affect you..yet. When Lisa Raitt legislates you back to work after your employer demands a wage cut or similar then maybe you'll understand. In the mean time the AC employees are simply doing what they have to do to get there voices heard. The company has been serving Sh*t sandwhiches to it's employees for years, now that the Conservatives have tried to take away their right to fair bargaining the line is being drawn in the sand. I don't even work for them and i'm mad as hell at my MP and Lisa Raitt and have let them know about it in no uncertain terms. Perhaps if enough people contact their MP's and voice their displeasure and enough votes start going away they will listen up.

The sad part is the bargaining process wasn't even given a chance. AC has had labour issues for years, but they'e always got it done without the government intervening. The irony is Ms. Raitt has made the problems far worse than if she just stood aside and let the process take it's due course. A arbitrated contract forced upon the company and the employees won't serve either sides needs. AC management really needs to go back to MBA school and take the employee relations 101 course. I may not be a kool aid drinker, but at least Westjet makes it's employees and their opinions an integral part of its business. A lot of aviation management in North America could learn a few things from watching WJ management and how they deal with employees. Perhaps if AC did that they wouldn't have the issues they are facing today.

[willing to fly]

I support the workers of Air Canada 100%. It should be no surprise to anyone that if the goverment plays fast and loose with the rules, so will some employees.

Unfortunately, Lisa Raitt is a customer of Air Canada. If I flipped off one of my customers because I didn't like them or the way they treated me in the past, I would be lucky if my company only suspended me.

These workers were pissed and acted emotionally in the moment. Unfortunately that may only act to weaken their position with the government in the long run. The only positive I can see coming out of this is some press showing the average Canadian the employees side of the story.

I can't help but feel as if suspending these three employees can be likened to the assisination of Franz Ferdinand. Things didn't really go well for the Germans after that.

[North Shore]

In my opinion, that Ramp Manager/Supervisor who allegedly suspended couple of those ramp guys should be suspended! He's suppose to manage and mitigate the situation, and he did exactly the opposite! He lit the fuse and made the situation worse!! He knows very well how his staff are feeling and that everyone is tense and ready to blow.....so instead of talking to this guys on the side, he sends them home!? What, now AC has moral and ethics police inside it's management and people are not allowed to applaud?!!??? But that jerk passenger can go and spit in the face of a female worker?!?

This is all spiraling down fast for AC and it's employees I'm afraid.....it is only going to get worse before things improve.

Indeed. Really poor handling of the situation by the manager. (And I do admit that we're looking at the situation in hindsight)

Clement's comment pushes buttons: Treasury Board President Tony Clement says 'see you guys on West Jet' as he passes strikers infuriates workers at Pearson.


Fine example by the same people who we pay TAXES to be there!!??? What a flipping joke this government has become

What a d!ickhead. He's not in question period in the House where he can taunt people like that

[Rockie]

You don't stand much of a chance managing any employee group with the magnitude of internal battles that we 'enjoy' today. Just the myriad of special interest group seniority/merger fights and all the other internal splinter group issues amongst the pilots is a prime example of what it's like herding cats.

Then why did Milton walk away with $80 million, and CR is getting $5 million more on March 31st if they can't manage the employees? I thought money was supposed to buy the best and brightest.

Not worth the money I'd say.

[accumulous]

You don't stand much of a chance managing any employee group with the magnitude of internal battles that we 'enjoy' today. Just the myriad of special interest group seniority/merger fights and all the other internal splinter group issues amongst the pilots is a prime example of what it's like herding cats.

Then why did Milton walk away with $80 million, and CR is getting $5 million more on March 31st if they can't manage the employees? I thought money was supposed to buy the best and brightest.

Not worth the money I'd say.

AC had a complete opportunity to fold. It didn't. That time. Maybe this time it will. Was it worth it to have a job and not be standing in line at the bottom of somebody's else's seniority list either in this country or in somebody else's country either at the competition's doorstep, or on the doorstep of a new entity? How much was that worth.

History is a reality check of the first order.

http://greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fet ... _id=006yav

[Rockie]

Was it worth it to have a job and not be standing in line at the bottom of somebody's else's seniority list either in this country or in somebody else's country either at the competition's doorstep, or on the doorstep of a new entity?

The reason we have worker's rights in this country is so that our jobs are not hostage to ethically corrupt management's who enrich themselves by beating down their employees. Sadly this government likes workers beaten down. You're mistaken if you think people won't fight back instead of being thankful for any crumb thrown their way.

By the way, the collapse of Canada 3000 had nothing to do with the employees and everything to do with megalomaniac owners whose ego and greed made them abandon a successful business plan.

I've been unemployed before. Next.

[Zip Tie]

Time will tell how long they stay out...this time. But if the company and government think legislating workers back to work and imposing a draconian contract will somehow translate to labour peace they are making a massive error in judgement.

Had the government let the negotiation process unfold as it's supposed to there would be freely negotiated contracts in place by now and none of this would be happening.

Sheer stupidity and madness.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/201 ... ldcat.html

[Zip Tie]

Time will tell how long they stay out...this time. But if the company and government think legislating workers back to work and imposing a draconian contract will somehow translate to labour peace they are making a massive error in judgement.

Had the government let the negotiation process unfold as it's supposed to there would be freely negotiated contracts in place by now and none of this would be happening.

Sheer stupidity and madness.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/201 ... ldcat.html

How correct you are! Why should the Canadian government and Air Canada shut down the airline when the employees can do it quicker themselves.

[Ah_yeah]

I'm a million-miler with AC but just booked WJA for next week's trip. I just can't afford the risk.

Please send a note to Calin Rovinescu and tell him that.

Rockie, that would draw a logical response from CR if this situation was normal. You and I both know that CR and the board are not interested in running an airline. These guys are only here to milk what they can for themselves.
1) Destroy the pension, walk away from their obligation and de-lever the balance sheet...poof, more share appreciation than running a business. The feds are just holding the door open during the robbery.
2) Start and LCC spinoff to create an AVEOS version 2. More money for the shareholders that is totally independant of good business practices. Why run a business when you get richer from gov't sanctioned theft ?

That's the real story folks...and to think the public has the whole thing labeled as greedy union thing ! We aren't even talking about a couple of points in salary to keep pace with inflation. For me, this isn't about money and a new contract anymore. This is about outing the tapeworm that is killing a once proud company.

[EA757]

Zip Tie.
"How correct you are! Why should the Canadian government and Air Canada shut down the airline when the employees can do it quicker themselves."



You mean Calin Rovinescu...
Absolutely.

[Troubleshot]

The pilot group (union) should be standing next to the rampies in this wildcat, along with the AME's. Airline would come to a screeching halt. Then you'd see who had the bargaining power!

[Zip Tie]

Zip Tie.
"How correct you are! Why should the Canadian government and Air Canada shut down the airline when the employees can do it quicker themselves."



You mean Calin Rovinescu...
Absolutely.

LOL......Sorry that's not what I mean.CR is just trying to make honey out of dog poop but even that is futile.
I mean you are all headed for the same thing.Bankruptcy.The employees doing the wildcat thing will just make it happen quicker.
Thats all.....

[EA757]

Zip Tie,

That is what I meant though...

Calin (and the Board) are hiding behind Lisa's dress.
I no longer have any respect for him nor Air Canada, and that
is sad because it was one of the greatest corporations Canada ever had...

[Rockie]

Speaking of Calin, have aliens abducted him or something? He's been a total ghost for weeks now while the airline he "leads" is going down in flames.

He should hand his $5 mil bonus over to Lisa Raitt when he gets the cheque at the end of the month. After all she's been doing all the heavy lifting for him.

[EA757]

Rockie,

I just told you where he was!!!!
He's hiding behind Lisa's dress...

SHEEESH.

[Rockie]

Rockie,

I just told you where he was!!!!
He's hiding behind Lisa's dress...

SHEEESH.

Inspiring leadership for sure. Gives me goose bumps.

[EA757]

You don't have managment, or leadership at Air Canada.

You have opportunists...