New contract?

[Polar Bear]

Any updates on the new contract?
Can we expect to see significant wage increases?

[YC87DRVR]

Any updates on the new contract?
Can we expect to see significant wage increases?

Wage increase??? You must be new to Canadian Aviation.

[safetyfirst123]

The new contract is imminent. At least that's what I heard a year ago.

[Yogi21]

Why is the contract still being worked on?
How many people are in Dec groundschool? Have all the invitations been sent?

[flyinhigh]

Why is the contract still being worked on?

Most new contracts take up to two years to finally have an agreement. The only contracts in Canada that get done quick are Calm Airs (before EIC) as the working relationship between Union and upper management was impeccable.

At Encore it was done in 9 months, only because the company approached the union with a different mind set than the way the tried to rail road the mainline group. If they approached the Encore Union in the same manner as mainline, it easily would have been dragged out to the 2 year mark.

[Yogi21]

Why is the contract still being worked on?

Most new contracts take up to two years to finally have an agreement. The only contracts in Canada that get done quick are Calm Airs (before EIC) as the working relationship between Union and upper management was impeccable.

At Encore it was done in 9 months, only because the company approached the union with a different mind set than the way the tried to rail road the mainline group. If they approached the Encore Union in the same manner as mainline, it easily would have been dragged out to the 2 year mark.

This does not justify dragging the contract to two years. If you guys are waiting to see what happens with Westjet mainline contract that is a poor strategy. Guys will leave in batches to AC and other places and retention will soon become a huge issue.

[flyinhigh]

This does not justify dragging the contract to two years. If you guys are waiting to see what happens with Westjet mainline contract that is a poor strategy. Guys will leave in batches to AC and other places and retention will soon become a huge issue.

I don't work for Flair. Your question was why does it take so long? It's the first contract and it takes time, just like every other carrier out there. Now it can be shortened if ALPA serves notice for mediation, but when you rush things, you won't get the best deal.

[SPR]

At Encore it was done in 9 months, only because the company approached the union with a different mind set than the way the tried to rail road the mainline group. If they approached the Encore Union in the same manner as mainline, it easily would have been dragged out to the 2 year mark.

Management did approach Encore in the same way as they did mainline; they were very antagonistic and their offers were unacceptable. They treated the process like it was going to end up in arbitration, like it did at mainline, but they changed their tune and agreed to mediation once the pilots were surveyed about whether to strike. They only started bargaining in good faith once labour action was on the table.

[negroni]

This does not justify dragging the contract to two years. If you guys are waiting to see what happens with Westjet mainline contract that is a poor strategy. Guys will leave in batches to AC and other places and retention will soon become a huge issue.

I don't work for Flair. Your question was why does it take so long? It's the first contract and it takes time, just like every other carrier out there. Now it can be shortened if ALPA serves notice for mediation, but when you rush things, you won't get the best deal.

A negotiated deal is always better than an arbitrated (or mediated) one. If it takes a few extra month, so be it. It's Flairs first real airline level contract, there's a lot to work through. Likely research of other groups, language etc is what's taking the most time.

[flyinhigh]

At Encore it was done in 9 months, only because the company approached the union with a different mind set than the way the tried to rail road the mainline group. If they approached the Encore Union in the same manner as mainline, it easily would have been dragged out to the 2 year mark.

Management did approach Encore in the same way as they did mainline; they were very antagonistic and their offers were unacceptable. They treated the process like it was going to end up in arbitration, like it did at mainline, but they changed their tune and agreed to mediation once the pilots were surveyed about whether to strike. They only started bargaining in good faith once labour action was on the table.

Are you 100% sure about? Were you actually in the room?

The company did show up leary of how it would go, however after week two the negotiators diffused the company to show they were not like mainline and wanted a fair deal which changed the whole process. The stalling came at month eight when the real dollar amounts were discussed. At this point, agreed mediation was brought in which got the deal done..

It was NOT 9 months of antagonistic crap. It was 9 months of back and forth like in any negotiation and if you think any company is going to come in and sign a deal in anything shorter is purely naive. Hell, even ALPA HQ could not believe the deal was done that fast at Encore.