Cascade Aerospace Strike

[TheJetChkr]

Did anyone hear much about the strike at Cascade? I heard things had gone downhill since
IMP had bought the operation but I haven't talked to anyone there is years?
Anyone heard any details?

[azimuthaviation]

Are they hiring scabs?

[iflyforpie]

They won't have to. When I was there as a contractor, it was pathetic how fast the labour side collapsed on negotiations when they first organized. They actually got LESS than when they didn't have a union when you factored in dues.... for something like a five year contract... maybe even longer.

[moviistarr]

Strike day 4 now.

[TheJetChkr]

I fly for pie, I have worked in and out of there for years, your statment is actually false.
I know they have only signed three year deals and their last couple contracts were actually quite decent. Been a few years since I had been there, but it used to be ok working in there, but I has heard that IMP has not done anything with the place since they bought it. Talked to the guys there
Last night, sounds like they are brining in execaire or innotech guys as scabs.

[moviistarr]

Scabs

[moviistarr]

theres a facebook profile with info, you can check it out here:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005426881469

[iflyforpie]

My statement isn't false. I said 'something like' a five year contract. It was pretty long for what they got.

Fact remains that 1) They didn't strike when they first organized and 2) They got an absolute pittance for their first contract 8 years ago.

[azimuthaviation]

theres a facebook profile with info, you can check it out here:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005426881469

Three years ago Harper walked through that plant, took a big group photo, everyone is there, big smiles, "Conservatives, keeping jobs in Canada" the headlines read. The conservatives took that constituency in the federal election a few days later with a handsome margin. Now I see in that facebook page their new champion is Jaspir Sandhu, the MP from nearby north surrey. The NDP MP, lol. Funny how unchecked capitalism isnt such a great idea when the trickle down theory fails them (as it has a tendency to do.)

Arent those scabs just making an honest dollar too? They are expected to to turn away from an economic opportunity to help lift up their fellow members of the proletariat? Sorry comrades, cant have it both ways,and you already voted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Fast

Canadian federal election, 2011

Party Candidate Votes % ∆%
Conservative Ed Fast 32,493 65.02% +1.70%
New Democratic David Murray 10,089 20.19% +6.97%
Liberal Madeleine Hardin 4,968 9.94% -6.34%
Green Daniel Bryce 2,138 4.28% -2.17%
Marxist–Leninist David MacKay 286 0.57%

[azimuthaviation]

their last couple contracts were actually quite decent.

Wait, then why are they on strike?

[TheJetChkr]

From what I got it sounded like IMP was after concessions from the gains of their previous contracts and a two tier wage and benefit system. Don't know any details beyond that. The management of the company was in tight with the Conservatives and it was them who organized that rally certainly not the employees. But ya, oh how times have changed.

[azimuthaviation]

But ya, oh how times have changed.

Oh come now, Im sure that now the elections over Harper will come by again and show solidarity with the workers at Cascade. I mean it couldnt have all been rhetoric that he belched out on the hangar floor that the minions ate up now could it?

Hopefully this event will serve as a lesson, and cause some people to reflect on their poor choices and misplaced priorities. Unfortunately, it wont.

[TheJetChkr]

Haha ya I am sure he's got that in his day planner, right after feeding the big corps more money. It's unfortunate what's happening at Cascade, it's becoming an all to familiar scene in the aviation business. Maybe Harper can fly in some FTW's for them? Oh wait, didn't they already do that once?

[azimuthaviation]

Yeah, Cascade brought in a whole bunch of Filipinos and the employees responded by sabotaging an aircraft causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage as a protest. Im starting to think that place might be a little bit dysfunctional.

[TheJetChkr]

Really? Wow never heard anything about that. I saw the have a twitter page now for the strike. I hope for all the employees sake that it gets resolved soon. There are a lot of great people there. When I was on contract there the place was disorganized but the people were awesome.

[13820]

I don't suppose those "scabs" are just trying to get their airplane out of the facility? Looks like they are all wearing Canjet garb.

[212wrench]

Love the Harper bashing. Welcome to the new world order. What do you think Justin will do? I know, light up a big fatty and let the problem fix itself. Man that's funny.

[Jamest]

Often times people will banter about what was or was not in a contract... just google it.

http://www.lrb.bc.ca/cas/WUE14.pdf

There's the first contract from 08-11. 11-14 is probably out there too and a little better, now Cascade seems to want to make it worse so folks are striking.

[moviistarr]

The scabs have certainly been brought in to get the Canjet lease-return out the door - some apparently are actual employees, but most are not - MDM Contracting is a supplier. That plane was discovered to have major corrosion in the forward wet area - beams needed replacing etc. The company's 'position' is that they are not the ones bringing in replacement workers, its Canjet that is trying to rescue it's plane. Of course there is a lot of scoffing when those kinds of statement are made.

The current agreement had finally brought the compensation and benefits back to what was lost, as iflyforpie was eluding to earlier. The company's "offer" was to reduce to that again, and if they can't get that then they want two-tiered system. I've heard that most of the BS has been negotiated off the table, but at the moment the company seems to be hard set on three conditions: 1 - two-tiered wages/benefits 2- severance payouts reduced to minimum allowable 3- no guarantee that the current C130 E/H/J work currently done at Cascade will remain. - Sounds like IMP has a specific plan they are trying to implement going forward.

I was told IMP Aerospace CEO Steve Gossen made a visit yesterday and commented that the company and the union have "a fundamental difference in opinion". Clearly.

[tincanflyer]

How's the strike? Union working out for yeah?

[azimuthaviation]

How's the strike? Union working out for yeah?

Not getting a lot of sympathy, thats for sure.

[tincanflyer]

When are people going to realize Unions don't work in todays work/industrial environment. Unions are for the lazy and greedy.
........they really helps Aveos........Cascade will be the next Aveos.

[DonutHole]

When are people going to realize Unions don't work in todays work/industrial environment. Unions are for the lazy and greedy.
........they really helps Aveos........Cascade will be the next Aveos.

Unfortunately unions do protect some lazy people and there needs to be a solution to that. But right now unions are super important... you can tell we need them when the government sticks it's hands into private industry with back to work legislation. If any industry needs unions it's aviation

[moviistarr]

It's been turning into a long summer as the company had refused to respond to the last proposal submitted by the membership.

After 6 weeks of silence from the Cascade Bargaining Committee, the FMCS (Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service) was able to compel the company to return to negotiations.

[moviistarr]

It quickly became clear that the Cascade Bargaining Committee had essentially ZERO authority to make any significant decisions. These topics were invariably answered with "We'll have to get back to you about that", and then the proposal was run all the way to the top, past Aerospace Div Pres David Gossen, all the way to IMP owner Ken Rowe.

Even with two federally appointed mediators trying to help establish a resolution, the company's only game was stalling.

To put pressure on the company, the membership began planning a demonstration at the Abbotsford International Airshow and the preceding ADSE (Aerospace, Defence, and Security Expo) that Cascade was a Platinum Sponsor.

The company issued this "press release" hours before the ADSE: