Are Winnipeg Air Canada Pilots next?

[teacher]

I'm sure a lot of poeple were wondering if this was coming down the pipe. Hopefully it works out for all those based there.

Are Winnipeg Air Canada Pilots next?

Written by Aviation.ca

Wednesday, 20 August 2008

Air Canada pilots flying out of Winnipeg have reason to be anxious. Last week company officials held a meeting with Winnipeg-based Air Canada pilots informing them a review will soon take place to determine whether pilots will continue to be based in Manitoba. Winnipeg is the smallest of the company's four pilot bases in the country, and is home to about 85 pilots who fly for Air Canada.

"The situation as we understand it is the company is doing a feasibility study as to the sustainability of the Winnipeg pilot base," Andy Wilson, president of the Air Canada Pilots Association, said yesterday from Ottawa. "We're very concerned that they're undertaking such a study."

"It's just very disturbing. We certainly haven't been shown that there is any cost saving involved in closing the base, and I'd be very surprised if there was," he said. "It certainly seems there's still going to be lots of flying out of Winnipeg, so there's no good reason to uproot these families."

"The pilot community in Winnipeg is very tightly knit. Even a suggestion of uprooting their families is causing a great deal of stress," Wilson said, adding he's been told the review's results are expected by the fall.

"At this time, no decision has been made regarding our future requirements in the city," said Air Canada spokesman, Peter Fitzpatrick.

http://www.aviation.ca/content/view/6041/117/

[Hadji Ramjet]

Can't help but wonder where similar concern went when AC decided to shut down YEG? Democratic process, pilots in YUL got to vote on whether pilots in YEG would have to move...
MInd you , that was after pilots in YUL got to vote on whether pilots in YEG would be forced onto ZIP with lower pay and poorer working conditions.
All for CCAA monetary offsets.
It's not CCAA anymore, but if it goes to a vote, any bets on the outcome?

F/As are going through a similar issue: CUPE allowed the Mothership to run roughshod over the contract insofar as moving benefits were concerned, now they're bitching about YHZ and YWG mitigation.

Both unions opened the door, even if it's only a crack, the Mothership has a bigger boot to apply.