Today is the day.

[Rockie]

By the end of today we'll find out if Air Canada executives manage the impossible and unite the most habitually fractured employee group in the country. If so it is a truly remarkable achievement that I doubt any other executive team is capable of.

Experience on the line the past week suggests they've achieved that and more.

[Localizer]

I haven't seen any post regarding the strike vote, did you meet the Jazz achievement of 99%?

Keep the faith .. G'luck!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvlTJrNJ5lA

[Rockie]

Without going into numbers all I can say is participation rate so far is very good, and we'll see what the actual results are hopefully by the end of today.

Thanks for the good wishes. In this particular contract I really think the fate of the profession in Canada is at stake, and quite likely the future of Air Canada itself.

[yycflyguy]

4 hours to go and 96.7% of eligible voters have voted.

Rockie:

Did you just say something positive about the MEC and ACPA??? You getting soft! It is remarkable to watch the unification of this group after the low of last year. Hoping we can keep the momentum going. Cheers.

[Norwegianwood]

But will it really matter??????

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2 ... raitt.html

[ram]

I haven't seen any post regarding the strike vote, did you meet the Jazz achievement of 99%?

Keep the faith .. G'luck!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvlTJrNJ5lA

I believe Jazz had a 91% participation rate with a 99% vote.

[Rockie]

"The government's past actions to prevent or limit strikes by Air Canada's customers service agents and flight attendants had suggested it wouldn't tolerate any disruptions by pilots."

What this should truthfully say is that the Conservative government will not tolerate anybody exercising their rights under the Canada Labour Code.

[prop2jet]

The implication given a little time is don't be too surprised to see this governmnent enact legislation to outright ban the right to strike by any labour group. After all, the economy is fragile...

[bearinmind]

I have said it before, I will say it agian, we are not going to get anywhere by dealing with the company.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliame ... Language=E

here is the directory of the current members of parlament, call yours, they all have phone numbers, call lisa ratt, tell her how you feel. Tell them that you will not support a representative that dosent support you. I did. Pick up the phone, get anyone that will also do the same to call also. Its the only way.

[yycflyguy]

97.3% Final participation... pretty good for a group of apathetic pilots.

[Fanblade]

ACPA is not going on strike.

However a strike vote is required to carry out any form of industrial action. Strike being only the most extreme. In fact it is illegal job action to tell your members not to work overtime unless you have a mandate and give 72 hours notice.

Work stoppage is not on the table. If you haven't stopped working? How can you be legislated back?

The question is does the company have the gonads to lock us out? Thats would trigger work stoppage and B2W legislation.

It would also trigger chaos.

[babybus]

97% participation, 97% YES strike vote. I'd say we are now united and ready to fight against the destruction of aviation in Canada.

[Rockie]

I know this seems very ironic, but ACPA should seriously consider presenting Air Canada's CEO some kind of award for meritorious service in uniting the most fractious pilot group in Canada against a common enemy. I don't think anybody else deserves it more.

[SilentMajority]

This is not what Air Canada had planned on. A 6 month extension through MEDIATION??

What happened to a quick 14 day binding arbitration....with the outcome kind of slanted in AC's favour?? LISA....what's going on here?

All of their well planned strategy about narrow time constraints, critical windows of opportunity...down the drain.

My guess is that CR / Air Canada may have overplayed their hand here. Is it possible that even the Minister's office saw through their drastic turn from TA1...including (but not limited to) a completely open ended SCOPE, which in itself, amounted to a legal release to dismantle their legacy carrier at will?

While AC still may have the right to lockout or impose a new CA....it is not going to happen. Just like we are not going to be allowed go out on strike.

Air Canada is now stuck with having to bargain in good faith. For the next 6 months they do not have the Gov't in their back pocket....and I don't think this is what the company had in mind.

[CanadianEh]

This is not what Air Canada had planned on. A 6 month extension through MEDIATION??

What happened to a quick 14 day binding arbitration....with the outcome kind of slanted in AC's favour?? LISA....what's going on here?

All of their well planned strategy about narrow time constraints, critical windows of opportunity...down the drain.

My guess is that CR / Air Canada may have overplayed their hand here. Is it possible that even the Minister's office saw through their drastic turn from TA1...including (but not limited to) a completely open ended SCOPE, which in itself, amounted to a legal release to dismantle their legacy carrier at will?

While AC still may have the right to lockout or impose a new CA....it is not going to happen. Just like we are not going to be allowed go out on strike.

Air Canada is now stuck with having to bargain in good faith. For the next 6 months they do not have the Gov't in their back pocket....and I don't think this is what the company had in mind.

The Mediator they appointed was the mediator the tentative agreement for IAMAW. They got to keep their DB pension, but details are scarce. It'll be interesting to see how this turns out. If the pilots get a good contract there will be some nice retroactive pay, it's almost been a year and this might drag on a while longer. Nice to see good solidarity overall from the pilot group.

[yycflyguy]

EDITED

[Rockie]

HA! Now THAT is an excellent idea..

[swervin]

So why did the company settle the IAM, CALDA, and Crew sched contracts so quickly this weekend? Why were they all allowed to keep their DB plans?

[Rockie]

So why did the company settle the IAM, CALDA, and Crew sched contracts so quickly this weekend? Why were they all allowed to keep their DB plans?

Air Canada was willing to let the current pilots keep theirs as well (at least for now) but if we had signed there would be many pilots on our list right this second who don't have a DB pension. What they don't say is more important than what they do say.

[swervin]

Is there not legislation coming into effect this summer that will allow a company in CCAA to turf their pension plans? My thoughts are that is where this is all heading. Let everyone be happy and keep their pensions for now, then throw everyone under the bus this summer.... Hope I'm wrong..

[c170b53]

4 to 1 ratio of ground services vs mechanics, a new contract that makes baggage well paid whilst the mechanics fall further behind means a new agreement with whippings continuing for maintenance. Your airplanes may have, for the foreseeable future, problems. Makes total sense doesn't it.....in an AC way.

[SilentMajority]

4 to 1 ratio of ground services vs mechanics, a new contract that makes baggage well paid whilst the mechanics fall further behind means a new agreement with whippings continuing for maintenance. Your airplanes may have, for the foreseeable future, problems. Makes total sense doesn't it.....in an AC way.

It appears that the pilots have been "granted" the same Special Mediator that helped provide the IAMAW with their latest T/A.

Any insight as to how things turned out overall? Any left turns or surprises included in the final package? Do you feel it will pass?

[c170b53]

Well as mentioned before baggage has the numbers, we in mx can vote 100% against and it can still pass. Ask around in the cockpit and you'll get an idea as to whats coming. I'll say simply" just when I thought it couldn't get any worse".

[yyz monkey]

a new contract that makes baggage well paid

Well paid? Not quite. This contract will bring them back to where they were in 2003, but hardly makes them rich.

[leadfoot]

Bag loading should not be making anyone rich. That is part of the problem.