TORONTO, April 18,
2024 /CNW/ - As the Canadian Air Navigation
Specialists Association (CANSA) at Unifor Local 1016 continued
to negotiate with NAV Canada on the Maintenance of Activities in
the event of a legal strike and/or lock-out to protect the Canadian
travelling public, the company has advised the local it plans to
use scab labour.
"We have been fighting tooth-and-nail for the federal government
to pass anti-scab legislation now," said Unifor National President
Lana Payne.
"Let Unifor's actions at CN Autoport be a warning to other
companies that our union won't tolerate scab labour. We will defend
our members' right to strike and to free and fair collective
bargaining. My message to NAVCan: Unifor is ready. All of us."
Bill C-58, otherwise known as the federal anti-scab legislation,
will help protect the right to fair collective bargaining and to
strike, when necessary, a right that workers have fought for and
won repeatedly. It passed second reading in the House of Commons
with all-party support on Feb. 27,
2024.
On the same day NAV Canada told Unifor it plans to use
replacement workers, the company publicly announced it signed a new
deal with CAE Inc. to contract out the work of operational training
simulation specialist members of Unifor Local 1016. CAE would now
provide the generic training for flight service specialists (Unifor
Local 2245) and air traffic controllers (Unifor Local 5454) instead
of our Unifor training specialists.
Both sides came to an impasse in conciliation on April 12, 2024.
James Walker, President of CANSA
and Unifor Local 1016, said NAV Canada made it clear to the
bargaining committee that the company would not agree to the
established Unifor pattern because the company feared the other
four unions in bargaining would use it in arbitration against them.
To add further insult, NAV Canada is seeking significant
concessions from CANSA.
"This has been a very frustrating round of negotiations," said
Walker.
"We have seen delay after delay to settle with the other unions
first in hopes of diluting the pattern. Now, they are resorting to
bullying tactics in order to spread fear amongst our members, who
voted 95% in favour of strike action. This will not be
tolerated."
In February, CANSA and NAV Canada jointly advised the Canadian
Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) of their efforts to negotiate a
Maintenance of Activities agreement. If the parties were unable to
reach a settlement, the CIRB would be required to intervene.
Unifor has advised the CIRB that given the bully tactics
employed by NAV Canada the union does not see how the parties can
come to terms. Unifor has asked the labour board to exercise their
power under Section 87.4(6) of the Canada Labour Code.
The local represents members in Air Traffic Control Training,
Operational Support, Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), Flight Data
Analytics and Aeronautical Information Management at NAV Canada
locations from coast-to-coast.
The CANSA bargaining team will update members with any new
developments.
Unifor is Canada's largest
union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every
major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working
people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in
Canada and abroad and strives to
create progressive change for a better future.
SOURCE Unifor