The union representing Air Transat flight attendants elected a new president in recent days, and its newly re-elected treasurer is slamming the door, citing a “toxic work climate” within the executive branch.
• Also read: Air Transat customers fear a possible strike by flight attendants
This change of guard at the top of the union therefore delays the compilation of the votes of its members on the new agreement in principle with the employer.
In his resignation letter, a copy of which was obtained by Le Journal, ex-treasurer Martin Rondeau reported a working atmosphere that was “increasingly difficult to endure” and that gave rise to “harassment” and “discrimination.”
“Internal conflicts have destroyed my ideals and goals […]. “These measures will have caused delays and pitfalls in our preparation for the negotiations,” he denounced the union members. Mr Rondeau also states that he does not agree with the decision to fundamentally postpone the vote on this second agreement with the employer.
Marie-Hélène Nadeau succeeds Dominic Levasseur at the helm of this component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) after an extremely close vote. Only a handful of votes decided between the two candidates.
This changing of the guard is explained by the union's statutes and regulations, CUPE confirms.
However, this comes at a very special time, as last week union members were presented with the final agreement in principle with the employer, reached earlier this month.
The voting period on this new agreement began this week, but the announcement of the results was delayed by almost a week due to this change at the top of the executive branch.
The fate of this agreement will therefore only be known on February 1st.
However, according to sources consulted by Le Journal, this new agreement does not seem to make union members fundamentally happy.
Recall that the first agreement in principle between the negotiating committee and the management of Air Transat was rejected by 98.1% of the union members.
Flight attendants subsequently told the Journal that the first agreement did not do enough to resolve issues related to compensation and the organization of flight schedules.
This standoff between Air Transat and its flight attendants is also being closely watched by the rest of the country's aviation industry.
Air Transat flight attendants have been without employment contracts for over a year.
Can you share information about this story?
Write to us or call us directly at 1 800-63SCOOP.