Flight attendants, Air North agree to truce while they return to negotiating table
Flight attendants, Air North agree to truce while they return to negotiating table
Air North flight attendants are returning to their usual work after conducting job action over the last two days.
The flight attendants and Air North management announced the return to regular working conditions last night on their respective websites.
Both also announced they have agreed to a media blackout while they return to the negotiating table this Friday with federal mediator Kathy Peter.
“We’re very pleased to report that late this evening we were approached by YEU/PSAC to continue negotiations,” Air North CEO Allan Moore wrote on the website regarding communications with the unions. “They have ended their job action, and the flight attendants will resume full service on our flights effective immediately.”
The union wrote: “After two days of job action Air North’s flight attendants, represented by the Yukon Employees’ Union and the Public Service Alliance of Canada, and Air North have agreed to an early return to bargaining. Negotiations will resume Friday, October 3rd.”
The 25 to 30 attendants unionized in February 2013. They began negotiating last October for their first collective agreement.
Over the past two days, Air North president Joe Sparling expressed his “disappointment” at the job action, particularly since the two parties were still negotiating, and were scheduled to return to the table next week.
YEU president Steve Geick, on the other hand, indicated the union initiated the job action as an expression of frustration over the length of time it’s taken to reach a deal.
Negotiating the first collective agreement, he said, normally takes longer than negotiating subsequent agreements but rarely has he seen the first one take this long.
Flight attendants told the company their job action would involve withdrawing in-flight food and beverage service, but they would continue their safety duties and helping passengers needing assistance.
Following a flight Monday when attendants reported to work wearing pro-union T-shirts instead of their uniforms, Air North indicated Tuesday morning it would not tolerate attendants out of uniform who weren’t willing to fulfill their duties.
The regular attendants scheduled to fly Tuesday morning were replaced with three non-unionized attendants who were trained over the last month.
Wages, guaranteed hours, scheduling, vacation pay and paid sick leave are among the issues for the flight attendants, they indicated in a press release Monday.
They maintain their wage and benefit package is below the industry standard.
Geick said 85 per cent of the attendants voted for a strike mandate, and Air North was given the mandatory 72-hour notice last Friday morning, putting the union in a position to begin striking or conducting job action Monday morning.
Comments (13)
Up 16 Down 4
Response to Unions on Oct 3, 2014 at 10:13 am
I like to thank the Star for putting out opinion measurement on the comments made on pieces. It is a gauge of what the Yukon people think about the subjects of the day. For example unions are not seen as valuable in our labor force and but are a problem. Second people are not against fracking or LNG as a fuel source for energy. There is a group that are mostly older people like myself who have time to make noise and promote facts that are not true according to the experts I have talked on both subjects. Thanks and great work.
Up 21 Down 0
Purpose of Yukon Employees Union Leadership on Oct 2, 2014 at 5:56 pm
Who knows what the motivation of YEU leadership is:
> It is not in the interest of the membership of the Unions because where is it?
> It is their own financial interest?
> Is it to support the NDP? Yes most certainly.
> Is it some of the leadership or staff in the head office might want for political office?
> It is just plain power of running an organization?
> Or is something else please help me to figure this out people of the Yukon.
> Maybe because the Union wants to Unionize organization like Canadian Tire or Walmart?
Up 23 Down 1
Yukon Employees Union Political Funding Support on Oct 2, 2014 at 5:49 pm
It is well known that the leadership of the Yukon Employees Union take members funds without their approval and supports the NDP. I do not support the NDP and Yukon Employees Union stop using my money to support the NDP. NDP do not reflect the views of the membership.
Up 31 Down 5
Rorex1983 on Oct 2, 2014 at 2:13 pm
The union leader continues to play "games". It is quite obvious that the union is responsible for the dragged out negotiations taking until 2 weeks ago to even present its wage proposal. Its also quite obvious that the majority of Yukoners see through this sort of lame tactics.
I think its important to note that the FAs never even brought their desire for a wage increase to Management before voting to become a union. I think everyone, even those pro union, will agree its a bad idea to form a union without first trying to make a case to management on your own.
Up 12 Down 7
Josey Wales on Oct 2, 2014 at 1:38 pm
The headline reads more like Israel and Palestine.
If I may....?
I'll say it again...Hey Joe, heard you shot your union down...down to the ground.
(your line Joe)
Uh yes I did...I shot it down to the ground, you know I caught the union messin' 'round town
...and that ain't cool.
Joe you and your crews do a FANTASTIC job, don't let the bastards grind you down.
As ya'll might sleuth, I love Hendrix and I love what Air North has done...'cept let those spruce beetles in your forest of success.
"killing it softly with its crap"
Up 30 Down 5
Just Say'in on Oct 2, 2014 at 1:14 pm
I understand the wages are somewhere in the 25-26 per hour range. That is not bad pay at all for no education requirement or previous experience. Also no requirement to buy $50,000 worth of tools as a trades person would have to do. There is a line up to do this job and they have never had a lack of people wanting to work there. They know the wage package when they sign on and do it willingly. The flight benefits are fantastic and the main reason young people aspire to do the job. I have a personal friend who took the training and waited forever and couldn't get on because there was no turnover. Strange for people who are supposedly unhappy with their job.
Up 6 Down 31
Get Real on Oct 2, 2014 at 8:17 am
Dear damage, obviously you are not a flight attendant. I knew a lady that worked for AN and she was forced to find other work because there is no way she could make ends meet on thier wage and benefit program. AN takes a full page add out in the local paper talking about thier values, never mind that, show me the money, what are you offering, what are they asking for, then let the people judge. Values does not put food on the table.
I am indifferent to how that happens, unions seem to be self serving in my mind and are another drain on a paycheck. That could be different but right now that is how it looks.
Up 13 Down 27
Mark Smart on Oct 1, 2014 at 9:35 pm
"Wages, guaranteed hours, scheduling, vacation pay and paid sick leave are among the issues for the flight attendants, they indicated in a press release Monday."
Wow, the Fight Attendants are asking for very basic things which is why they must have engaged a union. I see both sides of the T-shirt issue and hope both sides each an agreement. Air North can do well while being more generous to it's empoyees.
Up 28 Down 3
Mr Geick tells Government Employees to respect Strike Action on Oct 1, 2014 at 9:23 pm
The president of the Yukon Employees Union asks the Yukon Government employees to respect the members actions and not cross the actions of Air North members. But the President fly's Air North during the actions of the attendants against Air North. What does that tell you? This makes no sense or is not in the interest of Air North attendants or the company. This is so much misleading advice by the unions for no reason and the benefit of anyone. Who reality understands the purpose? There is none, but getting people in the Yukon against air line attendants that are mislead by Union leader who want to make himself known to cause conflict in a small community like the Yukon. Does the Yukon want this types of conflict or negative outlook? I don't think so, we want to just live our lives without some one trying to make it into something that is not in our interest. We do not need trouble makers coming from other parts of Canada and trying to tell use how we should live.
Up 37 Down 5
Unions=collective stupidity on Oct 1, 2014 at 6:35 pm
The Unions are very useful. Especially 30 years ago. But the leaders of the unions are not in tune with reality and they continually misjudge the mood of the public and their members. Mediation and discussion will serve workers far more than Unions in this day.
Up 32 Down 3
Geick should go on Oct 1, 2014 at 4:59 pm
This guy is a clown ... he's determined to make a name for himself at the expense of a Yukon business. He's not representing anyone but himself. YG employees are fed up with him because he won't take YG on, on any issue ... but why would he bite the hand that feeds him.
Up 38 Down 7
north_of_60 on Oct 1, 2014 at 4:56 pm
Good move on both sides of the issue.
The comments on all the news articles clearly show that a lot of Yukoners are fed up with unions and their disruptive, expensive, greedy, and non-productive bullying tactics.
Up 78 Down 28
Damage done on Oct 1, 2014 at 3:23 pm
Good they are talking and Air north is back to business. But the damage has been done by the unions and according to the response, people don't want or need unions in the Yukon anymore.