Air Canada schedule changes lead to 54 job cuts in Newfoundland and Labrador: union
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. –
The union representing workers with regional airline Jazz Aviation says it’s contemplating authorized motion as 54 folks in Newfoundland and Labrador lose their jobs due to service adjustments by Air Canada.
Shayne Fields, a nationwide consultant with Unifor, stated Friday the layoff news was abrupt and sudden. Employees deserve higher, he stated in an interview.
“We have members right now that have dedicated years of service, loyalty to this employer and provided good years of their lives,” Fields stated. “And this is the thanks they get.”
Jazz supplies regional service below the Air Canada Express model. However, St. John’s-based PAL Airlines will take over some former Jazz routes on Nov. 1, additionally flying below the Air Canada Express banner.
Fields stated the shift means layoffs for 54 staff at three of the province’s small airports. Twenty-five workers in Deer Lake will lose their jobs, as will 16 in Gander, and 13 in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, in central Labrador, he stated. The layoffs have an effect on customer support brokers and ramp service workers — staff that clear planes, information plane or load and unload baggage.
Unifor filed grievances in opposition to Jazz in any respect three areas, Fields stated. It can be inspecting whether or not there was a breach of labour requirements, in line with a union news launch on Friday.
Teri Udle, a Jazz consultant, stated the corporate is making “staffing changes required as a result of changes to Air Canada’s schedule.”
As of Nov. 1, Jazz is not going to be working in any respect from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and thus 13 folks can be laid off, Udle stated in an e-mail Friday. There may even be layoffs in Gander and Deer Lake, Udle added, however she wouldn’t affirm what number of.
Air Canada stated it struck a take care of PAL Airlines to complement its settlement with Jazz, and to keep up service to regional communities in Atlantic Canada. Those areas have been hit arduous by industry-wide pilot shortages, spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick stated in an e-mail.
“It is important to note that while the airline serving some Newfoundland communities may have changed, the amount of capacity, or seats available for people to travel on, remains the same and in some cases is actually increased over last year,” Fitzpatrick stated.
In the meantime, PAL Airlines is increasing and hiring due to its new contract with Air Canada, Joseph Galimberti, senior vice-president of public affairs with father or mother firm PAL Aerospace, stated in an interview.
“We’re recruiting people and acquiring talent accordingly, across the full range of positions in the airline,” he stated.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Sept. 8, 2023.
