Air Canada prepares to lock out pilots Monday

[Blue_Tires]

Source: CBC.ca

After giving its pilots an ultimatum to accept a final offer for a new labour contract, Air Canada is preparing to lock out its pilots effective midnight Eastern Time, on Monday morning.

The airline had given its pilots a deadline of noon Eastern Time on Thursday to accept its "final offer" for a new collective agreement. The Air Canada Pilots Association says the offer was nearly identical to one already rejected by the pilots at the end of January, and says the airline has threatened to "pursue any and all rights afforded to it by law" should the pilots turn it down.

Among changes: More female members, fewer manufacturing workersAlthough the union executive recommends rejecting the offer, Air Canada's roughly 3,000 pilots will now vote on that offer, the union said in a release.

"The vote is not the result of a tentative agreement," a statement from the pilots' union said. "There is no agreement. The association is recommending that the pilots reject the offer."



Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/03/08/air-canada-strike.html?cmp=rss

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[Cestode]

1. This is going to cause a lot of problems.

And to compound the situation, AC's baggage handlers and technicians are poised to strike on Monday as well.
This really sucks for those who have travel plans with AC next week.

[Dont call me Shirley]

2. Air Canada pulling a Ronnie Reagan

[Blue_Tires]

3. Air Canada Prevented From Shutting Down

The Canadian government has moved swiftly to avert a labor disruption that would have grounded Air Canada flights during the busy March school break week.

Air Canada was preparing to lock out its 3,000 pilots at midnight today as the union representing 8,600 mechanics, baggage handlers and cargo agents planned to go on strike.

The work stoppage would have coincided with the holiday break when hundreds of thousands of Canadians are flying to southern destinations and abroad.

"I'll be darned if we will now sit by and let the airline shut itself down," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday.

Labor Minister Lisa Raitt called in the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to investigate the "potential effects on health and safety" that a strike/lockout would cause.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20120310/NEWS/120319928?Title=Air-Canada-Prevented-From-Shutting-Down