While We Wait…
The LEC Base Chair Election Strategy
Pilots for Change is in the process of finalizing our election strategy. Numerous candidates who share our vision have come forward and engaged in meaningful discussions with us. We are very happy to report that a YWG candidate has also come forward! All of these individuals have had the chance to discuss and offer suggestions to the platform laid out on our website and are each excited to enact positive change.
We feel it is important to support candidates that balance ACPA experience along with fresh perspectives. There is an opportunity for Pilots for Change to endorse select Nationally Elected Members (NEMs) who are considering a run for LEC Base Chair positions. If successful, this could open up those NEM seats to future candidates looking to build experience and carry the P4C message forward. Now is the time to stop the pattern of inter-base competition and support an entire slate of candidates who can effectively represent their pilots locally while holding a shared national vision. Pilots for Change believes we have found those candidates.
With a MEC that is aligned on a common strategy with tangible goals, we can enact the change our Association desperately needs. We need to move on from reacting to every crisis and begin to think proactively and long term. A renewed MEC with a solid foundation of shared values will lead our pilots past the current crisis and into a better future for our profession.
United MEC Tentative Agreement Announced
An excellent example of an Association functioning at a higher standard is the United Airlines MEC. Earlier this week they announced the UALMEC voted in favour of a Tentative Agreement (TA) which was reached with the company. This deal is progressive in nature at a time when the aviation industry is in one of the most severe downturn phases of recent history. United pilots will have the opportunity to vote on this TA next week. If this deal is ratified it will prevent all pilot furloughs until June of 2021, provide scope protections, offer another round of voluntary pilot separation leaves, include pay rate protections with the ultimate gain of a 5% pay raise built into the TA contract language for when the industry does recover. The MEC Chair of United, Todd Insler, explains it best in his video message. For more information on this TA you can also check out the briefing provided directly from their negotiations committee here.
Have you signed the Petition?
Did you know that once you are furloughed you no longer receive emails from ACPA? Pilots for Change has started a petition to change that.
The petition ask we would like to present to our MEC is as follows:
A move for the Air Canada Pilot's Association to reinstate all furloughed and other non-active members of ACPA to the main email blast list. Any and all emails sent to the "Active Membership" (non-furlough status Pilots) will also be sent in full, without edits to all "Non-Active Members" (furlough status Pilots and any other non-active members including LOA) in a timely manner. This includes but may not be limited to all emails from the CEO, MEC Chair, MEC and Committees.
Once 30% of our membership has signed this petition we will be eligible to take this request to our MEC. Being furloughed is hard enough and being cut off from email communications is not necessary. Our members who are on furlough should have the option to continue receiving emails and stay as engaged as possible with the Association responsible for protecting their aviation career once they return to Air Canada. If you support this idea please sign the petition and pass it along to your fellow colleagues.
A CALL FOR ORGANIZERS
A busy week is ahead of us! We are anticipating the announcement and vote for the new Covid MOA. Also, nominations for the LEC Base Chair positions close on September 22nd. It is time for us to invite our supporters to become more engaged with our movement. We are inviting interested supporters, who have some extra time and energy, to help us move forward with our election strategy. Together with other organizers, you will have the opportunity to join us to discuss the imminent MOA, the upcoming LEC election, the candidates we are supporting and how we can get the vote out for P4C. Email us your personal contact so we can reach out to you directly and bring you into the fold. If you are not a supporter yet, now is the time to sign up at our website and we will send you a P4C bag sticker.