Our Professional Pride Sustains Us
When we work as a crew to manage our way through bad weather, schedule delays, onboard failures or any of the hundreds of daily distractions– in a way that aligns with our high standards as professionals– we feel pride. In the case of our association, we feel pride when we make gains for our members, protect our pilots under our collective agreement and when we are able to stand united against the negative forces that threaten to diminish our profession.
For many Air Canada pilots, professional pride is often missing in the workplace. Past failures of our association, perceived divisions amongst our pilot group and our current state of individual isolation is overtaking us. But we can reclaim our professional pride when we focus on the duty of flying our passengers and cargo safely to every corner of the world, in good times and bad. We should also feel that same pride in our contract and our association in its ability to represent, defend, advocate and stand in solidarity for a better society. Professional pride is the hallmark of a great pilot, and a great pilots’ association.
Photo credit: Liam Allport
“Upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all.”
Alexander the Great
How Do We SHOW PROFESSIONAL PRIDE?
Get back to basics: Simple signs of professional pride include following SOPs, adhering to the contract and wearing the full uniform of our airline– not for the employer, but as a discipline that signals our unity with each other on the line. Wearing our association’s pin is the basic sign of a commitment to our contract and our association.
Our crew and our passengers come first: Orienting ourselves towards our crew, our passengers and our profession first and foremost– committing ourselves to the safest possible operation of the aircraft and honouring the duties of our position entrusted to us by the public.
Adopt a code of ethics: We show our pride through our behaviour each time we report for duty– like other airline pilot associations, we should adopt a code of ethics for the Air Canada pilots, one that honours the many decades of experience, wisdom and professionalism of our group.
Uphold our own standards: Establish a professional standards program in order to help each other grow as professionals and offer support to pilots that are struggling to meet the standards confidentially– without involving airline management.
Share our story: Establish channels to document and share our history as Air Canada pilots. We have a long history to reflect on and much to be proud of.