December 2, 2020
Update on Employment Security
The CATCA Executive Board has been diligently working on our Member’s behalf following the recent communications from NAV Canada to invoke the provisions under Article 33 of our Collective Agreement regarding IFR Members, in particular those within YUL, YQM and YQX ACC’s. In addition to the LoS Tower reviews and the closure of TMU West, these actions by the Company demand a strong and planned approach to best protect your interests.
CATCA has communicated our position to NAV Canada regarding the next steps involved under Article 33, and that we are ready to begin our first meaningful consultations following their official surplus notification of November 27, 2020. Earlier today, CATCA additionally provided a press release (link here) to media outlets for publication. This press release, combined with CATCA’s continuous lobbying of many Government Officials including several meetings with representatives of the Prime Minister’s office directly, is intended to bring our issues to the forefront of the Government’s and public’s attention through a broader reaching venue. Canadians need to be made aware of the impact NAV Canada’s decisions will have on our Members, the aviation industry and the eventual negative impact these actions will have on the industry’s recovery efforts in the future.
On Monday at 4pm EST, Minister Freeland provided Canada’s Fiscal update and announced more measures of supporting Canadians affected by the pandemic. CATCA was hoping for more positive and industry specific news, but the update failed to provide any concrete information regarding assistance for large aviation employers such as NAV Canada. In response, Jerry Dias – President of Unifor, dispatched a contemptuous press release calling out the Government of Canada for not having a recovery strategy in place (link here) for an industry that will be paramount to Canada’s economic recovery post-pandemic.
In conjunction with the new aforementioned issue, CATCA is continuing its work on the Level of Service reviews for the 7 towers across Canada as well as the closure of TMU West to protect our members with the full provisions of the Collective Agreement.
We want every Member to be assured that in each specific instance, we are working carefully to impede and reduce the severity of the short-sighted decisions NAV Canada is attempting to make. We will of course update Members accordingly as new developments occur, and appreciate your patience in these difficult times as we judiciously navigate through it.
In Solidarity,
Doug Best Scott Loder
President Executive Vice President
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