December 18, 2020
Workforce Adjustment Turbulence Continues
CATCA met with NAV Canada Executives last Friday, and again on Monday. The purpose of these meetings was an attempt to have the Company withdraw surplus notices and level of service (LOS) reviews and begin meaningful consultations to find ways to minimize adverse consequences of job displacements and resolve surplus situations without layoff through the development of a human resources transition plan. During these meetings, many ideas were discussed which we had hoped might yield some positive results. However, after several days of internal review, late yesterday, NAV Canada advised CATCA that they are unable to accept any of our ideas and cannot commit to the removal of the surplus notices or the cancellation of the LOS studies. One of the key questions CATCA asked during these meetings was as follows: what is the goal that NAV Canada is trying to achieve with their actions?
Unfortunately, they were either reluctant or unable to answer that direct question. CATCA finds it very difficult to continue conversations based on NAV Canada’s inability to provide us with a clear understanding of what the Company needs are – monetary or otherwise. This has your Executive Board confused and frustrated as layoff notices were provided as late as two weeks before the holiday season during the world’s most turbulent time for many of us both at work and in our private lives, and on the same day that bonuses worth over $7M were doled out to management. Again, it remains our distinct impression that finances are taking precedence over the safety of the flying public.
The CATCA Executive Board (EB) has been urgently and tirelessly working at all possible solutions needed to end the turmoil created by NAV Canada. CATCA will not stop lobbying government and external stakeholders for assistance and solutions and will continue until all our members’ employment is secure. In addition, we have also been working with our union colleagues. One of them, PIPSC, has produced a campaign to help protect air navigation service. We are very supportive of this campaign and have attached the link (click here) so that all our members can get involved and join the campaign. This is an active way that you can help – please take the time to do so – it is very important to our efforts.
Finally, the CATCA EB would like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank you for your contributions over the past months. Our members have modeled collaboration by coming together during this pandemic and ensuring the safety of Canadian skies which is being jeopardized by short sighted actions.
In Solidarity,
Doug Best Scott Loder
President Executive Vice President
Click here for the PDF.