Air Canada wildcat strike delays dozens of flights.

[rafterman]

http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/air-canada-walkout-in-toronto-delays-flights

Good luck flying AC out of Pearson today or anywhere across the country, I'm sure the whole system will get backed up.

 

[Mr. Lucky]

I would just fly Molson airlines

 

[blackrock13]

Both unions and management, need tyo go back to school and learn how not to piss off customers.

 

[rafterman]

Ha ha ha apparently the catalyst was some staff heckling Labour Minister Lisa Raitt as she walked through the airport. Followed by suspensions, followed by a wildcat strike, followed by a court injunction and 37 firings, followed by arbitrator saying everbody is reinstated and everything returns to normal except for a bunch of severely pissed off, inconvenienced customers.

 

[fmahovalich]

While not always a union guy...I'm on the side of the Pilots.

They have had no raise in 12 years.... Baggage handlers in 14 years.

I am guessing, but I suspect about half the pilots make under 60k a year.

Given the responsibility...and skillset required....that is deplorable.

And I know...it's worse south of the border!

 

[blackrock13]

While not always a union guy...I'm on the side of the Pilots.

They have had no raise in 12 years.... Baggage handlers in 14 years.

I am guessing, but I suspect about half the pilots make under 60k a year.

Given the responsibility...and skillset required....that is deplorable.

And I know...it's worse south of the border!

After getting their Commercial Pilot's Licence, pilots in Canada will gain experience one of three main ways.
1 - Working as a Flight instructor
2 - Working the ramp or the dock for a small charter airline which will eventually lead to a flying position
3 - Flying smaller aircraft doing miscellaneous aerial work jobs such as sight seeing, flying skydivers or aerial photographer.

These entry level jobs are unfortunately.quite low paying. When I started flying for a charter airline in Northern Manitoba in 2001, I made just over $20,000 the first year I flew. Instructors make around that much, but their pay can vary significantly depending on how much they fly.

However, as you gain experience, the pay increases. Captains of smaller turbo-prop aircraft can expect to make anywhere between $40,000 - $80,000 a year. (Depending on a huge range of factors)

One of the strange quirks with the airline industry in Canada, is that in order to move to a larger airline, you'll usually take a pay cut. For example, WestJet's starting pay is $40,000 a year and Air Canada's starting pay is $37,300 a year. The pay usually jumps quite quickly after the first two years, but the initial cut can be painful.

So, the good news though is that when/if you're able to get on with a major airline, such as Air Canada or WestJet, the top end salary is quite nice. The most senior Air Canada Captains flying the Boeing 777s are making over $200,000 a year and Captains at WestJet with over 10 years experience are pushing $150,000 (depending on their stock options).

After finishing your licence, it usually takes 5-10 years to make it to the airlines, but that depends on a number of factors, the economy being the main one. The first few years of flying in Canada can be extremely low paying, but after that, things get a little more comfortable.

James Ball
Author of "So, You Want to be a Pilot, Eh? - A Guidebook for Canadian Pilot Training"
http://www.piloteh.com
http://www.piloteh.blogspot.com

 

[wigglee]

It is one thing to legislate them to work and appoint an arbitrator, but at least the arbitrator should be impartial and objective, instead of the conservative shills that Raitt prefers.

 

[spankingman]

Do a REAGAN and FIRE THEM ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I havent flown AC for years shit service number one reason. WESTJET or cross the river fly outa Buffalo LOT cheaper as well.
Recent survey said 3/5 Canadian fly from US Airports whats that tell you!!

 

[oak]

Why was Raitt there? Was she just catching a flight or there to confront the union?

 

[james t kirk]

I don't know about not having a raise in 14 years.

Seems to me last time they went on strike, the gov't legislated them back to work and the whole mess gets sent to arbitration and the arbitrator says to the owner and the employees that "here's the deal" whether you like it or not.

I believe that the AC employees have received cost of living adjustments (which is really a raise) over the years, but that's about it. (I could be wrong.)

At the end of the day, if a bagge handler makes $15.00 an hour, and all he ever does is slug bags, then really, all he is entitled to would be an inflationary cost of living adjustment. If the job doesn't change, why should the remuneration increase? Just for having more years on the job? I don't see it.

As to pilots - I believe that AC pilots are extremely well paid. Their remuneration comes down to their experience and which planes they are qualified on.


As to the Air Canada, well, I hate them with a passion because they constantly fuck you around.

But all that aside, they lost something like 250 million last year and their stock is worthless. Hell, they went bankrupt about 5 years ago and they look like they're going to go bankrupt again. I don't know how they can stay in business like that. It would seem to me that there are simply too many players in the industry and they are all charging too few dollars chasing too few clients. The solution would appear to be a consolidation in the industry and higher fares for consumers (unfortunately).

It is interesting that neither trains or planes seem to be able to make any money.

Oh, and one other thing...the CEO of Air Canada is Calvin Rovenescu I believe took home about 5 million bucks last year in remuneration. Clearly this is a bad joke. Given Air Canada's peformance, it's stock free fall, and its labour issues, this man should be fired and hie replacement should be making in the range of 250,000.00 per year max.

 

[groggy]

I hate AC, but I expect that's largely because of the penny pinching at the hands of upper management, not the people who work the planes or airports.

If I worked for one of those unions, I'd be trying to find out when any conservative minister was flying and make those flights just a bit late....

 

[CapitalGuy]

Time to open our skies. Canadian citizens would be MUCH better-served by allowing foreign carriers and new Canadian carriers to fly domestic routes. Airline cooperation under the flags of the major alliances will ensure your bags get forwarded, and don't worry, safety will still be as closely regulated as it is now. Give us choice, even if it means death to our Canadian flagship carrier.

 

[djk]

Do a REAGAN and FIRE THEM ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I havent flown AC for years shit service number one reason. WESTJET or cross the river fly outa Buffalo LOT cheaper as well.
Recent survey said 3/5 Canadian fly from US Airports whats that tell you!!

Yeah, that worked out so well for society.

 

[Thunderballs]

Time to open our skies. Canadian citizens would be MUCH better-served by allowing foreign carriers and new Canadian carriers to fly domestic routes. Airline cooperation under the flags of the major alliances will ensure your bags get forwarded, and don't worry, safety will still be as closely regulated as it is now. Give us choice, even if it means death to our Canadian flagship carrier.

Agreed, unfortunately it will never happen since the Air Canada lobby is too strong. Just look at Billy Bishop Airport. Porter can't get a bridge built but as soon as Air Canada moves a tunnel get approved. Bastards. I fly Westjet as much as possible simply because I hate AC.

 

[groggy]

Agreed, unfortunately it will never happen since the Air Canada lobby is too strong. Just look at Billy Bishop Airport. Porter can't get a bridge built but as soon as Air Canada moves a tunnel get approved. Bastards. I fly Westjet as much as possible simply because I hate AC.

Just remember that the reason Canadian flights are more expensive then American ones is that airport maintenance and expansion is paid by travelers through fees, not by the feds as it is in the US.

 

[kkelso]

Porter freakin' rocks! I'm in favor of whatever lets them expand.