Thirty-seven Air Canada jobs on the line in Calgary: CAW
Calgary Herald
Published: Wednesday, June 18, 2008
CALGARY - Air Canada could chop 26 full-time jobs in Calgary and nearly half that again in part-time positions, said a union representing employees with the nation's top carrier.
The Canadian Auto Workers Local 2002 said an estimated 350 to 400 of its members will feel the impact of Air Canada's announcement Tuesday that it will trim capacity by seven per cent in concert with 2,000 jobs system-wide by the end of 2008 in the wake of escalating fuel costs.
CAW Local 2002 calculates Calgary will lose 26 full-time and 11 part-time jobs under Air Canada's proposed staffing cuts.
In Edmonton, the numbers are 19 full-time jobs and 9 part-time jobs.
CAW Local 2002 president Leslie Dias said the union has about 235 members at the airports in Calgary and 120 in Edmonton. Calgary has additional staff working in reservations and a customer solution centre, she said.
Proportionally, the breakdown is actually the worst in Edmonton, followed by Vancouver, followed by Calgary," she said.From a straight numbers perspective, Vancouver will see the most cuts, with 69 full-time jobs and 30 part-time jobs on the block, followed by Toronto with 63 full-time jobs and 27 part-time jobs to be cut.
Winnipeg had the least, with eight full-time and three part-time positions. Across the country, 30 full-time reservationists will also be affected, the CAW said.
Air Canada would not confirm the union's job cut numbers.
Angela Mah, Air Canada spokeswoman, said the carrier is discussing with the union a variety of options that could minimize involuntary layoffs.
"We have no further details to provide at this time, but the reduction in employees is in direct correlation to the reduction in flying, which is still being finalized," she said.
Dias said CAW Local 2002 is focused on getting packages for its affected members. Given the permanent layoffs, the appropriate way to deal with it is through buyouts, she suggested.
"We do have a large proportion of senior staff that would be willing to leave on a voluntary basis to keep our more junior employees at work and able to support their families," Dias said.
Canada's largest airline said the cutbacks are necessary as it deals with nearly $1 billion more in fuel costs this year. The price of oil has more than doubled since 2007.
Air Canada released few specifics about which routes will be cut, beginning in this year's fourth quarter.
Air Canada employs nearly 1,600 workers in Calgary and Edmonton. Air Canada A shares were unchanged on the TSX Wednesday, closing at $9.13.
[email protected]
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=47337ee8-c7e9-4595-b2fc-424eb97304ff
Prev
Linear Mode
