By Brennan Doherty, Star Calgary, Sat., Aug. 31, 2019
CALGARY—Unions representing WestJet’s workers are pushing back against attempts by the Calgary-based airline to exempt some of its workforce from new federal labour code changes — but Ottawa may grant them anyway.
Long-awaited updates to the Canada Labour Code click in Sept. 1, affecting about 900,000 workers — or 6 per cent of all Canadian workers — employed in a variety of federally regulated sectors. These include airlines, railways, banks, broadcasting, grain elevators, and uranium mining. But the government already intends to grant a reprieve on new hours of work provisions for certain always-on sectors, like transportation.
“We recognize that not all workplaces are the same and that some may face challenges with updates to the Canada Labour Code,” read a statement from Employment and Social Development Canada.
WestJet argued in a letter Aug. 14 to the federal government that some of the proposed changes will be “operationally unattainable” for some of its workers, including pilots, ground maintenance crews, and flight attendants. These include the requirement to give at least 24 hours’ written notice before a shift change, the right for workers to refuse overtime in order to carry out family responsibilities, and the entitlement to an unpaid 30-minute break for every five hours of work.
Employment and Social Development Canada said it is working on a list of employee groups to be covered by the exemptions. A spokesperson for the agency did not explicitly say whether WestJet would receive an exemption when asked by Star Calgary. Followup questions were not answered by press time.
Bills C-63 and C-86, which govern the new changes, were given royal assent in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Yet Employment and Social Development Canada said it began consulting with employers and worker representatives in May to gather opinions on anything in the new legislation that the government should consider when drafting regulations on hours of work for certain types of employees.
WestJet claimed it consulted unions representing its workers on “extensive alternate rules” to the labour code changes in its Aug. 14 letter. Employment and Social Development Canada said it had been consulting with employees and workers since May. But union representatives denied that.
Chris Rauenbusch, president of CUPE 4070 — representing WestJet’s cabin crews — acknowledged a flight attendant’s duties may not allow for exact adherence to the new labour code rules. Airlines do not run like a traditional 9-to-5 office. Yet he took issue with WestJet’s request for a blanket exemption for certain workers, rather than trying to figure out a solution.
“Just simply because our work environment is different, doesn’t mean that there needs to be a blanket exemption,” he said. “There’s creative ways to work around some of these (issues).”
By way of example, Rauenbusch said it wouldn’t be impractical for several flight attendants to spell each other off on flights every five hours. Justin Jones, WestJet chairperson for the Canadian Airline Dispatch Association, said flight dispatchers typically work a 12-hour shift, but are encouraged by the company to take informal breaks — even just a walk around the parking lot — whenever possible.
“It’s very tough to implement them in the type of environment that we work at. There’s no arguing that,” Jones said. “However, nobody likes getting side-swiped with finding out this information second-hand without the company engaging with us.”
In response, CUPE 4070 said it “emphatically rejects the idea of blanket regulatory exemptions” in a draft letter to the federal government obtained by Star Calgary. It proposed allowing exemptions if workers and employers jointly agree in a collective agreement.
If negotiations aren’t finished — as they aren’t for CUPE 4070, which is still working on a first collective agreement for its 4,000 members — the union said it would be OK with a temporary exemption until bargaining is finished.Get more of today’s top stories in your inboxStart your morning with everything that matters in Calgary with our Morning Headlines newsletter.Sign Up Now
It also proposed exemptions to the Canada Labour Code changes not be made permanent. Instead, the union wrote, they should be subject to a review period every three years to ensure workers are being protected at a level comparable to the code itself.
Employment and Social Development Canada said it’ll hold more consultations on proposed exemptions or modifications to hours of work regulations in the fall after the federal election. The interim rules will apply until the federal government puts in regulations allowing modification or exemptions to some hour of work provisions, expected to take place in 2020.
Brennan Doherty is a work and wealth reporter with Star Calgary.
Friday, August 30, 2019 Posted by Travelweek Group
TORONTO — Transat is waiving change fees for flights to Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando and WestJet has extended its rebooking window for four Florida destinations as Hurricane Dorian churns towards Florida, potentially as a Category 4 storm by the time it makes landfall.
Cruise lines are keeping an eye on Dorian as well, with updates from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCL and more.
The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center has the Category 2 storm strengthening into a ‘potentially catastrophic’ Category 4 with winds of almost 225 kph, making landfall along the U.S. southeast coast on Tuesday.
While the projected track shows the storm hitting near West Palm Beach, the ‘cone of uncertainty’ of Dorian’s potential path covers nearly all of Florida’s 800-kilometre coastline, with Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando all within the danger zone.
Yesterday afternoon Transat said its air and cruise operations, as well as cruise operations, are still proceeding on schedule, but the company is monitoring the situation.
Transat passengers with tickets for flights to Fort Lauderdale or Orlando, booked before Aug. 27 and operating Aug. 31 – Sept. 2 inclusive, can take advantage of Transat’s flexible rebooking policy. Passengers on impacted flights can change their date and/or destination for trips completed by Oct. 31.
WestJet has extended its travel window for its flexible rebooking policy, for travel up to Sept. 3 for Nassau as well as Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Fort Myers and Tampa.
As of 3 p.m. on Aug. 30 Air Canada had not added any Florida destinations to its Travel Alerts list.
MONTRÉAL, Aug. 30, 2019 /CNW/ – ADM Aéroports de Montréal is pleased to announce the creation of an ecological park located north of the YUL airport site in the Saint-Laurent borough. This announcement follows discussions with the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, who supports changing the land’s vocation to an ecological park. The more than 2 million-square-foot property will be preserved and landscaped for the benefit of the entire community.
“As part of its environmental policy, ADM is committed to protecting areas with high-ecological value at its sites. Preserving this sector underscores this commitment,” said Philippe Rainville, ADM President and CEO.
ADM has compiled an ecological inventory of the site and will ensure its safeguarding. Marshes and swamps are present on a good portion of the site, along with mature woodland, birds and mammals.
“This initiative reflects our goal of offering the community a place to connect with nature. Its proximity to the REM station at the Technoparc will make it accessible to a greater number of people. In the coming weeks, a clean-up operation will be organized with Jour de la Terre and a landscaping plan drawn up by our experts,” said Mr. Rainville.
The land is adjacent to the airport site and, in accordance with the requirements of TP 1247F “Land Use in the Vicinity of Aerodromes,” ADM will continue to be responsible for ongoing wildlife management and bird hazard control.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, August 30, 2019 – Canadian North and First Air are pleased to announce that their new, unified passenger and cargo schedule is now available for booking and will take effect on Friday, November 1, 2019. Together, they will provide safe, friendly and reliable service to 24 northern communities, from their southern gateways of Ottawa, Montreal and Edmonton, with seamless interline connections to destinations throughout Canada, the United States and beyond.
A link to this schedule can be found on the Canadian North and First Air websites:
Because Canadian North and First Air continue to operate separate reservations systems, all of the flights shown within this unified schedule can be booked via either airline, using their existing reservations channels:
Provided by Bombardier Business Aircraft/Globe Newswire
Comprehensive gathering highlighted Bombardier’s enhanced global customer support presence and customer service transformation
Helpful how-to sessions outlined new products/services, as well as service support updates for Bombardier’s flagship Global 7500 aircraft
M&O USA Conference an essential part of informative customer event lineup planned for 2019
MONTREAL, Aug. 30, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bombardier Business Aircraft is pleased to announce that the 2019 Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on August 27-29 was a resounding success, offering Bombardier customers and operators from around the world a unique opportunity to learn about Bombardier’s latest in-service activities, world-class products and key program development updates – including the development of the new state-of-the-art Miami Service Centre in Miami-Dade County.
This year’s event brought together more than 125 customers/operators for two days of detailed educational sessions, including updates on key programs such as Global 7500 aircraft. Attendees also benefited from the platform-specific technical and operational discussions to gain and share insight with Bombardier and the operator community. M&O USA is just one of several high-profile customer events planned in 2019, aimed at enhancing customers’ knowledge of in-service activities, world-class products and program development updates.
“At Bombardier, we are always seeking ways to ensure customers receive an exceptional experience at all levels of the customer service journey,” said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Vice President and General Manager of Customer Experience, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “In-depth customer-driven events such as these offer an essential channel to share important information about our products and services. They are invaluable in helping us provide the best service experience possible.”
Bombardier has a strong customer service footprint in the U.S., including the introduction of a brand new Super Service Centre in Miami-Dade, Florida. The new 300,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport will feature expanded maintenance capabilities and be fully equipped to perform scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, aircraft modifications, avionics installations and Aircraft On Ground Support (AOG) for all of Bombardier’s family of business jets including Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft.
Along with a major expansion of the service centre expansion at the Seletar Aerospace Centre in Singapore, the addition of new Line Maintenance Stations in Dubai and Biggin Hill, Mobile Truck Response Team (MRT) enhancements in the U.S. and Europe and the addition of a dedicated Challenger 300 MRT aircraft, such expansive initiatives underscore Bombardier’s ongoing, transformational commitment to providing the most comprehensive onsite, mobile and aircraft-on-ground resolution services in the industry.
Drone travels 6 Km in 11 minutes over Pacific Ocean from London Drugs in Duncan B.C. to Country Grocer and customers on Salt Spring Island in first of its kind drone delivery trials in Canada
SALT SPRING ISLAND, British Columbia , Aug. 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On August 19, 2019, Canada Post, in partnership with London Drugs and InDro Robotics, successfully completed Canada’s first-ever Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) flight carrying pharmaceuticals via Drone from a London Drugs pharmacy to remote Salt Spring Island in British Columbia.
LondonDrugs_InDroRobotics Drone Delivery in flight August 2019
Canada Post was selected along with InDro Robotics in 2018 to participate in Transport Canada’s BVLOS Drone Trials. The proposal focused on testing BVLOS capabilities over open water and partnering to test the delivery of prescription medications to remote areas.
There were three parts to the August 19 trials including delivery of an Epi pen (Epinephrine) and Narcan, leaving London Drugs’ mobile facility in Duncan, B.C. to the local Country Grocer on Salt Spring Island as well as direct, pin-pointed delivery to a patient’s home on Salt Spring Island.
“We are proud to have been selected to participate in the first trial of a Drone delivery of this kind in Canada,” said Chris Chiew, general manager of Pharmacy, London Drugs. “The ability to provide medications to patients in remote areas that would otherwise have to travel hours to obtain pharmacy service is significant in so many ways. In the very near future we will be able to provide delivery of prescription medications to an abundance of areas not accessible by vehicle.”
“The delivery of prescription medications by drone to rural areas will be of great advantage to communities across the country including Northern Canada and as well to hospitals in remote communities where drones can land on hospital Heli pads,” said Philip Reece, CEO, InDro Robotics.
The operational data obtained from the August 19 trials will be used by Transport Canada to inform BVLOS regulations moving forward in Canada. As part of the ongoing testing, Canada Post is simulating deliveries over bodies of water, icy roads and challenging terrain to temporary camps and other remote locations.
A video of the drone delivery is available for download.
OTTAWA, Aug. 30, 2019 /CNW/ – The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, issued a statement today regarding the proposed aerodrome at Saint-Roch-de-l’Achigan, Quebec:
“For reasons of public interest, I issued an order prohibiting the aerodrome development project as proposed by the Proponent.
“In this case, deficiencies were identified with regard to the consultation led by the proponent and the proposal for the aerodrome development project, including a lack of clarity on the anticipated activities at the aerodrome and the impact of the sound footprint on the community, which confirmed the need for intervention on this matter.
“I made that decision based on Section 4.32 of the Aeronautics Act (https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/A-2.pdf), which allows me to prohibit the development of an aerodrome if it is likely to adversely affect aviation safety or is not in the public interest.”
X-Plane is known for its detailed landscapes. (Stairport Sceneries)
comments
X-Plane, a flight simulator used by both gamers and professional pilots around the world, has added Charlottetown Airport to its long list of destinations.
The simulator is known for its realistic depictions of airports such as London’s Heathrow and Chicago’s O’Hare, or detailed views as you fly over Manhattan or through the Grand Canyon. Starting next week, virtual aviators can add Charlottetown Airport to that list.
Users can set time of day and weather conditions. (Stairport Sceneries)
“We had a new developer last year who started to train on creating those airports, and we were looking for a training program,” said Marten Krull, one of the lead developers working on adding airports.
“It was pretty good in terms of size and not that much building to recreate, so perfect for a training purpose.”
The simulation includes the newly-constructed runways. (Stairport Sceneries)
The simulation includes the tower, the terminal, and even the newly-constructed runways. Krull doesn’t think the Charlottetown Airport add-on will have wide appeal, but he hopes there is some local interest.
X-Plane has about 500,000 users worldwide, Krull said.
MONTREAL, Aug. 30, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ – Innotech-Execaire Aviation Group (“IEAG”) announced today that Montreal-based Execaire has been accredited as IS-BAO Stage 3 compliant by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC).
With aircraft based internationally as well as across Canada including Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton, Windsor, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver, this international accreditation speaks to IEAG’s unwavering commitment to capturing, managing and mitigating operational risks through the use of its industry-leading Safety Management System (SMS) at all levels of the organization.
The International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO), developed by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and its member associations, is a recommended code of best practices designed to help flight departments worldwide achieve high levels of safety and professionalism. IS-BAO is an industry standard built for operators, by operators, which requires processes and procedures based on ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS).
IEAG is also announcing that Image Air Charter is now a holder of ARGUS International’s highest and most distinguished ‘Platinum’ safety rating, having been awarded the designation earlier this month. This designation now has Image Air joining the group’s other operator, Execaire, which has held its Platinum rating since 2010. Both the ARGUS and the IS-BAO safety certifications continue to be the most widely recognized confirmation of quality for charter/aircraft operations and only a select group of operators worldwide have earned both certifications concurrently.
Since 1967, corporate aircraft owners have trusted IEAG to manage their aircraft with a fully-integrated service offering and unique capability to support its customers throughout the life-cycle of their aircraft.
“These accreditations are a true testament to our operational philosophy and our efforts to consistently and continuously reinforce our safety culture,” said Michael Fedele, President, Innotech-Execaire Aviation Group.“It marks an important milestone in our evolution and serves to reinforce our 100% commitment to safe and efficient aircraft operations utilizing our industry-leading SMS program” he added.
/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/calgary/2019/08/31/unions-push-back-after-westjet-asks-ottawa-for-exemptions-to-new-federal-labour-code-provisions/westjet.jpg)
Canadian Aviation News 
You must be logged in to post a comment.