Everyone has probably wondered, while they’re grooming an aircraft between flights, and not even getting paid to do it, whether this is the norm at other airlines in Canada.

Well, it isn’t. Porter is pretty “unique” in this sense.

At almost every other airline in Canada, grooming is the responsibility of ground crew. It’s not part of the job description for flight attendants – and certainly not one that flight attendants would be doing for free!

Porter recently announced they would be hiring outside contractors to perform grooming on certain aircraft, and on certain routes only. That’s great news for some Porter cabin crew, but it leaves just as many behind.

It’s just a baby step – one that Porter is only taking because they’re feeling the pressure of your collective effort to form a union.

And remember: there’s nothing to guarantee Porter won’t change this practice in the future because, as we know, without a legally-binding contract, anything Porter gives they can also take away.

With a union and a strong collective agreement, Porter flight attendants can level up with other flight attendants across Canada, and focus on our primary responsibility of keeping passengers safe and comfortable on their journey – not grooming.

With a union, we’ll have the power to give ourselves a greater say in what duties we perform at work, and the power to ensure we’re paid for our time at work.

If you’re ready for a greater say in your working conditions, sign your union card today.

If you’ve already signed your card, that’s awesome. Remember: signing your union card is a two-step process. After signing your membership card, the Canada Industrial Relations Board also requires a $5 payment.

 

It’s a cruel reality of the industry: some of the toughest and most important parts of a flight attendant’s job aren’t even paid. Whether it’s doing pre-flight safety checks, assisting passengers with special needs, or dealing with unruly passengers during ground delays – there is so much work that flight attendants are forced to do for free because of an unfair, outdated industry practice.

But being a flight attendant isn’t a volunteer position. In Canada, in 2023, there’s no excuse. If a flight attendant is in uniform, at work, performing work-related duties, they should be getting paid. Full stop.

CUPE’s Airline Division, representing 18,500 flight attendants at nine different airlines, has been standing together to tell the federal government and the airlines themselves that unpaid work won’t fly any more.

In fact, flight attendants represented by CUPE at PasCan have already negotiated strong language into their contract so they’re paid for boarding and delays.

CUPE’s Airline Division also launched a formal petition to the House of Commons in June, which received over 17,000 signatures, calling on the federal government to close loopholes in the Canada Labour Code that allow airlines to exploit their employees and force them to work for free. The federal government has until November 5, 2023 to issue its formal response.

The path to ending unpaid work in this industry won’t be an easy one, but it will surely be easier if we all pull together.

If we stand alone as individuals, this unfair, abusive industry practice may never end.

But with CUPE, we’ll be part of a strong group of flight attendant unions, and together we will end unpaid work in our industry.

Sign your card today to join CUPE, Canada’s flight attendant union.

You might have noticed we were briefly absent from the tunnel at YTZ over the past month. The airport authority – wrongfully – tried to prevent our team from talking to Porter cabin crew about our organizing drive and how CUPE has made life better for flight attendants across the industry. But we stood our ground, won the day – and now we’re back!

You might be wondering how can joining a union really change your day-to-day, so today we’re bringing you a “greatest hits” of CUPE’s wins for flight attendants in Canada in recent years. Take a look.

• CUPE set the standard for maximum duty day at 14 hours, with significant monetary premiums hours worked beyond 14. CUPE also set the standard for minimum crew rest home and when away from base.
• CUPE pushed back against restrictive and often discriminatory uniform and grooming policies that forced female members to wear high-heels, and barred members from having dreadlocks or visible tattoos. CUPE also won the right for members to wear henna tattoos and poppies for Remembrance Day on the job.
• At the outset of the pandemic, CUPE health and safety committees fought for and won changes to inflight service and access to proper PPE to keep members safe on the job.
• When the pandemic shook our industry, CUPE ensured thousands of furloughed members were still getting a paycheque – whether through the federal CEWS program, or through agreements to redeploy flight attendants to support immunization clinics. CUPE also ensured members who were sick or quarantined were being paid.

And there’s lots more. As members of Canada’s flight attendant union, Porter cabin crew will have the opportunity to make important changes in the workplace, and change this entire industry for the better.

If you haven’t already signed your card to join your union, go to https://porter.cupe.ca/sign-a-card/.

If there’s anything we’ve learned this past week, it’s that Porter can make changes to our working conditions whenever they want – to make them better, or worse.

By now, you’ve probably seen the news that Porter will be making significant changes to our working conditions.

We’ve already heard serious concerns from many of you about the new 24-hour reserve policy, which could make it very difficult for many of you to manage your work-life balance and hold a second job.

We also know Porter is giving cabin crew in B Scale a nice wage bump. This is great news, and it’s solid proof that our efforts to organize and form a union are already paying off – because there is no chance Porter would be making these kinds of improvements to wages if they weren’t being pressured by our drive for a union.

It also proves that Porter is more than capable of giving its employees a fair wage increase.

But here’s the catch. Without a union (and an enforceable collective agreement), anything Porter gives out today, they can take away tomorrow. That’s just the sad reality.

Employers always float wage increases and new perks when they’re under pressure from union drives, only to claw them back later.

The company is hoping their promise of a wage bump for some employees today will distract from the unfair changes they’re making to the reserve policy and increasing the length of your duty day without a comparable duty premium. WestJet flight attendants, for example, who are represented by CUPE, receive a $200 duty premium for minutes 1-60 beyond a maximum duty period and $400 for minutes 61-120 after that.

Porter talks a lot about how these new changes finally bring the company in line with industry standards. But we don’t want to simply carry on chasing industry standards – we want to set our own, and with a union, we can.

Without a union, Porter can give, but they can also take away.

With a union, Porter won’t be able to make changes to our contract or take away our hard-fought wins arbitrarily. With a union, we’ll have a strong, united voice, and an enforceable contract to protect and advance our working conditions.

Let’s show the company we’re determined to have a voice. If you haven’t already, sign your card today.

And if you have signed your card, encourage your friends and coworkers to sign theirs too!

Many of you have reached this week to share how missing per diem on this week’s pay has affected you. We understand how per diem makes up a large portion of your monthly compensation, and this can really impact your ability to pay your rent or your mortgage and your bills. It can also take a toll on your  ability to take care of yourself and your family, and your mental health as well.

Workers shouldn’t have to wonder what will happen when their employer makes a mistake on their paycheque. Many CUPE collective agreements have language in place outlining exactly what happens when an employer underpays their workers, with a process to make things right clearly laid out.

With a union, we’ll be able to negotiate our own collective agreement with black and white language on what this process looks like. We shouldn’t be left short-changed come payday, and we shouldn’t have to rely on the good will of our employer to fix their mistakes.

To learn more, reach out to porter@cupe.ca.

To sign your card and join our union, click here.

If you’ve already signed your card – great! Why not share this message with a few friends and colleagues?

Employers use two-tier agreements to divide and conquer workers – dividing us into haves and have-nots, usually based on seniority. In 2018, Porter decided to implement two pay scales, A scale and B scale, for both Pursers and Flight Attendants. Anyone hired after 2018 does the same work for less pay. At times there is even a $4-5 per hour difference for employees performing the same work.

Right now, Porter cabin crew aren’t able to change this unfair practice. But with a union, we will have the collective power to negotiate a fair collective agreement that lifts everyone up, instead of treating some workers like second-class citizens.

On the issue of two-tier contracts, CUPE’s national bargaining policy is clear as day: we do not bargain two-tier contracts, and we will not allow employers to force them on our members. That’s based on the simple premise that we will not sell out younger or more junior workers, or future generations of workers, by forcing them to go without the rights and benefits we ourselves enjoyed.

In other words, with CUPE, we will not allow Porter to force an inferior pay scale on our more junior coworkers, and we also won’t sacrifice the hard work of senior cabin crew who have earned their place at the higher end of the pay scale. At CUPE, we will bargain forward – not backwards. The A scale will be the floor, not the ceiling.

Now, fighting back against two-tier proposals from employers isn’t easy. That’s why CUPE’s bargaining policy also calls on the national union and its national membership of 715,000 members (and growing) to come together and support locals who are facing employers trying to force two-tier proposals. And since CUPE drew this line in the sand against two-tier contracts back in 2016, we have had incredible success fighting two-tier agreements because employers know they aren’t just taking on a few members of one local – they’re taking on our whole national union.

By standing together, we send a clear message to employers that attempts to implement two-tier contracts will be challenged with the full force of Canada’s largest and strongest union.

CUPE’s commitment to supporting locals facing two-tier proposals goes beyond just words. CUPE provides robust resources and staff expertise to ensure members are equipped to take on these challenges.

Together, we can create a work environment where every worker is treated with dignity and respect.

Fair contracts that lift everyone up – just one more reason to sign your card and join CUPE today.

We’re aware that the company has sent out a Q&A memo about our effort to form a union in an attempt to tarnish our effort to grow our voice and our rights in the workplace – an effort that is inspired and lead by Porter cabin crew.

We’re not surprised our bosses don’t want us joining a union and standing up for our rights. They’ve always enjoyed 100% control and probably aren’t happy about the idea of ceding some of that power back to us.

We think it’s important you have all the facts about our effort to form a union.

 

What does this all mean?

• If you sign a union card, you’ll be one step closer to a better quality of life and improved working conditions – whether that’s better pay and benefits, better scheduling, or workplace health and safety standards. These priorities are determined democratically by you, the members.
• If you sign a union card, you’ll be one step closer to being part of Canada’s flight attendant union. CUPE represents flight attendants at major international carriers like Air Canada and WestJet, midsize carriers like Flair and Calm, destination carriers like Sunwing and Air Transat, and smaller regional carriers like Canadian North, PasCan and PAL Airlines. Altogether, CUPE represents 18,500 flight attendants across Canada.

 

What happens if I change my mind?

• We strongly believe that workers who sign union cards have usually done their research and stand firm in their decision. If something has changed, you can always reach out to us directly and we can help.

 

What are my rights?

• You have the right to join a union, free from intimidation by your employer and its representatives. If you believe you are being intimidated against signing a union card in the workplace or online, you should contact porter@cupe.ca.

 

What happens if a union is certified?

• Great news. If we form a union, our employer cannot punish us by rolling back our rights, because our pay and working conditions will be frozen until we negotiate our first collective agreement.

 

How is a collective agreement created?

• A collective agreement is negotiated between the union and the employer on everything from pay, to job security, to sick leave, to uniform allowances, and more.
• Typically, before negotiations begin, the bargaining committee of the union will consult with our membership to determine our priorities for bargaining, and we’ll go to bat for our members’ priorities at the bargaining table with the help of CUPE’s specialized expertise in research, legal, health and safety, and job evaluation.
• At CUPE, you are the union, and you will be the ones deciding democratically on what your priorities are in bargaining. As a collective, Porter cabin crew will vote on priorities for those negotiations. CUPE staff don’t make those decisions – you do.

 

Will I get better wages and benefits if the unionization is successful?

• We can’t guarantee what our first collective agreement would look like, but the facts are clear. Being a union member in Canada, on average, means $5.14 more per hour than non-union workers. Women in unions earn $6.88 more per hour than women in non-union jobs.
• Unionized flight attendants have better pay for delays and layovers, longer rest periods between flights, higher starting hourly wages and higher pay for cabin crew pursers, with shorter wage schedules that allow you to reach the top wage rates faster. They have allowances for footwear and drycleaning. They have better retirement through employer-contribution pension plans.
• The company says “all [CUPE] can guarantee is a right to negotiate with us.” Well, being able to negotiate would be a nice change, since it’s something we’ve never enjoyed at Porter. Our bosses have always dictated our wages and our terms of employment top-down. And looking at what CUPE has successfully negotiated with other airlines – why wouldn’t we want CUPE helping us negotiate?
• The company is asking us whether we think it’s better to have a say, or no say at all. We think the answer is pretty obvious.

 

Will I pay dues if the unionization is successful?

• Everyone pays union dues because everyone benefits from union representation. Dues go towards the union local’s expenses, and cover support and services like staff representatives, research and communications specialists, health and safety officers, and legal representatives. Your union dues are tax deductible, and CUPE has no additional application fees. On average, most local unions deduct a total dues levy of 1.5% – or the cost of a cup of coffee a day to help secure better wages and working conditions for you and all your coworkers.

 

If you have other questions about what joining a union will mean for you, head over to our FAQ page, or get in touch at porter@cupe.ca.

What is a union card?
A union card is evidence required by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) that there is support for forming a union in your workplace. It is confidential and the employer never knows who signed. But without cards for at least 35 percent of non-management workers, there cannot be a vote on forming a union. If more than 50 percent of workers sign membership cards, the CIRB can also certify the union without holding a vote.

How does CUPE work?
CUPE is a democracy. At the local level, you elect your leaders, (the co-workers who will represent you at the bargaining table), vote on proposals going to the table and any agreement made there, and even set the local dues rate. You also elect people to represent you at the National Convention, where decisions are made democratically that affect all members. But everything affecting your workplace is made by you and the members of your local.

Your local is supported by an experienced National Staff Representative and a host of specialist services.

What are dues?
Dues allow you and your union to negotiate and defend your rights and create conditions that will allow for a better workplace. In CUPE, there are two portions. National dues are 0.85 percent of base wages and provide your National Staff Representative and specialist services, including legal, research, communications, health & safety, WSIB, pay equity and more.

The local portion of your dues provides such things as time for your locally elected representatives to work on your behalf, to take important issues to arbitration and cover the cost of local meetings. All dues are tax-deductible.

What is a collective agreement?
It is an agreement between the employer and workers on the terms and conditions of work. It is a set of rules clearly laid out that everyone must follow, including your boss. Your CUPE collective agreement does more than just guarantee wages and benefits. It provides a series of protections and rights that non-union workers do not have.

Your collective agreement also means you don’t have to negotiate everything on your own. Wages, benefits, and working conditions are typically much lower in non-union workplaces, and not everyone can safely push for improvements from their employer all on their own. Together you have greater bargaining power and better protection.

What new rights do I get?
Many rights will be negotiated in your collective agreement. But some come immediately after a successful vote, and others are guaranteed to be in your collective agreement. Right now, your employer can dismiss you without cause. After you join a union, this practice will stop. They also will not be able to arbitrarily change your terms and conditions of work. You are also guaranteed a fair grievance policy by law.

For more information
Contact Jordan Christenson at 438-823-7643 or jchristenson@cupe.ca

Cabin crew at Porter are excited about the opportunity to grow their voice and improve their working conditions by joining Canada’s flight attendant union, CUPE.

Porter cabin crew deserve better working conditions, better wages, and better scheduling in a mutually agreed contract – just like flight attendants at unionized airlines in Canada. But without an enforceable contract and a strong union voice, the company makes the rules and can change them whenever they feel like it.

That will change with CUPE, where Porter cabin crew will have the support and the resources of Canada’s largest union at their disposal to help negotiate a strong contract. CUPE knows what it takes to address issues that matter to Porter cabin crew, like wages scheduling, crew rest, duty days, and more – because CUPE has the experience and expertise from negotiating industry-leading contracts.

Porter cabin crew would join a strong family of flight attendant unions within CUPE. CUPE proudly represents 18,500 flight attendants at ten different airlines, including Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat, Sunwing, CALM, Flair, Canadian North, PAL Airlines, PasCan, and Pivot.

If you’re interested in signing your union card or getting more information, visit porter.cupe.ca or write to porter@cupe.ca.