Young Workers Victims in Air Canada Finance Cuts
Thursday October 26, 2006
For Immediate Release
Winnipeg, MB – Just in time for Christmas, Air Canada will reduce its Finance Branch staff by 10 per cent effective November 15, 2006. “The layoff impacts on 30 of our members with seven years of experience or less,” explained IAMAW Local Lodge 2603 President Wendy Jackson. “We have older members who would be willing to take an early retirement package so our younger members could keep their jobs, but Air Canada rejected the idea.”
“We’ve got young people we would like to retain and older workers who are ready to retire,” said Karene Strachan, Local Lodge 2603 Shop Committee Chair. “It doesn’t make sense for the company to reject an idea that would actually save it money. Now we have workers with no paycheque after the middle of November and no hope of receiving employment insurance before the New Year.”
Air Canada said the layoffs resulted from a work slowdown. Members of LL 2603 provide payroll, airline ticket audits and various other financial services for Air Canada.
The IAMAW, among the largest industrial trade unions in North America, represents more than 700,000 active and retired members, and administers more than 5,000 contracts in transportation, woodworking, aerospace, manufacturing and defense related industries.
For further information:
Wendy Jackson – President IAMAW Local Lodge 2603
204-941-2867
Karene Strachan – Shop Committee Chair IAMAW Local Lodge 2603
204-941-2249
Bill Trbovich – IAMAW Director of Communications
416-386-1789 ext 31/416-735-9765
