Closure of Air Transat flight attendants crew base in Vancouver - CUPE in flight attendant protection mode

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 18, 2023 /CNW Telbec/ - The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents the vast majority of flight attendants in Canada, is appalled by the news of the closure of the Air Transat base at Vancouver International Airport. As a result, more than 200 flight attendant positions will be eliminated.

This very bad news is somewhat mitigated by the fact that all these flight attendants will have the opportunity to be reassigned to bases in Montreal and Toronto. CUPE will be working diligently, negotiating adequate severance pay with the employer for its members who lose their jobs, as well as help and assistance in moving allowances for those who change bases.

"Despite our understanding of the economic imperatives that have forced Air Transat to make this terrible decision, our employer must keep in mind that the vast majority of our members at our Vancouver base have dedicated decades of loyal services to the company. Transat must take responsibility for its employees who will be laid off or need to transfer thousands of kilometers away. The union will do everything possible to obtain the best conditions for its members," said Dominic Levasseur, President of CUPE's Air Transat Component.

Air Transat's Component is part of CUPE's Airline Division, which represents more than 18,500 flight attendants working across Canada at Air Transat, Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Sunwing, WestJet, Swoop, Encore, Calm Air, Canadian North, Pivot Airlines, Flair Airlines, PAL and Pascan.

SOURCE Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique (FTQ)

Sébastien Goulet, CUPE Communications, 438 882-3756