Over 600 Jobs Cut by Air Canada

Air Canada has made the decision to close their bases for flight attendants in Winnipeg and Halifax, along with cutting jobs in Vancouver. In Halifax, there will be about 200 attendants to lose their jobs, and in Winnipeg, only 145 cuts will be made. However, they plan to cut the jobs of 300 attendants in Vancouver, as they aim to cut 2,000 jobs all together in their struggle to battle the soaring cost of fuel. This news came about during a Toronto meeting between the Canadian Union of Public Employees and Air Canada on Wednesday, July 9th.

Lisa Vivian Anthony, the President of Halifax’s Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4090, said that they are shocked and can’t believe it. Their base has been operational for 32 years in Halifax, so this is basically the end to an era to them, she added. A Canadian Union of Public Employees representative commented that members would be getting packages soon, which would outline their options. According to CBS News, some of the attendants who are losing their jobs could possibly transfer to a Montreal or Toronto position.

Bernie Schwartz, a flight attendant that has served in Winnipeg for 29 years, says that the closing of the hub means that she will have to move or commute to one of the cities, which will be something of a challenge. She also said that moving for her family is not an option, but that option would work better for those flight attendants who are single. Her family may consider moving, she continued, but they aren’t living in Winnipeg because of the flying; they are here, because this is were their families and lives are. She also added that rumors have been going around for years about the hub closing, but now that it is actually happening, the reality of for her and others is devastating.

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