IAMAW Canada – Stan Pickthall – Letter to Calin Rovinescu – Extension of CEWS

Posted on 13 May 202013 May 2020

Stan Pickthall – Letter to Calin Rovinescu – Extension of CEWS

May 13, 2020

Sent by email

Air Canada
7373 Côte Vertu West
St. Laurent, QC H4S 1Z3
Attention: Calin Rovinescu, Chief Executive Officer

Dear Mr. Rovinescu:

Re: Extension of Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy Program

I am writing to follow up on my email dated March 31, 2020, in which I urged Air Canada to participate fully in the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program, which had at that time been recently announced. I am pleased that with the support of the Unions and the Company, we were able to provide this additional benefit to most of the IAM’s members employed by Air Canada.

The CEWS benefit pays $347 per week more than the Canada Emergency Relief Benefit of $500 per week, over a 12 week period. This equates to $4164 in added financial support for each Air Canada employee and their families during the time of their greatest need. I am encouraged by the Company’s ongoing support of its employees during this pandemic, which has hit both the Company and its employees very hard.

On behalf of more than 10,000 IAM members who work for the Company, I now write to encourage Air Canada to continue its support of all employees. We have all heard the recent announcement of the Federal Government, which proposes to extend the CEWS beyond the June 6th termination date. While details of the program have not been announced at this time, I write to urge you once again to step up on behalf of the employees who built Air Canada into a world-class Company.

I am formally requesting that Air Canada participate in the extension of the CEWS program, details of which are soon to be announced. The Union will work with you to ensure this valuable benefit continues to be available for IAM members during this challenging time.

Keeping your employees on the payroll will ensure that the most crucial part of your corporate infrastructure – a skilled and experienced workforce at every level of the company – is kept in place. I urge you not to delay, but to act immediately.

Yours truly,

Stan Pickthall
General Vice President

cc. Fred Hospes, President –District 140
Keith Aiken, IAM Transportation Coordinator
Air Canada General Chairpersons – District 140

IAMAW Canada – Pickthall letter to Ministers Morneau and Garneau

Posted on 11 May 202011 May 2020

Pickthall letter to Ministers Morneau and Garneau

By email: bill.morneau@parl.gc.ca
marc.garneau@parl.gc.ca

The Honourable Bill Morneau, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Finance
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

The Honourable Marc Garneau, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Transport
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Honourable Ministers Morneau and Garneau,

Re: Extension of Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy

I’m writing you on behalf of 36,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) who work in numerous sectors across Canada. As the General Vice President of the largest Union in air transportation, with a significant presence in aerospace, manufacturing, healthcare, the hotel industry, and other industries, I have witnessed the unprecedented impact on our member’s jobs, lives and our Union. The uncertainty and devastation has taken an unimaginable toll, the programs, and initiatives undertaken by the federal government have benefited our members in these challenging times.

The IAMAW has been a strong advocate and proponent of the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). CEWS has secured a source of income for many of our members and has maintained a crucial link between them and their employers. Upon CEWS’ availability, we engaged with employers to implement the program, and many of them have.

As you are aware, the economic impact of the pandemic has been incremental, first affecting industries that are export reliant, and also those directly impacted by travel restrictions, like the airline industry. However, the effects will reverberate throughout the economy, spreading to industries closely connected to those initially impacted. At the same time, CEWS expires on June 6^th, and some businesses will experience a drop in revenues in the second part of the year, but will not have access to funds that are essential.

One such company is MTU Maintenance Canada, based in Vancouver, B.C, where the IAM represents a number of skilled workers. Due to the business model that relies on international markets through material procurement, and supply chains, MTU anticipates a substantial drop in revenue starting in June through to August.

The challenge for aerospace companies, particularly those specializing in MRO is that the structure of the program does not match low inputs and long total asset turnover (TAT) that are common in the industry. Consequently, downturns in March will fully manifest in the second part of the year as a drop in revenues. Simply put, CEWS is better suited for high transaction enterprises, and does not address the unique nature of this sector.

Given how vital CEWS has been, we are strongly urging the federal government to consider two key proposals:

An extension to the CEWS program for an additional 12 weeks. The economic outlook does not indicate signs of a quick recovery, to the contrary, a recovery is expected to be protracted. An extension would afford businesses in other sectors whose production schedules do not align with the structure of CEWS to, at the very minimum, continue operations, and allow workers to maintain an employment relationship with their employer. During this period, critical infrastructure in many industries must be maintained, and CEWS has proven to be effective in achieving this objective.
Notwithstanding the above proposal, we recommend that businesses who experience the economic impact later in the year have the opportunity to apply for the subsidy after the June 6^th deadline. This option would allow businesses that are yet to be impacted an opportunity to bridge a downturn until operations resume again. Each business that applies after the June 6^th deadline would qualify for a 12 week period, with CEWS expiring in December of 2020.

Businesses and the Canadian economy depend on assistance that allow businesses to maintain operations and adjust to new realities. CEWS has been a crucial lifeline for many of our members, workers in general, as well as, businesses.

We hope the federal government will take this into consideration and engage unions and business leaders in discussions about getting through this difficult period in a way that benefits workers and employers; CEWS is a testament that this is possible.

We welcome an opportunity to discuss this further with you as we enter into the coming critical months.

Sincerely,

Stan Pickthall

General Vice President
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

SP/jc

cc: Hassan Yussuff, President – Canadian Labour Congress