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