Mr. Speaker, while Air Canada celebrates the takeover of yet another competitor, Roots Air, the former employees of Canadian Airlines are still waiting for Air Canada to live up to its promise of fair and equitable treatment.
Several weeks ago the pilots of Canadian Airlines learned that as a result of the Mitchnick award their seniority would be determined by a ratio formula that heavily favoured Air Canada pilots. In some cases 20 years of experience and seniority was lost.
For these professionals seniority is not about money. It affects every aspect of their lives, from the type of aircraft and which routes they fly, their position on the aircraft and subsequent promotions, to pensions, vacation and even the location of their home base.
The Minister of Transport promised Canadian Airlines employees that they would be treated fairly and it is time he lived up to that commitment.
I would call on the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Labour to intervene and ensure that the award is amended to reflect the years of experience and dedication of Canadian airline pilots.
This is a merger without precedent. If this decision is allowed to stand, it will only lead to continued disharmony.