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COVID-19 AND AIRLINE WORKERS

 

     Air Canada B737MAX aircraft have been stored at Vancouver for months awaiting the return of 
     airline travelers.  David Varnes photo.

  IS THERE A FUTURE FOR AIRLINES IN CANADA?

'...It's been the darkest period in the aviation industry that I have ever seen...' Fred Hospes interview March 06, 2021


                                                       Fred Hospes has been representing  unionized working people in air transport in Canada for three decades as an elected officer in the Machinists Union. District Lodge 140 represents ground employees with Air Canada, Air Transat and Sunwings Airlines.  In a frank March 06, 2021 interview, Fred discusses the many changes that have taken place within Canadian air transport, and the uncertain future for people who still have jobs in this vital industry.                                                                                                                                 Fred Hospes, President and Directing General General                                                              Chairperson, District Lodge 140, Machinists Union Canada. David Varnes photo.

                                                                                                                                                         

         Fred Hospes Interview [click title]


Wayne Lawson is a unionized 31-year Air Canada ground employee working at Vancouver. In a brief interview, Lawson describes what has happened to airport and airline activity since the full force of the pandemic has hit the airline industry. 

   Wayne Lawson Interview  [click title]

Wayne Lawson photo 

From many air transport employees, time is running out. Air travel restrictions have been in place since March of 2020 and many workers have been laid off. There were employment insurance (EI) benefits available but EI only lasts a year. Although vaccines have become available, vaccinations are slow and the COVID-19 variants are multiplying.

The Machinists Union keeps the same watchful eye on the air transport industry as does the business community. Machinists Local Lodge 764 President Chris Hiscock provided me with a synopsis of the Surrey Board of Trade [SBOT] Zoom Webinar on the Future of Air Transportation held March 01, 2021. Five panelists discussed the future of air transport in Canada including the Director for Government Relations Air Canada, the VP of Government Relations WestJet, the Vancouver Airport Authority VP for Airport Capacity and Design, the Chair of the BC Aviation Council, and the CEO of the Tourism Associations of BC. The panelists agreed with the statement..."aviation in Canada is not treated as an economic driver but is instead treated as a revenue generator through fees and taxes and [is] therefore not well positioned to emerge from this pandemic." 

Fred Hospes, Wayne Lawson and the SBOT agree - for the airline industry and for its employees - when the pandemic is over - the uncertainty begins.    

The concensus seems to be that there is no clear view of what lies ahead. But one thing is certain - the way things were done in the past will not be the way that things will get done in the future.    



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