412driver Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 Tough times for aerospace firm By Christina Toth - Staff reporter Some 185 Cascade Aerospace workers have unscheduled time off after a large American airline pulled its business from the Abbotsford company. The pull-out came Wednesday when collective bargaining with Cascade's employees stalled. "Unfortunately in the absence of assurances that no labour disruptions will occur, a major customer has informed us they will no longer send aircraft to us and are withdrawing their business," said CA president David Schellenberg. Forty-five workers will be laid off on April 3, while the balance will go April 10, he said. The loss of the major client led to the temporary layoffs on Friday. "It was a drastic measure . . . but we had no choice," Schellenberg said. The affected workers include aircraft maintenance engineers and technicians and lay-offs of additional support staff are expected. Company spokeswoman Lorna Thomassen would not identify the airline that withdrew its business. Cascade Aerospace, based at Abbotsford airport, is an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul firm with 600 workers, many of them highly skilled aircraft maintenance technicians. Its clients include North American and international airlines. In August the employees joined Local 114 of the Canadian Autoworkers Union and have been working on their first contract since. Earlier this month, a majority of the new union members supported strike action after rejecting the employer's offer. In accordance with federal labour regulations, the workers will be in a legal strike position as of April 19. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67november Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 don't know which airline pulled out, but that sounds like the tactics used by Northwest airline HQ'd here in my state, as their progressing through their bancruptcy at this time :down: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
412driver Posted March 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 i'm guessing Continental as i always saw their 757's there............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkbait Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 While I am not not a big union supporter: How exactly is this only the union's fault? The company did not reach an agreement with the empoyees and vice versa. Seems they are both at fault. They took careful aim and shot each other in the foot. Why was the Airline in question not identified? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackmac Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 Sharkbait: Just who the **** do you think you are, making sense. When are you heading back over???? Cheers, Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTR Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 Bottom line that I see is that the airline pulled out because they were not satisfied that there would be no labour disruptions. The loss of jobs (unscheduled time off LOL...ain't that PC?) is directly related to unionization. Had there been no union involvement these people would still be employed. In short, it's not the airlines fault or Cascades fault. It's union. You people who push for unionization need to give your head a shake and grab a quick reality check. You want to be unionized? Get a job at the post office. Last I will touch on this subject. RTR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skidz Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 My 2¢ comment is that unions exist because bad employers exist. I personally prefer to work in a non-union environment, but hey ! That's just me. I don't judge other people's choices. Way I see it, unions are good in that they usually scare the shyte out of so-so employers and can have a positive effect on non-union shop working conditions and salaries. The flip side of the equation is the fact that unions tend to breed mediocrity within a business and make it difficult for them to react rapidly to changes in their markets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arctic_front Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 on good authority, the airline in question was Alaska airlines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkbait Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 Sharkbait: Just who the **** do you think you are, making sense. When are you heading back over???? Cheers, Don Sorry Don - It won't happen again. Must have fallen down and hit my head! I am much better now. I am already over - on day 56 of a 42 day tour - shades of the "Good Old Daze" - "Your replacement is - YOU!" I should escape next week. :up: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transquebecniece Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 ...since you're still "over there" and for longer than you should've been, Sharkbait... A Friendship Prayer May the fleas of a thousand camels infest the crotch of the person who screws up your day and may their arms be too short to scratch. Amen And I'm very sorry about the loss of jobs for the employees of Cascade Aerospace. Dealin' with a little of that myself with 23 people and it ain't no fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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