Union says Canadian North pilots face layoffs
Airline says ‘transformation’ needed to solidify operations
A union leader representing Canadian North pilots says the airline needs “to focus on ensuring that pilots see Canadian North as a career destination.” (File photo)
The union representing Canadian North’s approximately 240 pilots says the airline is planning to lay off some of its pilots.
The Air Line Pilots Association Canada said in a news release issued Friday the move results, in part, from Canadian North’s transfer of its Montreal-Kuujjuaq route, which uses Boeing 737 planes, to competitor Air Inuit.
“While some anticipated the news with our decrease in 737 flying, it is still shocking when it finally becomes a reality,” Steven Bard, the Air Line Pilots Association Canada chairperson, said of the layoffs in the release.
“Our goal is to support our pilots when they return to a Canadian North flight deck or another carrier.”
The move also comes as the union and Canadian North have begun negotiations on a new collective agreement. The current contract expires at the end of this year.
Bard declined an interview request about potential layoffs, saying he had no further information to provide.
When asked about layoffs, Canadian North spokesperson Hance Colburne said the airline is “repositioning” its business “to solidify our operations and build a more sustainable foundation for our future.”
“We are committed to treating every employee affected by this transformation with dignity and respect. No Inuit or northern employment is affected by these changes,” Colburne said.
The airline has not said when the layoffs will occur or how many pilots might be affected.
Canadian North’s Montreal-Kuujjuaq route was transferred as part of Winnipeg-based Exchange Income Corp.’s Feb. 24 deal to buy the airline from former owner Makivvik Corp. and Inuvialuit Regional Corp.
In the union’s release, Bard said, “The responsibility of growing Canadian North’s business strategy and pilot retention rests on the company.
“As we continue our contract negotiations, we need to focus on ensuring that pilots see Canadian North as a career destination.”
This is just the beginning , EIC is going to slash, cut, and increase prices for everything, Monopoly, been here watching this for years.
How many of those 240 pilots are Inuit? Peter Pitseolak was recorded as the first Inuk to pilot an aeroplane back in the 1940s. But there doesn’t seem to have been much progress since then. Why not?
Any Inuk with the intelligence and commitment to be a pilot is also potential Deputy Minister material, at least.
Joe is a pilot and he made it all the way to Premier.
How many inuit professionals are there? Less than 1% of nunavut inuit have university degrees. Not sure why NTI is so focused on getting a university when they NEED to be focusing on the bigger issue—getting more Inuit to graduate high school.
If they actually want to see more Inuit work for the GN, those high school rates need to increase, which will in turn get more Inuit into colleges and universities, which will get Inuit the education required to do meaningful work for government.
Ya cant Article 23 train someone to be a Nurse, same goes for pilots.
A lot of the NTI people send their kids South for school.
Lot of rich in Nunavut start sending their kids to expensive private schools down south when theyre barely 12 years old. Tells u everything u need to know about how much faith they have in the public school system in nunavut. Haves vs the have-nots.
Yes graduate high school with an education that will allow them to succeed furthering their education.
The key to getting any society out of poverty is though education, that is why when Europe colonized Africa and America, they were not concerned about peoples education but rather resource extraction for their nation’s gains.
This is why countries in Africa are turning to China, China is building roads, power grids, hospitals in Africa in exchange for their resources and we in the west never hear about this because the western way is to invade conquer, establish a West friendly puppet government and steel their resources for record profits.
Iraq, Lybia and Syria were doing so good without Western interference, these three countries are in total ruins now because of the West. End of Story.
You’d want someone piloting your plane just cause they’re inuk and that’ll make you feel good? personally i dont care what race a pilot is, as long as they are certified to fly a plane, they literally have your life in their hands
New strategy for management to get bigger bonuses.
The cuts have begun across the board and it will affect service. The union is raising this to try and position themselves better in bargaining.
NN needs to did and get an insider to talk
Cnd north rules the north…hands down , no competition anywhete in this world who want to take on Nunavut. Most expensive everythibg in the continent. Why other airliines dont want to fly to nunavut ? We have the most costliest fuels in our territory and the most costliest groceries this side of the worl no doubt !
Rules? There are no rules in this world. This is what you do. First look at your the backside of your right hand. See the finger just to the right of your thumb. Now point it at someone and say it’s their fault.
Private equity in action. This was inevitable as soon as Canadian North was sold to EIC. I’m surprised the cuts took so long.
Between this, Northview, and QC … Nunavut is becoming quite the little corporate fiefdom.
Air Inuit could take over many of those routes in the future.
Union scare tactic CN got rid of northern Quebec.
This is all because of a lack of planning on Canadian North’s part.
The pilots Canadian North are laying off due to a lack of work because they gave up their Montreal-Kuujjuaq route to a “competitor” when Makivik sold their shares in Canadian North should have been retained in the agreement.
Again the Executives screw the small guy , in this case a dozen or so highly rained pilots