Attention News Editors:

Air Canada discussions with Flight Attendants fails to deal with Cuts and Closures

    CALGARY, Aug. 20 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada flight attendants and
management were unable to reach agreement last week on how to handle the
company's proposed lay offs and base closures.
    The Union met with the Company from August 11th to 14th in Calgary. Under
Division IX of the Canada Labour Code, a Joint Planning Committee (JPC) was
established, but discussions were unable to find a common ground on which to
proceed. The objective of the JPC was to develop an adjustment program to
eliminate the necessity for the termination of employment; or to minimize the
impact of the terminations on the flight attendants.
    According to Lesley Swann, president of the CUPE Air Canada Component
representing the flight attendants, "Unfortunately, we were not able to
complete an adjustment program that was fair for our members. We'll now be
proceeding with the Dispute Resolution Process as outlined in Division IX."
    The process now goes to the Minister of Labour for arbitration to help
the parties involved to develop an adjustment program and to resolve any
matters in dispute. "We expect that the arbitration will proceed in early
September and we should get a decision by mid September," she added.
    Air Canada has agreed, subject to the arbitrator making his decision,
that it will not implement its proposed cuts and closures before all the
elements of the adjustment program are in place.

For further information: Lesley Swann, President of CUPE Air Canada
Component, (416) 809-2577; Humberto da Silva, CUPE National Representative,
(416) 839-9550; Dennis Lewycky, CUPE Communications, (204) 942-0343