A ‘statutory freeze’ or ‘stat freeze’ is a law preventing the employer from making changes to employment conditions pending a union certification.
From the period that a union starts to sign up member, until a first contract is negotiated, employers cannot change wages or conditions of employment without agreement of the union. Employers continue to hold their rights to manage employees and direct the business.
The ‘stat freeze’ exists so that employers cannot try to destabilize or erode employee support for the union.
Without this rule in place, employers have been known to increase wages to non-union supporters, while finding many ways to punish the supporters.
However, even during a ‘Stat Freeze’, an Employer cannot delay or withhold an expected wage increase or a remove or change benefits.
Some crew members may be concerned that the ‘Stat Freeze’ limits the Employer from giving perks like wage increases. This is untrue. Should Lynx want to provide wage increases to the cabin crew members during the ‘Stat Freeze’ period, Lynx need only negotiate the proposed wage increase with the union. As long as the perks are fairly and evenly distributed, CUPE would never say no to better wages.
Having a union means the employer can no longer provide benefits to some and not others.
If Lynx wants to increase wages for cabin crew, they can do it right now.
Instead of asking yourself what if they do, you should ask yourself why haven’t they?