A grievance is a process used when there is a violation of an employee’s rights in the workplace.

A grievance unique to unionized workplaces.  The grievance process is built into a Collective Agreement and is one of the strongest recourse Unions have available to them to enforce the terms of the Collective Agreement, when the Employer doesn’t do what it is supposed to do or what it has agreed to do.

Generally, unions ‘file a grievance’ when members feel wronged by an employer. The collective agreement will usually have ‘steps’ in the grievance process, which start with a conversation with the direct supervisor, and can be advanced all the way to a third-party arbitrator, who will make a legally binding decision.

Non-union cabin crew do not have access to any type of grievance or dispute process when the Employer doesn’t follow what is outlined in their work rules or within the Cabin Crew Schedule & Compensation Program booklet.

With a union and collective agreement, Lynx cabin crew members will have a grievance procedure that will have the legal authority to seek recourse when violations occur.

With the news that Lynx Air President and CEO Merren McArthur will be stepping down this month, Cabin Crew are left wondering what a change in executive leadership might mean for them. This serves as an important opportunity to remind Lynx Cabin Crew that unionized workers benefit significantly from the protections afforded to them by their union.

One of the most notable advantages to being unionized is that it prevents arbitrary changes to working conditions, ensuring that employees are not subjected to sudden changes to important conditions of employment, such as hours, wages, or benefits, without our consent.

Unionized workers also benefit from the ability to collectively bargain for their standards of work. Should Lynx Cabin Crew join the 18,500 airline division members at CUPE, they too will negotiate a Collective Agreement, which will serve as a protective shield for working conditions. This agreement, negotiated collectively between committees established by both the union and the employer, provides job security and stability. It establishes clear guidelines for pay scales, working hours, vacation days, and grievance procedures, fostering transparency and fairness in the workplace. Additionally, the collective agreement often includes provisions for health and safety measures, ensuring that employees can work in an environment that prioritizes their well-being. Ultimately, collective agreements protect working conditions from unilateral changes made by the employer, and empower workers by providing control over their employment terms and fostering a fair, harmonious and stable work environment.

Signing a card with CUPE ensures that Lynx Cabin Crew’s working conditions are in the hands of Lynx Cabin Crew, not whoever happens to be CEO this week.

Cabin crew at Lynx are excited about the opportunity to grow their voice and improve their working conditions by joining Canada’s flight attendant union, CUPE.

Lynx cabin crew deserve better working conditions, better wages, and better scheduling in a mutually agreed contract – just like flight attendants at unionized airlines in Canada. But without an enforceable contract and a strong union voice, the company makes the rules and can change them whenever they feel like it.

That will change with CUPE, where Lynx cabin crew will have the support and the resources of Canada’s largest union at their disposal to help negotiate a strong contract. CUPE knows what it takes to address issues that matter to Lynx cabin crew, like wages, on-time schedule release, reserve parameters, crew rest, duty days, pay discrepancies and more – because CUPE has the experience and expertise from negotiating industry-leading contracts.

Lynx cabin crew would join a strong family of flight attendant unions within CUPE. CUPE proudly represents 18,500 flight attendants at ten different airlines, including Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat, Sunwing, CALM, Flair, Canadian North, PAL Airlines, PasCan, and Pivot.

If you’re interested in signing your union card or getting more information, visit lynx.cupe.ca or write to lynx@cupe.ca.