Episode 48 - Episode 48 - Survey Results, Q&A, LEC 230

The WestJet MEC share the Family Awareness Newsletter and highlights results from the first flight deck survey. The episode closes with an interview of newly elected Calgary LEC 230 reps Doug McFadyen and Mason Bowden.

Overview:
00:00 Intro
00:23 Family Awareness Events
01:02 Flight Deck Survey Results
08:38 Member Q&A
17:15 Meet the New LEC 230 Reps
23:42 Closing Remarks

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Transcript

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Jacob Astin: 0:07

Welcome all to another video podcast of the Westjet MEC. I'm here. Barrett's not here today 'cause he's in Vancouver currently. We're filming on the 6th of March and we've got a bunch of stuff to cover today, so we're gonna just crack on right away.'Nesh. You had the family awareness, you wanted to just chat about that. They have the letter, the newsletter that's attached to this email.

Vignesh Sridhar: 0:28

So the Family Awareness Newsletter is going to be attached to this communication. It has the calendar of all the events that the Westjet MEC Family Awareness Committee will be conducting for you, the pilots and your family, your spouses, your partners, your children. We hope all of you can make at least some of these events. Engage with our family awareness representatives from your councils, as well as, the representatives of your MEC executive, share this newsletter with everyone at home. And, more important information from this committee will come closer to this event.

Jacob Astin: 1:01

Spectacular. We're gonna blast right into the first Westjet flight deck survey. Just a couple highlights we wanna run through for those listening to this on audio, obviously we're gonna have a couple slides that'll be superimposed on the video so those that watch the video can see some of these slides. We had 1,277 pilots respond to the first flight deck survey. Which is a 56% response rate, which is absolutely phenomenal. Thank you very much for all that did that. Who took the survey? We broke it down into bases, 40% in Calgary, 25% in Toronto, et cetera, et cetera, with a good sampling from line captains, first officers, those coming from Encore, Sunwing, et cetera. One of the slides you just wanted to highlight is, who pilots trust and it's just about a credibility. For those watching this on YouTube can see that the MEC certainly has a lot of credibility. That being said, I always look at, we do have a fairly sizable portion that says, we're somewhat uncredible or very uncredible, so I take that as something that we could always work on. Management credibility, speaks for itself. 61% find management, uncredible or very uncredible, which is something for them to take away. What you said about management, in their own words, I just got a, basically a sampling of some of the, comments that were submitted by the group. That'll be up on YouTube so you guys can read some of the comments. I just wanted to say at the bottom, it says these weren't outlier comments. These themes, appeared across hundreds of responses from pilots of all ranks, bases and backgrounds. We had over 160 pages of comments for this first survey, and I just love that there's tons of comments, good, bad, everything in between. For those that are on YouTube, can read six of the comments that we have currently up right now. As far as the next slide, in the integration where we are the survey captured honest feedback about how the sunwing integration has been experienced. We're sharing it because you deserve to hear that your MEC has read it, understands it, and is treating it seriously, not filtering it out. The MEC's commitment, every pilot from every background gets equal representation. We are one group. A hundred percent, and we put a few comments up there from this slide for those that can freeze frame and read some of those comments. One thing that kind of stood out for me a little bit, and it's being at Westjet over 20 years. Just wanted to drill down a little bit into the 787 group. We hear you. The survey feedback made one thing clear, 787 pilots feel like a group that is often overlooked, and when they raise concerns, they are told to participate more. It's on the MEC, myself and the LEC status reps and the entire MEC not wait for pilots to fight their way through. We are going to engage more and we are gonna listen more and please be part of that. Thank you very much. A few things that were highlighted, as you can see in the slides, fatigue and long haul scheduling, fleet growth, broken promises, scope and cargo operations. The last little comment I just wanted to highlight here is 787 Pilot group feels underrepresented and largely ignored. When this perception is raised with MEC reps, the blame is placed back on the 787 pilots for not participating enough. It's a vicious cycle. The MEC needs to break, not us. I'm here to break that cycle. We want everybody to be on board, having themselves heard and us actioning for all pilots at WestJet. Next slide was about communication, what you told us and staying informed. But just under 50% were satisfied with the communication from the MEC. 24% were dissatisfied. One of the things that ran through a lot of the comments was virtual meetings. A lot of people were saying that, Hey, I live in, Victoria, it might take me three days of days off just to get to Vancouver to go to an LEC meeting. We need more virtual meetings. We need more, ability to be able to hear, have our voices heard. We totally hear that, and that's something that we're gonna work on. One of the comments at the bottom of the slide was, I get more real information from the telegram chat than from official union channels. That's a problem we all know exists. As someone with a long history of that telegram chat that's being referenced I get a lot of, I'm not on it right now. I get a lot of screenshots from it. A lot of the screenshots are totally valid concerns, people wanting to be heard. A lot of the screenshots are very much incorrect information. So when that incorrect information gets spread, it doesn't really help either. Some of the things that we need to improve on rumors arrive before official communications do. So one of the things I've started is we put out communications as soon as we can using the Telegram, MEC channel. And not just on a every two week cadence, but just as soon as we can get stuff out there. So we're gonna be working on a lot of improvements for communications going forward, and hope you guys like the video podcast as we run through this. Just two last slides. One engagement from the LEC's. How engaged are pilots with their LEC's? I just wanna highlight a couple things here. Actually a lot of people are engaged with their LEC's. And it's important as the line pilot. That is your primary point of interaction with the union will be LEC meetings and sending darts to your LEC reps. So also point to highlight here at the bottom of the slide is nearly one in two pilots have little or no contact with their LEC reps. Most often due to scheduling/commuter distance barriers. So please do if nothing else file a dart to your rep at any point. You can file a dart to your rep on the dart.alpha.org and say, hey, I have some questions, I just want to touch base. Can you please give a call at such and such a number? And just have a chat with them. Last but not least is just a summary slide. What we heard from you through the flight deck feedback survey and what your MEC is doing about it. One group, full stop. Every pilot from every background, whether it's Westjet, Encore, Sunwing, Swoop, gets equal representation. We heard the frustration this MEC is committed to closing that gap. Communicate more, faster, and honestly. Trying the best we possibly can. I may bug Vignesh a lot with this stuff and potentially Barret, but we're going to be communicating a lot as much as we can in the most honest way we possibly can. Make union meetings accessible to everyone. Heard. Definitely something that is not negotiable and something that we're gonna be working more and more on. Enforce the contract we signed. Fly it and Grieve it it cannot be a strategy. Last but not least the 787 fleet. You're not an afterthought. We heard from the 787 group clearly and that's something that we're gonna work on going forward. So I appreciate everybody that filled in the survey. We're gonna be running that survey about every three months or so. Most of those questions will stay the same and we'll tweak a few questions as we go, and we appreciate all the feedback. I read everything, the whole MEC reads everything, so that's where we take a lot of input and course correct as needed. And I very much appreciate you guys all sending that guy in.

Vignesh Sridhar: 7:48

In closing with, reference, to the survey, the one thing that personally stood out, to me was, the 160 pages of comments for the combined number of questions we had asked. Your elected LEC status reps, Jacob, Barret and myself have, scoured through almost all the pages. I can be certain I have scoured through all the pages Jacob has as well. Some of the comments were hard to read. Some of the comments, I can't say they were personal, but they did question, a lot of things. But what we can commit to you is each and every comment has been, read in its entirety. We're committed to making the changes required from our end as well. And we want to hear more from you. Change is the only thing that's constant is what I keep hearing from a lot of people. And as a part of that change, we wouldn't be successful if we couldn't action the mandates from the pilot.

Jacob Astin: 8:36

Thanks Vignesh. Straight into the Q&A.

Vignesh Sridhar: 8:41

Yeah,

Jacob Astin: 8:41

so those that are interested can file a dart to the YouTube channel for questions for us to answer. I'm gonna read them out verbatim just as they've been written in the darts. Just start with a nice, easy one here. I really enjoyed the podcast version of PIREP. It was downloadable and I could listen on my commute. The YouTube version is fine, but it would be nice to have an audio downloadable version. Yeah, a hundred percent. I agree., The audio only version is available in whatever download app you'd want to use, whether it's Spotify or whatever. Wherever you get your podcast, you can download the audio version of this to listen on your commute.

Vignesh Sridhar: 9:14

Do we upload it to Spotify? Where else do we upload it to Apple as well?

Jacob Astin: 9:18

It does go to.

Vignesh Sridhar: 9:19

Okay.

Jacob Astin: 9:19

Domain platforms.

Vignesh Sridhar: 9:21

Okay. So the next question we have here, I know there's a lot of important parts of a contract being discussed, but I was wondering if you could talk about getting our monthly scheduled results earlier than the 21st of each month, and if the 21st is late compared to our peers. If that's giving away too much for their upcoming CBA negotiations, I can send that DART elsewhere. Here's some background, at JetBlue Airlines. The captains get their schedule on the 8th of the month, and then the FO's get it on the 11th. At Air Canada, standard is the 12th of the month. United Captains get it on the 13th first officers get it on the 15th. Alaska, it's anywhere between the 8th to the 14th of the month. Delta the 17th of the month, American 18th of the month. And as rightly identified and we all experience Westjet is the 21st of the month. The schedule release date being the latest of all major airlines in North America is a hundred percent known issue. Our scheduling committee is working with your MEC through some of the parameters and are trying to determine why and how we can make this a win-win with the company going forward. The next question, is the MEC meeting still happening in Montreal this week? What are the times for the meeting and when are the open sessions and the Q&A? Since we're recording this podcast almost a week after the MEC meeting is complete, the MEC meeting did happen last week in Montreal. It was attended by the entire MEC body, which is the MEC executive, the LEC status reps, invited guests as well as presenters from various ALPA National resources, the scope committees from Delta Airlines and their alliances committee as well to discuss some of the items on the agenda. We did advertise the MEC meeting on a fastread, the Westjet MEC fastread on February 3rd, also on an MEC telegram on February 23rd to make sure nobody misses it. We did have line pilots attend and ask us very valuable questions on the open session, which was on the second day. I believe that was February 25th, between 2:30 PM and 3:15 PM. One thing that really stood out to me meeting was the number of resolutions that came from you, the line pilots submitted at council meetings that were successful, that were brought up to the MEC for consideration. In my limited time on this MEC it is probably one of the few meetings where we've had, I'm just looking at here, 13 resolutions in consideration over three days. Some of these resolutions passed overwhelmingly, some of them were not passed, and some of them were referred to either legal counsel or a subcommittee to gain further information so your status representatives could make and can make a more informed decision with all available information to them at the next meeting that is scheduled. Apart from that the meeting contained briefings from subject matter experts to brief your council representatives as well as the MEC executive on some of the best practices on items on the agenda. The next question, who is our current ALPA legal representative? Is it still Joel H? Are there others? Are we changing up our legal counsel as well as our negotiating committee before heading into CA3? Joel Hodrick I presume is who you may be referring to as Joel H yes, he is our primary Labor relations counsel at the moment. We also lean on Christina Kennedy, Neil Patel, Andrew Schack within Alpa, and we occasionally do use external legal counsel as the case deems fit for various grievance files. There is an active opening right now for two negotiating committee members, as you are aware from a previous podcast with Jacob and the interim Negot's Chair JD.

Jacob Astin: 13:11

Thanks Vignesh. Next question. There appears to be a growing cloud of distrust and speculation due to changes in Negot's committee that you were just talking about. Also, personal concerns over continuity from CA1 to CA2 past negotiations. Can you clear the air on this topic to build back some trust and ensure we have a cohesive membership moving forward to CA3? Thank you for the question. If there's one thing that's constant at Westjet, it's change. Certainly in my over 20 years here, that's been the case. And it's also very normal for changes to happen within MEC and community memberships, whether it's people having babies or leaving the company or coming into the company and all these types of things. So there's always going to be changes. I've now been chair for just under two months, but in the past, say three months, we've had a new MEC chair, a new vice chair. Two changes to the membership of the Negot Committee. A new P2P Chair- Peter Bohni, a new flight security chair, Guy Halberthal. A new OSH Health and Safety chair, three new members for the grievance committee, and a couple new members in scheduling. So that was just all in the last 90 days or so. I just wanna say, other than putting my own hand up to serve, I've not hired or fired a single person since becoming chair. This is simply a function of an ever evolving union. Any changes were done with due diligence and the full consensus of the status reps. I hope that clears up some of the information. Vignesh, next question.

Vignesh Sridhar: 14:38

Before the next question actually, I do want to reiterate adding one extra point to your answer to the previous question. Some committees had organic vacancies. The three new members in grievance, for example. One of our strongest grievance members ops congratulations, got married last year and needed some time for personal and family reasons. Scheduling the committee grew. There were more asks from the scheduling committee from the MEC, from the status reps for which they had to hire people. Osh, the OHS, the structure had to fundamentally change, which meant you needed to add people to support the structure. So not all of it is necessarily change by action. Some of it is organic change, and I just want to be clear on that?

Jacob Astin: 15:21

No. Makes sense to me.

Vignesh Sridhar: 15:22

Okay. Next question. Other thoughts on making room for Andrew Hamburg or Tracy Law to bridge the negotiations committee from our last contract to our new one, I see huge value in doing this moving forward. I've flown with Andrew Hamer. I've known Tracy Law. I would like to thank both of them for all their time that they have spent serving this association, serving the pilots. They've added significant value to this association and pilot group with all their contributions. I did consult with the board that will be conducting interviews for, the two negotiations vacancies. I'm not a part of that board and they have I had to pass this question to them and they have advised at this time they do not have an active volunteer application in for either Andrew or Tracy.

Jacob Astin: 16:06

Thanks Vignesh. I just wanna say especially for those that are new to the alpa toolbox, ALPA, is it toolbox second to none. It's how we use the tools on behalf of the pilot group, that is key. You have my word I will do everything in my role as chair to get the resources our group needs and deserves now and into the future. Thank you for your questions. Questions are dart.alpa.org. Fire away. Next is we have an interview with the brand new LEC 230 reps next. If you just wanna introduce yourselves.

Mason Bowden: 16:36

Sure. Go ahead, Doug.

Doug McFadyen: 16:39

Doug McFadyen, the LEC 230 Captain Rep out of Calgary, live and work outta Calgary and started our term March 1st, so five days ago.

Mason Bowden: 16:50

Yeah. Good to meet you everybody. My name is Mason, elected FO rep here in Calgary. Start March 1st. I was the secretary treasurer the preceding term it's good to be back in a voting rep status. Thank you for everyone who voted for me. I've been here at Westjet 10 years and really looking forward to working on the next collective agreement and representing the pilots

Jacob Astin: 17:09

Spectacular. You just started yourself, Doug. What's the first thing that hit you differently being on the other side of the table now?

Doug McFadyen: 17:15

The process. So understanding how everything gets done in the union and how much support we get from ALPA National and all of our committee members and working, having good mentorship between Jacob and Mason and and our proceeding, Ryan Barr and Jason Roberts have been super helpful in understanding how things get done and how we can execute and, make sure everybody's taken care of as best we can, and provide as best value as we can, as ALPA leadership.

Jacob Astin: 17:43

A hundred percent. Mason, I got one for you. What does an LEC rep actually do day to day, and how does Calgary fit into the bigger Westjet picture?

Mason Bowden: 17:51

Good question.

Doug McFadyen: 17:52

Don't forget Edmonton

Mason Bowden: 17:53

and Edmonton. Yeah, of course. LEC reps represent pilots and they generally represent them in front of management during discipline hearings or investigation meetings. That's primarily most of the phone calls I get that are very important. We also help develop resolutions and mandates to bring to our MEC to improve the contract and move the pilot group forward as a whole in one voice. And what was the second part of your question?

Jacob Astin: 18:21

How does Alberta fit into the bigger Westjet MEC picture?

Mason Bowden: 18:25

Yeah, good question. 1100 members. We do have the largest council. However I don't think of it that way. I think of it as one national company, one national body, one big membership. We do represent the most amount of pilots, but I do tend to consider everyone's goals and future in all my decision making as best I can.

Jacob Astin: 18:46

No, that's spectacular. Doug, what's the most urgent issue on your radar right now for Alberta based pilots?

Doug McFadyen: 18:52

Make sure everybody feels heard. Our core objectives that we've discussed so far make sure everybody, we're listening and people's voices are heard and that we action what the pilot group wants.

Jacob Astin: 19:02

Awesome. Mason, what's something about this role that pilots probably don't realize goes on behind the scenes?

Mason Bowden: 19:09

A lot of my role I've learnt right away here is coordinating with several other volunteers. So I do talk member to rep quite a bit, but there's a ton of committees that support. The union and it takes a lot of coordination and understanding with them. And that might be something that isn't too well known is how much communication happens on teams with the hundred other plus volunteers to help support the reps.

Jacob Astin: 19:41

Doug, what's the one thing you want Alberta pilots to feel differently about their union representation by the end of your term?

Doug McFadyen: 19:48

That everybody at the end of my term gets to go home, spend more time with their family feel comfortable, feel happy at their job and support one another.

Jacob Astin: 20:00

Mason, is there a gap between pilots and their LEC that you're specifically trying to close?

Mason Bowden: 20:04

Luckily, Calgary and Edmonton are very engaged. So I thank everybody for that. It does make the rep's job quite a bit easier. As much as I feel there's a gap, there's always gonna be a gap of trying to get a hundred percent engagement. So Doug's been great with multimedia and reaching out different ways. I'm really supportive of those initiatives and I'm gonna help Doug and the union close the gap as much as we can.

Jacob Astin: 20:28

Doug, with everything going on at Westjet right now, what's the mood amongst the pilot group in Alberta, and what are they telling you they need most?

Doug McFadyen: 20:35

I think it's really mixed. Some guys are super happy. A lot of guys are happy with their schedule. They're feel their pay is good. But others are, on the brink. They're burnt out. They're stressed because of constant changes, their schedule. Some guys just don't feel that they're being heard at all. So it is just bridging that gap and understanding what is priority to everybody and making sure that we're all looking after one another.

Jacob Astin: 21:01

Mason, you were the secretary treasurer before,

Mason Bowden: 21:04

Right

Jacob Astin: 21:05

What made you put up your hand for this and was there like a moment or a conversation that pushed you to run for the FO status rep position?

Mason Bowden: 21:13

Not precisely a moment. However I just. I feel most comfortable speaking my mind. So I thank everybody who gave me the opportunity to do that while as secretary treasurer. And I feel like I can really resonate what the membership wants at a rep level. I've been encouraged and supported in this role before and I really am looking forward to substantial improvements in pay and schedule, and I feel like I can make a difference doing that. And that's what made me put my hand up. So I'm quite passionate about that. Thanks.

Jacob Astin: 21:45

Thank you, Mason. Last one, Doug. What's the best way for a Westjet pilot to get in touch with you and stay plugged into what the LEC is working on?

Doug McFadyen: 21:52

Oh, we got lots of stuff coming. So our primary source of really important information is gonna be broadcast by email. Telegrams going to support that and then just for know, recognition of the pilot group and, for general activities, family awareness events, and that we'll have Facebook and Instagram and there'll be supportive messages in there as well. So those should be coming up fairly quick. As far as getting a hold of us a number of ways, email works really good telephone is great, text, direct message. There's a whole host of options. And I'll try my best to get back to people as soon as we can. It is a rather large group, sometimes you'll have to bear with us to get back to you, but yeah we endeavor to try and answer people's questions or get back to people as quickly as we can. And if we can't, we generally just, we will let you know. It'll be a minute or two before we can get back to you.

Jacob Astin: 22:40

I appreciate it guys. I look forward to working with both of you upcoming negotiations and everything we're all working on. Thanks a lot.

Mason Bowden: 22:46

Thank you, Jacob.

Doug McFadyen: 22:46

Thanks Jacob.

Jacob Astin: 22:56

Shiny. It's always shiny,