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WestJet faces bumpy ride as flight attendants vote to reject deal

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WestJet faces bumpy ride as flight attendants vote to reject deal

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Old Nov 25, 2014, 8:18 pm
  #1  
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WestJet faces bumpy ride as flight attendants vote to reject deal

http://www.thestar.com/business/2014...ject_deal.html


WestJet Airlines has always prided itself on being a different kind of airline.

But the Calgary-based carrier is suddenly facing turbulence as it struggles to reach agreements with flight attendants and pilots amid separate unionization drives.

WestJet’s 2,600 flight attendants were allowed to vote for the first time on a proposed agreement that sets out pay and work rules. They rejected it Monday, with 57 per cent voting against the deal. Turnout was high, with 90 per cent of members casting ballots.
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Old Nov 26, 2014, 8:32 am
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57% against hardly seems insurmountable for a first-time contract, and they're still a long way away from the poisoned labour relationships of the legacy carriers.
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Old Nov 26, 2014, 8:48 am
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Yeah, hopefully they don't head towards a poisoned sort of work atmosphere. I guess being an owner isn't enough. Could this mean there are some cracks or rifts developing in the family?
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Old Nov 26, 2014, 1:30 pm
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Originally Posted by capebretonboy
I guess being an owner isn't enough.
Srsly, this "being an owner" meme has got to stop. Owning a few thousand bucks in Westjet shares does not make one an "owner" of an airline any more than a teller down at my local branch with a few bank shares in her investment account is an "owner" of RBC.

I can't believe how many people parrot the advertising and talk about this employee share purchase plan as though it was some sort of revolutionary concept in employee and customer relations.
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Old Nov 26, 2014, 2:52 pm
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Originally Posted by heraclitus
Srsly, this "being an owner" meme has got to stop. Owning a few thousand bucks in Westjet shares does not make one an "owner" of an airline any more than a teller down at my local branch with a few bank shares in her investment account is an "owner" of RBC.

I can't believe how many people parrot the advertising and talk about this employee share purchase plan as though it was some sort of revolutionary concept in employee and customer relations.
After removing the approximately 3% of shares owned by the Exec and Board members of the 13% employee share ownership, leads to a current average of $38,000 in shares for every employee, a bit more than "just a few thousand". Employees get a 1-for-1 match up to 20% of salary from the WestJet Employee Share Purchase Plan, much better than the average employee share purchase plan.

Last edited by aerobod; Nov 26, 2014 at 2:58 pm
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Old Nov 26, 2014, 3:08 pm
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Originally Posted by aerobod
After removing the approximately 3% of shares owned by the Exec and Board members of the 13% employee share ownership, leads to a current average of $38,000 in shares for every employee, a bit more than "just a few thousand". Employees get a 1-for-1 match up to 20% of salary from the WestJet Employee Share Purchase Plan, much better than the average employee share purchase plan.
I'm not saying it's not a generous plan, but to suggest that owning even $100,000 of shares in a company like Westjet makes a flight attendant an "owner" is preposterous. The only thing they own is, in all likelihood, an off-balance investment portfolio.
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Old Nov 26, 2014, 6:59 pm
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Originally Posted by heraclitus
...to suggest that owning even $100,000 of shares in a company like Westjet makes a flight attendant an "owner" is preposterous.
I think you don't understand that owner means what you don't think it means. They may not be a 100% owner, but they are a shareholder, and they own a % of the company. Minority shareholder rights are important.
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Old Nov 26, 2014, 7:23 pm
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maybe this was why my FA was so reticent in...

...bringing me a second drink??
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Old Nov 27, 2014, 9:59 am
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Originally Posted by capebretonboy
Yeah, hopefully they don't head towards a poisoned sort of work atmosphere. I guess being an owner isn't enough. Could this mean there are some cracks or rifts developing in the family?
Owner's care....they also care about themselves!

What's funny is if this was an AC vote everyone would be raging about how bad AC is. WJ still has A LOT of goodwill in the public's eye which won't change anytime soon...I'm sure this Christmas they will have another 'free gift for everyone' type marketing promo to keep their reputation.
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Old Nov 28, 2014, 5:29 pm
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Originally Posted by HomerJ
...bringing me a second drink??
Did you ask for it (FAs can't read minds generally speaking!)?
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Old Dec 14, 2014, 4:53 am
  #11  
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Originally Posted by aerobod
After removing the approximately 3% of shares owned by the Exec and Board members of the 13% employee share ownership, leads to a current average of $38,000 in shares for every employee, a bit more than "just a few thousand". Employees get a 1-for-1 match up to 20% of salary from the WestJet Employee Share Purchase Plan, much better than the average employee share purchase plan.
20%. WOW.
superangrypenguin is offline  


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