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WestJet FAs Claim They are paid less than minimum wage


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WestJet flight attendants claim they're paid less than minimum wage

Cabin crew members want to be compensated for all hours worked, not just those spent flying

By Kyle Bakx, CBC NewsPosted: Mar 16, 2018 4:00 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 16, 2018 4:00 AM ET

Some WestJet flight attendants are claiming the airline routinely pays its cabin crew less than minimum wage because employees are compensated for how many hours they spend in the air, not the length of their shift. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press)

 

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Kyle Bakx
Reporter

Is a Calgary-based journalist with CBC's network business unit. You can contact him on Twitter at @kylebakx

Some WestJet flight attendants are claiming the airline routinely pays its cabin crew less than minimum wage, since they are only paid for the amount of time they spend in the air, not their time at work.

It's industry standard for flight attendants' pay to be based on the time from wheels up to wheels down, although most airlines also provide some compensation for the time flight attendants spend at airports before and after flights. WestJet does not, and it's become a sticking point with flight attendants as minimum wages rise across the country. The airline's compensation for flight attendants could, in fact, be violating federal labour rules, according to one union. 

'Other airlines have guarantees — if you put on your uniform and go to work, you get a minimum of this much pay.'- WestJet flight attendant

CBC News spoke with two flight attendants who each have more than 10 years' experience with WestJet. CBC News has agreed to protect their identities as they fear retaliation for speaking publicly.

"WestJet doesn't pay its flight attendants like other airlines. It's frustrating," one WestJet employee said. "We've brought it up before that other airlines have guarantees — if you put on your uniform and go to work, you get a minimum of this much pay."

The flight attendants say the way WestJet calculates their pay puts them at a disadvantage.

 

For instance, cabin crew on a one-hour flight from Calgary to Vancouver could end up working a four-hour shift from the time they arrive at the Calgary airport to the time they leave the Vancouver airport.

On this day, the WestJet flight attendant works almost eight hours but is paid for about three hours (as indicated in the BLK, or block, column), since that's how long the employee spent in the air. (Kyle Bakx/CBC)

WestJet would pay the flight attendant for one hour of flying time — so a rate of $26 per hour spread out over the four hours they were physically on the job turns into $6.50 an hour for that type of shift, they say. That's well below the minimum wage in both Alberta ($13.60) and British Columbia ($11.35).

Full-time flight attendants have a starting wage of $25.29 per hour of flying time, and the maximum wage is $47.50 per hour. Based on the expectation of around 80 flying hours a month, an annual base salary begins at about $24,500 and tops out at about $46,500.

"Somebody out of high school will look at $25 and think that's fantastic, not understanding that's per flying block hour, not duty hour," one flight attendant said.

Everyone is talking about minimum wage increases and are up in arms about Tim Hortons workers who deserve better. What about the person who is responsible for your safety on an aircraft? Yes, they serve you coffee most of the time, but that's not really their job."

 

Total compensation 'generous,' airline says

Flight attendants at the Calgary-based carrier have tried for several years to unionize — a drive that has renewed energy following the unionization of pilots, who are currently negotiating their first contract.

WestJet declined requests for an interview and did not respond to requests for clarification, information or comment. 

WestJet flight attendant pay scale

Full-time flight attendants at WestJet are expected to fly 80 hours a month, and pay is based on years of experience. (CBC News)

In a statement to CBC News, WestJet said it "provides our cabin crew members with a salary and compensation package that offers [a] variety of unique features."

WestJet provides full-time cabin crew members with benefits, an optional share-purchase program and profit-sharing when the airline is profitable. 

"WestJet profit-sharing is among the best in the entire airline industry," the statement said. "We believe that our total compensation to our cabin crew is generous and compares very favourably to carriers of a similar size."

 

 

Comparing airline pay

 

The scenario of a flight attendant working a Calgary-to-Vancouver flight would result in higher pay at other airlines. If an on-call flight attendant at Jazz worked that same shift, they would receive a minimum of 4½ hours' pay, instead of the one hour that WestJet would pay.

The union representing flight attendants at Jazz made sure there were daily minimums in their contracts.

A flight attendant who is on call but doesn't have to report to work isn't paid by WestJet for that day, while at Jazz they would receive four hours' pay. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)

"It's critical to ensure employees don't actually come to work and potentially go into debt as a result of the expenses occurred getting to and from work versus the pay they actually get for the amount of work they actually do when they show up," said Trevor Beattie, president of the Canadian Flight Attendant Union, which represents cabin crew members at Jazz.

The airline and union link the starting salary of flight attendants to twice the minimum wage in the province where the employee is based.

"Meaning that the starting wage in Toronto now for our flight attendants is $28 an hour," said Beattie. 

Beattie also credits Jazz for having a standard for the minimum hours paid for on-call flight attendants, whether they are asked to report to work or not. 

At WestJet, if a flight attendant is on call but doesn't have to report to work, they aren't paid for that day. At Jazz, they would receive four hours' pay.

In another example, if a flight attendant works a 12-hour shift that includes four hours of flying time, they would receive four hours' pay at WestJet, six hours at Jazz and eight hours at Air Canada. Jazz pays for the amount of flying time or half pay for every hour on the job — whichever is higher. Air Canada pays for the total number of flying hours or for total time at work minus four hours — whichever is higher.

 

Federal rules

 

The way WestJet pays its flight attendants could be in violation of federal labour rules, which stipulate that on-call workers who are asked to report to work must be paid for a minimum of three hours.

In addition, companies in federally regulated industries such as aviation have to pay employees for all work.

"The employer has an obligation to pay the employee for all hours worked and not for just one activity at work," Olivier Bouffard, spokesperson with federal labour department, said in a statement. "Hours spent by an employee at the employer's disposal on the worksite, such as preparing for the flight and cleaning the plane, are considered hours of work and they should be paid their hourly rate."

'The employer has an obligation to pay the employee for all hours worked and not for just one activity at work,' said Olivier Bouffard, a spokesperson with the federal labour department. (Darren Bernhardt/CBC)

So far, the labour department has not received any formal complaints from WestJet flight attendants. Bouffard wouldn't say whether WestJet is breaking any rules.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) said it is looking into whether federal labour rules are being broken. "That's a possibility and something we're exploring," said David Fleming, a CUPE representative who has been working for about a year to unionize WestJet flight attendants.

Fleming would not provide numbers or timelines about how the drive is progressing besides saying "things are going well."

He said challenges at the airline include turnover among flight attendants, and the difficulty of connecting with cabin crew members, who by the very nature of their jobs are in transit much of the time.

The flight attendants who spoke to CBC News say they don't want to quit their jobs because they appreciate the flexibility the position provides and they would lose their seniority if they joined a different airline.
Story Link:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/westjet-minimum-wage-cupe-cfau-1.4575681?cmp=rss

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At Jazz it has to do with new-hire pay rates. According to the article, the Jazz FA union put in language that raises pay on a province-by-province basis when and if provincial minimum wage exceeds the national pay scale contained in the collective agreement.

As for the WJ FA’s, it sounds like the answer to their concern about no minimum daily pay guarantee is to join a union, set a bargaining agenda, and negotiate a collective agreement.

https://www.retailcouncil.org/quickfacts/minimum-wage-by-province

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48 minutes ago, DEFCON said:

Some wawcon items stand out as poor, but as I see the numbers overall, a ten year FA is making 50K + annually and that doesn't sound like a low wage to me?  

After 10 years?  Well, I guess that depends upon if you view being a FA as a career or not.  Was not long ago where some were arguing that 50K a year was not enough for a pilot in their first year.  I know all about the argument re cost to become a pilot etc but..... 

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Commencing January 01st 2019 in Ontario, October 01st 2018 in Alberta, and by 2021 in BC minimum hourly wage will be $15/hr resulting in an effective annual pay of $30,000 for anybody working a 40 hour week.

I cannot imagine any federally regulated employer in any of those provinces believing that they can continue to offer full time employment at a rate less than is paid to a high school student with a part time job.

It would appear according to the article above that any new-hire Jazz FA based in AB or ON will have a minimum starting salary of $30,000 come October 01st/January 01st. Good for the Jazz FA union for being proactive and preventing a Federally regulated employer from using that designation to shield itself from the impact of changes in Provincial minimum wage standards on local employees.

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Quote

At WestJet, if a flight attendant is on call but doesn't have to report to work, they aren't paid for that day.

This is not accurate.

If an FA is on call (reserve) and not called out they are paid 4 hours. 

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Do the people making the provincial minimum wage receive any benefits like medical and dental?

Do the Flight Attendants?

Do the people making the provincial minimum wage receive a guaranteed annual uplift in their salary for ten years?

Do the Flight Attendants?

Do the people making the provincial minimum wage get a paid vacation every year?

Do the Flight Attendants?

Do the people making the provincial minimum wage have a guaranteed monthly minimum number of hours?

Do the Flight Attendants?

 

Be sure to consider the full package.

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Do they get profit sharing and ESP? 

Do they get per diems? 

Do they get flight privileges? 

Do they have the ability to shift trade and customize schedules (most of the time)? 

... could go on. 

 

Everyone puts a value on the work they do and they have every right to do so. 

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So it seems we are comparing an airline who only has owners and guests vs those who have employees and passengers.  Or on the other hand are we dealing with folks who hired on at a guaranteed rate for a guaranteed 80 hrs per month and if they are getting exactly that, then that is what owners get.  No max hours just a guarantee of a monthly wage.    If on the other hand they are not been paid their guaranteed  monthly amount then perhaps a problem. Hmmmm
March 16, 2018 5:48 pm
Updated: March 16, 2018 5:54 pm

WestJet union drive helped by dissatisfaction with pay formula, says flight attendant

By Ross Marowits The Canadian Press

Growing anger among WestJet flight attendants about a compensation model that restricts hourly wages to time actually spent in the sky bodes well for a unionization drive at the airline, according to one employee who backs labour organization.

The employee, who doesn’t want to be identified for fear of reprisal, says the industry-wide system that only compensates flight attendants for time between the departure from one airport gate and arrival at the destination terminal is unfair.

That means full-time flight attendants receiving a starting wage of $25.29 per hour of flying time won’t be compensated for time on the ground preparing airplanes for service, deplaning passengers or any activities before or after flights.

If cabin crews spend half an eight-hour day in the air, they would earn the equivalent of $12.64 an hour, less than the $14 minimum in Ontario.

And flight attendants on modified work due to injury are only paid the 4.5 hours despite having to work an eight-hour shift.

“A lot of this does and is currently pushing us towards unionization,” he said in an interview.

It’s the latest labour headache for Canada’s second-largest airline, after the union that represents WestJet and WestJet Encore pilots filed an unfair labour practice complaint in February over the airline’s recruitment of pilots for Swoop, its new ultra-low-cost carrier slated to begin flying in June.

READ MORE: WestJet CEO sends email to employees warning against unionization of airline staff

Watch below: On May 12, 2017, Gary Bobrovitz filed this report about Canada’s second-biggest airline now having the company’s first union.

Other airlines follow a similar pay structure but also have “workarounds” such as minimum duty days and stipulations for how much of a day the employees will be paid. At WestJet there is no minimum pay guarantee per day unless there are irregular operations or an employee works on his or her day off.

“What we’re looking for is some kind of recognition of the fact that what we’re doing now is not enough,” the flight attendant added.

He said flight attendants were aware of the wage system when they were hired but only truly understood the impact when they work 13-hour days but only get paid for a fraction of their time.

The Calgary-based airline has long promoted the competitive advantage of having an entrepreneurial, friendly workforce, and said its salary and compensation package offers unique features including profit-sharing it says is among the best in the airline industry.

 

“We believe that our total compensation, along with the work-life balance we provide our cabin crew, is generous and compares very favourably to carriers of a similar size,” spokeswoman Lauren Stewart wrote in an email.

The head of the union representing flight attendants at Chorus Aviation-owned Jazz Aviation LP says his group was able to negotiate additional protection in 2015 by requiring the hourly wage be at least double the minimum wage in a province.

That means Toronto-based flight attendants employed by Jazz to fly Air Canada Express receive starting wages of $28 per hour, rising to $30 next January if a second increase takes effect.

The hourly wage in Alberta is slated to rise to $30 in October when the province’s minimum wage rises to $15.

“All the other airlines in Canada to my knowledge have not taken that step and as a result are playing catch-up,” said Canadian Flight Attendant Union president Trevor Beattie.

CUPE said its Air Canada Component recently raised the issue of flight attendants being underpaid with the airline. The starting rate at Air Canada Rouge is even lower than the mainline carrier.

But Beattie wonders why these large airline unions have previously failed to address this issue in the industry.

Hugh Pouliot, a spokesman for the Canadian Union of Public Employees, said the issue of pay only for work in the air has been raised repeatedly during its union drive.

“Until CUPE’s there sitting down with WestJet management at the bargaining table we can’t materially change it, but it would be an issue in bargaining,” he said.

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27 minutes ago, internet said:

Don’t like it.... then leave.

If only it were that easy. 

This isn't a place for me to share my thoughts but there is blame to go around on both sides for why this relationship (FA's / Management) deteriorated to where it is. I'm sure there are parallels with the pilot group but I'm far removed from that situation. 

As a fairly long tenured employee it pisses me off to see where we are today. There are a lot of great passionate people at this company and poor decisions, flaky leadership, youth, apathy, entitlement creep, trust, and a multitude of other things have brought us to where we are. I don't think a CEO change is going to do much but I hope that it brings a renewed sense of optimism to the masses, maybe some fear for those in middle management roles that've created and fostered the disconnect, and a rude awakening to those that don't get onboard with moving forward with real change. 

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I believe that promoting joining a union as the panacea for all ills is illusory and naive, perhaps even self-serving if it comes from a union promoter.   It's the example of a priest saying to the jobless to go to the church, pay the donation and pray, and God will grant a job! Reality is somewhat more complex.

For instance in this case, apparently this was in place with the understanding that it does produce very short days some days at the end of the pairing.  As others said, the whole package needs to be looked at, including the qualification and education requirements, not to mention other perks and benefits....

12:09

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What a load of CBC bs. It used to be ( maybe > 10years ago) that WestJet paid only duty time with 80 hours of flying time scattered within the duty time. Something like $20/hour for 160 hour work month. Report time to gate plus 15 minutes afterwards therefore covering all the extra time. Maybe a 12 hour day and 6 flying hours multi-segment or what ever flying in between report and finish. Minimum guaranteed pay was the schedule as published or better if it went late or if the flight was cancelled. That was no problem until those who did high credit single day pairings flying a 9+ hour day in 12 hours getting paid for the same 3 hour flying and lots of sitting or short flights in a 12 hour day and working maybe 15 to 16 days a month. Sounds like a regular job. So after a proposal and I think a vote of change in the agreement WestJet decided to pay $40 per flight hour, door closed to door open. Now with the single day flyers getting their month done in 8-10 days because they bid that way rocks the boat of those who don’t manage to get those high credit pairings and end up working 16 or so days. Welcome the equalizer... everyone works 16 days and the whining begins that they do work for which there is no compensation. 

I say to the F/As, bring in CUPE and see what more misery you’ll bring upon yourselves with an expense.

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Fact is, the hourly rate of those above the wing is supposed to account for a certain amount of downtime between flights. That said it is very frustrating observe (and work) schedules that are created by an algorithm optimized to exploit these costless loopholes and to view limits as targets. 

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It is not uncommon to see some flight crew with 300+ hours away from home on a month vs 160 hours for a Mon-Fri 9-5 type. There is no apples-to-apples comparison on the price that flight crew pay for their vocational choice.

Representing pension, health and dental benefits, disability plans, and per diems as a perq of an airline job is at best ignorant and sounds like the tact that management takes at the bargaining table.

A company gets the union that it deserves. More and more employee groups at the CDN carriers at all levels are choosing to be represented collectively. Clearly, relying on the goodwill of the employer is not cutting it on many properties.

WJ created a debacle with the pilot unionization process. Perhaps it will make the same mistake with the WJ FA’s. Time will tell.

 

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2 hours ago, Zan Vetter said:

Fact is, the hourly rate of those above the wing is supposed to account for a certain amount of downtime between flights. That said it is very frustrating observe (and work) schedules that are created by an algorithm optimized to exploit these costless loopholes and to view limits as targets. 

I was hoping someone would post this.  I always get a kick out of FAs, and pilots, who complain about not getting paid for the ground time.  Sure, the system could be re-jigged to pay for that time before and between flights but your hourly rate would drop as a result.  Do FAs really think they worth $30/hour for every hour at work?  Do pilots think they should be getting paid $150 or $200 per hour when they're getting coffee or walking to the airplane?  Your payrate already accounts for this.  Of course the company will try to exploit the loopholes and of course the union should try to negotiate duty day minimums and other mitigating contract clauses but a lot of these people think that they should be getting the same current rate for every hour at work which is delusional.

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1 hour ago, internet said:

And how many applications did WS receive for FA last year?  Don't like it - leave.  Lots of people will take your place.

I don't want to pick on you internet and I know you meant something different, but I think I have heard almost that exact same phrase come out of some bush operator chief pilots.  And come to think of it, I have buried a few friends who believed it.

It has long been our industry's dirty little secret that we get paid a fraction of the time we put in.  Some positions have been able to ratchet up the hourly rate to compensate - most of the time.  Others have not.   Over the years, the cutting and trimming and give-me-that-too-for-free initiatives that got pushed through, some with the help of rather slanted government intervention, have resulted in a public impression of an industry where the employees make huge money for part time work, when in fact it is just the inverse - some pilots and flight attendants put in 60 hour weeks for 20 hours pay.

This impression has been used to hurt us over and over again.  How many here have sat in a CARAC meeting and heard some industry lobbiest talk about the 70 hour month for a gazzillion dollar paycheck?  Weren't there some recent adverts put out along those lines?  So it's not just about pay.  It's about everything that gets pushed and pulled during our 'part time' job.

To the flight attendants finally lifting the cover on this can I say bravo.  Yes, perhaps the contract and how pay is spread around will have to change as a result.  But if the result is transparency, then the next time someone gets jammed up in an IRROPS somewhere and airmailed away from home unexpectedly, they can at least know it won't be for free.

All just my opinion.

Vs

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1 hour ago, internet said:

And how many applications did WS receive for FA last year?  Don't like it - leave.  Lots of people will take your place.

Were I in a position to cast a ballot, that attitude would (for sure and certain) effect my vote; only need to hear that stuff once...

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This conversation always frustrates me as people pick at any loose thread to make a point. My point is that it is not about what you are getting paid for every moment you are engaged in some activity related to your employment. What really matters is the balance between the amount on your paycheque and how much non-work related time you have. Put them on a scale of happiness and see if you are satisfied. Don't get bogged down in the minutia, go for the lifestyle you wish and if the employer won't meet your demands either alter your expectations or your career path. This is why being a member of a "Bargaining Unit" is so valuable. It provides a process and protections to represent the employees as a legal entity with all the rights and responsibilities to function effectively.

What REALLY matters?

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Like many others here I’ve spent my entire working life in aviation with a 40 year flying career. I don’t really want to think about all of the the pre, turnaround, post flying times sitting here and there, deadheading,  the hours spent studying on my own time for countless check rides and most importantly, all the time away from family and friends. Try to put a value on those never to repeat special moments.  

These FA’s at Westjet knew their terms and conditions prior to signing up. Get a better contract or leave.  I’m sure there’s an open mike comedy club that would be happy to hear any other skills they might have to share.  

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Fair scheduling rules are needed in this business. For instance, when a flight attendant has to commit 200 + hours of their life per month to their employer I think there should should be some form of 'overtime' award applied. By comparison, the general work rules for ground dwellers only requires them to put in 160 hours at home where in their off time they are free to pursue any other activity they choose while the FA is treated to all the glory of the job including long financially unproductive stints hanging around airports and hotels.

  

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