Air Canada's "Free & Reduced Rate Transportation Policy has been in effect for over 65 years.
In the Employee Introductory Handbook we received upon becoming permanent it clearly states on the first page
,
" Your employee benefits are designed to contribute to your total well-being and that of your family"
The Travel Privileges we were given are a benefit of employment. It is a privilege to use them and the company went into great detail in the Travel Privileges section.
Boarding Sequence: The designated priority ( A or C ) is given in accordance with your Company employment category. The Sequence of boarding is based on your Company Service Date or ( DOJ ) which is clearly indicated on your ID & Travel Card.
The company has embarked on a procedure of "divide and conquer" with the negotiation of the ACPA 10 year contract. Along with the many other items that were
negotiated, Air Canada offered special super seniority passes to their members. These are identified as B1 passes.
In effect pilots and their families, friends and partners are boarded prior to anyone else.
The company then followed this up offering other groups of employees in different Unions special passes but always below that of the B1 passes.
The Company now had all Union groups negotiating for these passes on the "me too principle"
Air Canada were well aware of the earlier award by Harvey Frumkin in 1994 where he ruled that the Free & Reduced Rate Travel were "Non-Negotiable."
Mr. Frumkin also made it clear that the company could not discriminate against one employee for the benefit of another employee.
The company has been politely telling anyone who cares to listen that these were a gift to ACPA for signing a 10 year contact. I asked their lawyer in Toronto on June 16, 2017 what part of the word, "NEGOTIATIONS" the Company did not understand? I got no answer.