Minister Blackburn renders his
decision on Air Canada
The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and
Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec,
rendered a decision not to grant Air Canada a waiver from the group termination
provisions of the Canada Labour Code, in the event that group terminations take
place at Air Canada on November 1, 2008.
"After carefully examining the application, I have decided
that there are insufficient grounds to grant a waiver to Air Canada," said
Minister Blackburn. "I have instructed Labour Program officials to monitor the
situation to ensure that any affected employees receive their entitlements under
the Canada Labour Code."
The group termination provisions of Part III of the Canada
Labour Code require that an employer that intends to terminate the employment of
50 or more employees in any single industrial establishment within a four-week
period give notice to the Minister of Labour, union representatives and
non-unionized employees at least 16 weeks before the termination date. The
provisions also include the requirement to establish a joint planning committee
to make all reasonable efforts to develop an adjustment program for the affected
employees.
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