What is Jean-Marc Belanger talking about?

[I hate cats]

http://acpilot.********.com/2006/03/what-is-jean-marc-belanger-talking.html

Chris Sorensen of the Financial Post wrote an interesting article titled "Disgruntled pilots could disrupt Air Canada - Upset over CIRB ruling"

It’s not surprising that the article has that 'Original Air Canada' smell given that Chris Sorenson interviewed Jean-Marc Belanger, an ACPA spokesman to gather information about the never-ending Air Canada pilot merger saga.

Anyone who knows anything about ACPA knows Jean-Marc wasn't hired yesterday to speak on ACPA's behalf. If there is a 'clique' of pilots who have influence in the direction ACPA moves then Jean-Marc must certainly be a member. Notably, Jean-Marc was the MEC Chairman who led the union to the first pilot strike experienced at Air Canada in September 1998. Currently his role is changing from that of the Montreal LEC Chairman to the ACPA Spokesman if the Post article is correct. And most importantly perhaps, Jean-Marc was originally hired by Air Canada as opposed to Canadian Airlines. Given these facts, is it really all that surprising that the message Jean-Marc delivers is an 'Original Air Canada Pilot' message?

If I read the article correctly Air Canada is in for some kind of industrial action from its pilots if the seniority dispute isn't resolved to the satisfaction of the [OAC] pilots...

Okay...

What the article fails to mention is that this dispute has simmered for a number of years now in which the OAC pilots have lost every court case and CIRB ruling since July of 2002 when the Mitchnick Award was quashed. What is different now? I'm not sure, although I believe ACPA-OAC merger committee must surely be running out of legal options. Is Jean-Marc's message 'we can't control our union members' or something more threatening?

The article says "the Board [CIRB] said it would not consider mediator Martin Teplitsky's recommendation that elements of the list be reworked to remove advantages, awarded by a previous arbitrator, to about 1,200 former Canadian pilots over about 2,200 "Original Air Canada" (OAC) pilots."

Again, the article fails to mention that the alleged mediation involved only 1 [ACPA-OAC] of the 2 parties, and ALPA who represent the former Canadian Pilots made the legal choice not to participate.

Here is what the CIRB recently said about the Teplitsky mediation:

When reviewing the Teplitsky Report, one must keep in mind that the initiative was essentially one-party mediation. ACPA and ALPA had been the main parties to the ongoing seniority integration conflict. However, ALPA was not present at the mediation table. Its reasons for declining to participate in the exercise do not appear to be unreasonable. Without ALPA at the table, Mr.Teplitsky did not have the benefit of receiving submissions from the party that had represented the former Canadian pilots for the past five years in proceedings relating to seniority integration. [para 102 - Air Canada (2006), as yet unreported CIRB decision no. 349]


The CIRB decision appears to have been a surprise to Jean-Marc, and he continues to say "Others are asking tough questions about how a labour board could ignore [recommendations] by the most respected arbitrator [Teplitsky] in the country"

Jean-Marc makes no mention of the previous respected arbitrator, Brian Keller. Does Jean-Marc like the respected arbitrator Teplitsky better because his seniority improves at the expense of former Canadian pilots on Teplitsky's list? You decide...

At some point the bickering will end. At some point the leaders within ACPA like Jean-Marc must display the courage to say 'the merger fight is over, and its time to move on'. Whether or not ACPA has reached that point is an open question which we will see answered when the ACPA executive meets in the next few days to decide on a response to the recent CIRB decision 349.

[Slapshot]

With recent events one has to look at the way the Pilots received the news that Air Canada would acquire the 777 and 787 from Boeing. The OAC Pilots organized, cooperated and quashed the proposed salary structure and the deal went kaput. They flexed what they perceived was their muscle to prove a point to Air Canada management.
The deal has since been re-negotiated and 777's and 787's are planned for the fleet in the coming years.
It is my guess that the OAC Pilot's will mount the same sort of "strategy" to disrupt the work place to force management's hand. In the process they will cut off their own noses, inconvenience many of Canada's traveler's and lose market share to other carriers in Canada and abroad. Instead of "makin' hay while the sun shines" they will sabotage whatever growth or benefit the current booming economy will provide...
I don't think management at Air Canada will put up with it, and I think it will get ugly way before it gets better...:ouch:

[flyr4hire]

For those of you who believe the OAC will let this slide, think again. The fight will continue to the bitter end, no matter what the results or re-precussions. This is just the beginning of a very troubled, lengthy, and costly war, but eventually AC Corp, the CIRB, and Warren Edmonson will be held accountable.

[Penske]

As a side note, Warren Edmonson was in the labour community background throughout the arbitrations leading up to the Picher fiasco. I suspect that that bit of history is coming back to haunt the OAC boys who have always been able to bully their way to a successful outcome.

[RussD]

For those of you who believe the OAC will let this slide, think again. The fight will continue to the bitter end, no matter what the results or re-precussions. This is just the beginning of a very troubled, lengthy, and costly war, but eventually AC Corp, the CIRB, and Warren Edmonson will be held accountable.
Just the beginning??!!!?? You have to be joking. This little tiff has been going on longer than the 3rd Riech's little squabble with the rest of the world. It's over for the OAC.
Are you actually suggesting that the OAC gang will will endeavor to harm, personally or otherwise the Chairman of the CIRB just because his 'court' ruled against you?? really??? You guys are seriously messed up. You need help, or perhaps a legal intervention.. Maybe jail time for the ring leaders. At least some firings to get people back onto planet Earth are in order. Get a grip man.

[flyr4hire]

Russ D.

Where in my post did i say harm the chair of the CIRB? To be accountable is not harmful, it's taking responsibility for direct actions. I suggest you educate yourself on the history of Edmonson vs. ACPA before you shoot your mouth off in regards to firing and jailing. To set the record straight, it's not over. This was never a legal battle, it was politically driven, and if you haven't figured it out yet, it's the engine that drives almost everything we do in life. This is another liberal scandal and the PC's will love getting their hands on this one as well. That's where the battle should of taken place. The OAC merger commitee took the high road, well that's out now, the merger teams ( both sides ) will be dissolved and the fight will continue in the political circles where it should of been in the first place. CIRB and Edmonson will be accountable.

[nolimitholdem]

I think you overestimate the interest of the Conservative government and the general public in the woes of the OAC pilots. If anything, the pro-West Tories would be more sympathetic to the former "Blue" team than not. Since it's all about politics, according to you.

The OAC pilots are starting to resemble the Monty Python character with the limbs cut off insisting "It's just a flesh wound"...it's embarassing to see a group of so-called professionals actually advocating taking careful aim at their own foot.

NO ONE FEELS SORRY FOR YOU! MOVE ON!

[brucelee]

Nolimit.
"NO ONE FEELS SORRY FOR YOU! MOVE ON!"
Well I suppose if you repeat the same song and dance over and over again, people will actually believe you. Or at the very least, you will convince yourself. Sort of like Bush invading Iraq. But the reality is the OAC are not looking for sympathy. We have stuck to rules set out since day one. No wine and cheese parties, no political bureaucrats or lobbiests. Just the legal system. And just like the OCP didn't like Mitchnik or Treplisky and did something about it, so are the OAC trying to do something about Keller. And believe me, if by some incredible stroke of luck the OAC are succesfull, I don't think the OCP will let it rest either. So in reality, at the expense of sounding defeatest, this can only be over when all the OCP are retired and gone. That's when the OAC will get a chance to catch up and have what they should have today. Boy, as an original OAC, I sure am glad to know there will someday be a light at the end of my tunnel. I'm so excited, I can't wait for the next several years to go by.

[RussD]

Nolimit.
"NO ONE FEELS SORRY FOR YOU! MOVE ON!"
Well I suppose if you repeat the same song and dance over and over again, people will actually believe you. Or at the very least, you will convince yourself. .
Well I guess you should know BL being one of the biggest smoke generators here. Clearly it has gotten in your eyes, hopefully not too may others tho. However, I like your attiitude , only to be enhanced by an early retirement,,, as in tomorrow would be good(for the profession.:} )

[brucelee]

Ouch. Boy, you sure are gifted.

[nolimitholdem]

bruce baby...the song and dance that everyone is sick and tired of...is that of perceived babies still crying over spilt milk. My post was in response to an opinion that there is somehow some political muscle to be spent somewhere...I seriously doubt it. It IS relevant that no one outside of a very narrow interest group - the OAC pilots - gives a rats about their "plight". Whether you believe this opinion to be true or not, doesn't change the fact that politicians, other pilot groups, other AC employee groups, the CIRB, and the general public aren't sitting on their edge of their seats riveted by the spectacle of highly-paid pilots squabbling. If you feel the need to equate that with uhhh...the "war" in Iraq...then uhhh...ok...??

If you have the legal means to keep on fighting, fill yer boots. I'm just trying to find someone who actually cares any more.

[brucelee]

Yep. That's it. Nobody cares. You must feel relieved. A well fought war. Or was it a well planned rape? It doesn't matter. Nobody cares. So now, let's move on. You guys are older, wiser and deserve everything you faught for. Just do me a favour: when your day isn't going so well don't blame AC and don't tell us how "much better things were run at CAIL". Spare me the salt in my wounds. Oh, wait a minute, I just got an e-mail saying this thing isn't over yet. ****. Well, don't worry. I'm sure you boys will be ok, regardless. See ya at work partner.:ok:

[BartBandy]

Ihatecats.

You are boring.

[set thrust]

I too am bored by the whole never ending crying. :{
Time to go study for my recurrent training.:8
767 FO
AC/CAIL/CRA 2000 :ok:

[lowlimit]

For RussD and nolimitholdem...
Maybe you should see the damage done to the OAC pilots first...
http://del.icio.us/Downhillfast/merger
...but something tells me you already know.:hmm: