Air Canada and a union representing 600,000 airline workers say they’re waiting on the federal government to implement mandatory vaccines for their workers after recent comments out of Ottawa.
This comes as United Airlines has become the first major American airline to implement its own mandatory vaccination policy for employees.
Last week, as Open Jaw reported, Prime Minister Trudeau said the federal government was considering implementing mandatory vaccination programs for federally-regulated industries, which would include air and rail travel.
“It is time that the 80 per cent of Canadians who are doing their duty towards their neighbours, towards their loved ones by getting vaccinated, be able to get back more and more to normal, get back more and more to regular life. For that, those who are hesitant: It’s time to get your vaccine. They’re safe, they’re effective,” Trudeau said during a press conference at the time.
Wesley Lesosky, the president of the Air Canada Component of CUPE, said in a statement he’d need to see exactly what the government is proposing and that the union expected to be consulted.
Lesosky and the union are still firmly pro-vaccination however, including for pax.
“I think passengers should be vaccinated before they get on. It makes the workplace safer for our members,” he said in an interview with Global News.
Since 22JUL, 46 domestic and 67 international Air Canada flights (not including Air Canada Jazz) had COVID-19 cases, according to information posted by the Canadian government on 06AUG, according to information posted by the Canadian government on 06AUG.
“Pretty much all airlines are saying we need to increase service, we need to go to more places,” Lesosky, said, stating flight attendants believe it’s too soon for that to happen. The Delta variant remains the biggest concern for union members as it continues to spread unabated.
In a statement to Global, Air Canada said, “It is premature to comment on any policies under consideration by the federal government.”
Meanwhile, in the U.S.,United Airlines has gone ahead with its own mandatory vaccination policy for all employees.
The airline set a deadline of late OCT for its employees to be fully vaccinated, and has said that anyone that refuses will be fired, with few exceptions allowed.
The airline has already required vaccines for new employees since mid-JUN.
“"Over the last 16 months, [CEO Scott Kirby] has sent dozens of condolence letters to the family members of United employees who have died from COVID-19. We're determined to do everything we can to try to keep another United family from receiving that letter," said the notice to United employees. "Together we'll do our part to defeat this virus."
United has said that any similar vaccine mandate for passengers would have to come from the U.S. government.