@Airbus #A220
MIRABEL,
QC, May 1, 2024 /CNW/ - Airbus Canada
Limited Partnership (Airbus Canada) is pleased to announce that it
has reached a labour agreement with the 1,300 unionized employees
at its Mirabel site, in
Quebec. After several months of
negotiations, the employees who assemble the A220 aircraft, and who
are represented by the International Association of Machinists and
Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), ratified the tentative agreement by
around 77%, including the adjustments recommended by the
conciliator appointed by the Ministry of Labour.
This new employment contract positions Airbus as the leading
employer of choice in the Quebec
aerospace industry. The increased flexibility achieved through this
agreement will facilitate a better balance between shifts and the
transfer of knowledge between more experienced employees and those
who have joined the company recently. This condition is essential
as the A220 production rate is ramping up. It will
enable increased efficiency in order to produce a higher number of
A220s and reach the break-even point for the aircraft programme in
2026.
The new five-year collective agreement includes :
- wage increases of 23% (8%, 3% and 4% in subsequent years)
as well as a retroactive part;
- a better access to group insurance, with extended
coverage;
- improved vacation policy and pension plan;
- a significant increase in evening premiums and the addition of
a new exceptional evening and night premium to foster knowledge
transfer.
"With this new agreement, Airbus Canada and its Mirabel employees are putting in place the
winning conditions to ensure the long-term success of the A220,
whose production rate is set to almost double over the next two
years. We are delighted to have ratified this new agreement, so
that we can continue working with our employees, whose expertise
and commitment make it possible to manufacture one of the world's
best aircraft, here in Quebec,"
said BenoƮt Schultz, CEO of Airbus Canada.
The Mirabel-based workers who
assemble the A220, the latest single-aisle aircraft in its
category, are essential to the aircraft's success. The agreement
reflects the mutual commitment of both parties to the long-term
success of the A220, the Mirabel
site and Airbus' growing presence in Quebec.
About the A220 Family
A member of the Airbus family for over five years, the A220,
designed and assembled in Quebec
and acclaimed for its exceptional performance and versatility, has
become a preferred choice for airlines. The A220 cuts fuel
consumption and CO2 emissions per seat by 25% compared with
previous-generation aircraft. With more than 325 A220s delivered to
20 airlines operating on five continents, the A220 is the optimum
aircraft for offering operational flexibility on both regional and
long-haul routes. To date, more than 100 million passengers have
flown on the A220, and over thirty airlines have ordered more than
900 of the aircraft. A study by PwC has estimated the economic
impact of the A220 in Canada at
over $40 billion over 20 years. Some
3,500 people work at the A220 Mirabel site.
About Airbus in Canada
In Canada, more than 4,500
people work at the ten sites and offices of Airbus and its
subsidiaries, including over 4,000 in Quebec. The main production sites are the A220
commercial aircraft programme headquarters and Airbus Atlantic
Canada, both in Mirabel, Quebec,
Airbus Helicopters Canada in Fort Erie,
Ontario, and NAVBLUE in Waterloo,
Ontario. Other Airbus sites and subsidiaries are located in
Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec. Airbus has been present in
Canada for 40 years and
contributes to the creation of some 23,000 indirect jobs, and
generates sales annually of around C$2
billion for some 700 Canadian companies.
SOURCE Airbus