Air Canada Announces Ratification of New Collective Agreement by U.K. Employees

MONTREAL, Feb. 17, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada said today that it has been advised by UNITE, the union representing the airline's U.K.-based employees, that its members have ratified a new collective agreement reached January 30, 2015. The new agreement is in effect until December 31, 2019.

"We are pleased that our U.K.-based employees have ratified their new collective agreement," said Klaus Goersch, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.  "This ratification vote concludes the constructive work achieved between Air Canada and union representatives of our London-based employees during the past few months. I commend the bargaining committees and our employee colleagues for achieving this outcome. This agreement, following the long-term agreement concluded with our pilots, underscores the desire of our employees to work with the company to build a stronger business that is sustainably profitable."

UNITE represents approximately 200 Air Canada concierge service, cargo and clerical staff based in the United Kingdom.

This agreement with UNITE follows on the conclusion in October 2014 of a new agreement with Air Canada's pilots on collective agreement terms for ten years. Earlier in February, Air Canada also reached a tentative collective agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) representing its U.S. workforce.

Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline serving more than 185 destinations on five continents.  Canada's flag carrier is among the 20 largest airlines in the world and in 2014 served more than 38 million customers.  Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 61 Canadian cities, 50 destinations in the United States and 78 cities in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network serving 1,321 airports in 193 countries.  Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax that ranked Air Canada in a worldwide survey of more than 18 million airline passengers as Best Airline in North America in 2014 for the fifth consecutive year.  For more information, please visit: www.aircanada.com.

SOURCE Air Canada - Corporate - Finance

For further information: Contacts : Isabelle Arthur (Montréal), 514 422-5788; Peter Fitzpatrick (Toronto), 416 263-5576; Angela Mah (Vancouver), 604 270-5741; Internet : aircanada.com