July 5, 2005

TO: REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS

BRANCHES AND FACILITIES

Next Step: Strike Vote

The contract committee met in Edmonton on June 28th, without the employer, to discuss the next steps that we will take to resolve a collective agreement. The committee continues to be extremely frustrated with the company's demands for concessions and their reluctance to negotiate the improvements required for a ratifiable collective agreement.

We believe NAV Canada’s approach to this round of bargaining has led to the impasse currently facing us. Here are some examples:

1. NAV Canada has already signed settlements with two smaller non-operational unions providing for annual wage increases between 2.25% and 2.5%. NAV Canada says they must settle with CATCA CAW Local 5454 in the same range. Why should air traffic controllers, who are the majority of the unionized workforce and central to the entire operation, be bound by deals made by, with and for somebody else?

2. NAV Canada may feel that air traffic controllers won’t mind waiting 30 months (again) for a collective agreement. This would be a mistake. We are not waiting for anything. The time to move forward decisively is right now.

Given these problems, the contract committee recognized that despite verbal commitments from the company to negotiate a collective agreement, we need to increase the pressure on NAV Canada. The committee agreed to take action which will cost NAV Canada money, understanding that it will also inevitably increase costs for the customers, the airline companies. While the withdrawal of training services to unlicensed controllers does not have an immediate impact on the operation, we know that over time this action has serious cost implications to NAV Canada, besides the impact it has on the airlines in the form of operation restrictions because of short‑staffing.

The contract committee is committed to securing a negotiated settlement and is prepared to take whatever legal action is required to ensure that both the airline companies and NAV Canada recognize the value of a freely negotiated collective agreement. That is why we are asking you for a formal strike mandate, as required by the Canada Labour Code. A secret ballot will be held on July 8 and 9. Please ensure that we have a massive “YES” vote, to show your support for your committee’s efforts, and show NAV Canada that we mean business.

In Solidarity,

Rob Thurgur Greg Myles Gary Fane

President National Secretary-Treasurer Director of Transportation

CATCA, CAW 5454 CATCA, CAW 5454 CAW Canada