St. John’s, N.L. – Unifor has announced that 54 workers at Jazz Aviation in Newfoundland and Labrador are losing their jobs due to service changes made by Air Canada. Jazz Aviation operates regional services under the Air Canada Express brand.
According to Shayne Fields, a Unifor representative, PAL Airlines, based in St. John’s, will take over some of Jazz’s former routes starting on November 1, also operating under the Air Canada Express banner. This shift will result in layoffs for 25 workers in Deer Lake, 16 in Gander, and 13 in Happy Valley-Goose Bay in central Labrador.
Teri Udle, a spokesperson for Jazz Aviation, confirmed that the layoffs are a consequence of Air Canada’s schedule changes. However, Udle did not provide confirmation regarding the expected number of layoffs in Gander or Deer Lake.
Unifor has filed grievances against Jazz Aviation at all three affected locations, and the union’s legal department is considering further action.
Shayne Fields expressed the union’s concern, saying, “We have members right now that have dedicated years of service, loyalty to this employer, and provided good years of their lives, and this is the thanks they get.”
On the other hand, Joseph Galimberti from PAL Airlines noted that the company is expanding and hiring due to its new contract with Air Canada.