Air North flight attendants ratify 1st union contract

Air North flight attendants ratify 1st union contract

The Yukon Employees Union says Air North flight attendants have ratified their first contract.

They reached the tentative agreement with the airline two weeks ago after almost a year of negotiations.

Jack Bourassa, the Public Service Alliance of Canada's regional executive vice president in the North, says the attendants had serious concerns and that dealing with those concerns in this agreement benefits everyone involved.

"Air North and the flight attendants have sound mutual ground upon which to build future relationships, so they are on a road to something that is working positively, not only for the flight attendants themselves, but for the company and the general public at large," Bourassa said.

A union news release said the deal brings the attendants up to industry standards in most areas and includes an average five per cent pay increase over three years. It also permits employees to use seniority in shift scheduling.