May 30, 2025
Fellow Porter Pilots,
Inside the Certification Process for ALPA
First of all, a huge thank you to everyone who has signed a representation card and joined us in our effort to become a part of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA). We all love Porter and want to see its success continue, and wanting to join ALPA in no way changes that sentiment.
For weeks now, you’ve been hearing from the Porter Pilots for Change Organizing Committee as well as from current ALPA leaders--the ALPA president, ALPA Canada president, and pilot group leaders from various airlines. This week, we wanted to share some information on the certification process.
Certification Process
The certification process is governed by the Canada Labour Code and overseen by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB). As an Organizing Committee, we are collecting representation cards from interested pilots, with a mandatory $5.00 fee applicable to a membership fee.
Summary
According to the CIRB, the CIRB may grant an application and certify the union without holding a representation vote if it is satisfied, as of the date of the application for certification (or any other date it considers appropriate) that a majority of Porter pilots wish to have ALPA represent them as their bargaining agent. Signing a card and paying $5 dollars within the six months immediately prior to the application for certification is considered as evidence of membership in ALPA; and membership is considered as evidence that an employee wishes to be represented by ALPA.
When we submit an application for certification to the CIRB, the CIRB will notify the parties concerned and will appoint one of its Industrial Relations Officers to complete an investigation and oversee the conduct of the file. Porter will be required to post a Notice to Employees in the workplace to advise them of the application. The Industrial Relations Officer may call a selection of pilots to ensure that they did indeed sign a card and pay the $5.00 fee. Once the Industrial Relations Officer has completed their investigation, they will convey their understanding of the matter to the CIRB for consideration.
The CIRB would then make all required determinations, including determining the structure of the bargaining unit that it considers appropriate. If the CIRB is satisfied that ALPA has majority support of the Porter pilots, it will grant the application. However, in any case, the CIRB may order that a representation vote be taken.
Confidentiality
We want to assure you that, while the CIRB may call you during this process, at no point at all will management ever know who did or did not sign a card. The cards are kept completely confidential in that respect.
Statutory Freeze on Working Conditions
Once we submit an application for certification to the CIRB, pursuant to Section 24(4) of the Canada Labour Code, that puts a freeze on our working conditions--Porter could not, for example, unilaterally make any changes to your working conditions, including wages, while the application is being processed.
A similar freeze applies during collective bargaining. However, the freeze during collective bargaining does not prevent any changes or improvements; there just needs to be agreement between the employer and the union to make those changes or improvements.