THE PILOTS OFA L PA 2 012

he year 2012 prom- tinue to reap the rewards of “Even with the current eco- ises to be another a mutually respectful labour- nomic challenges, I’m opti- Tbusy one for the management relationship,” mistic about the future of our Bearskin pilots, who’ve just says Parnham. “We will strive airline. EIC has approved the added a new route to their to reach a settlement that purchase of two additional schedule and are also in the benefits not only the pilot Metroliners, which would midst of negotiating their group, but also our airline’s increase the fleet to 16 and business plan.” require hiring more pilots.” Parnham, Marsh, and Operating Fairchild Mauro know that the pilots Metroliners that are equipped Bearskin and the airline fill a crucial role with twin turbine engines and within the commuter airline seat 19 passengers, Bearskin Pilots Strive fifth contract with their air- segment. The company recent- continues to serve select line, a subsidiary of the Cana- ly added Montreal, P.Q., to the markets in that are To Maintain dian corporation, Exchange route structure, flying three considered to be underserved, Growth and Income Corporation (EIC). times a day from Montreal including Sioux Lookout, A Mutually The pilots are focusing to Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont. Kenora, Dryden, Red Lake, and on achieving advancements Montreal has become the Fort Frances in northwestern Beneficial to the new contract that 18th city that Bearskin serves Ontario and , Contract will land what Capt. Danny and is its second nonstop Sudbury, , North Parnham, the pilots’ Master By Lynn Konwin, ALPA destination from the region of Bay, and Kitchener-Waterloo in Senior Communications Executive Council chairman, Waterloo International Airport, eastern Ontario. Specialist calls a “career contract.” an area centrally located to Bearskin’s main pilot base Parnham and the Negotiating ’s Technology Triangle is in Thunder Bay. The airline and the communities of has two smaller pilot bases in Kitchener, Waterloo, and Sioux Lookout and , Cambridge. With close to Man., and is exploring the 500,000 residents in these option of adding a pilot communities, the region base in Kitchener-Waterloo. represents the 10th largest Thunder Bay and Sudbury economy in Canada and the combined feature more than fifth largest in Ontario. 25 departures daily and act as One of Bearskin’s Metroliners Committee, Capts. Robert “Bearskin has found its Bearskin’s major hubs, link- at Kapuskasing Airport. Marsh and Steve Mauro, who place in the commuter world, ing northern Ontario’s five also serve as the MEC vice and we continue to do well largest cities and a number chair and secretary-treasurer, in spite of the price wars of smaller communities to respectively, are encouraged brought about by low-cost Winnipeg and Ottawa. The by the progress they’re mak- carriers and pilots fly routes as far south ing at the bargaining table, Sky Regional,” says Parnham. as Kitchener-Waterloo, and as where the parties are cur- With the addition of far north as Flin Flon, Man. rently using an interest-based- Montreal, Bearskin now offers East/west operations extend bargaining approach. more than 100 scheduled from Montreal to Winnipeg. Through this process, the daily departures to 18 desti- EIC has stated that it in- negotiators on both sides of nations in , Ontario, tends to expand Bearskin—as BRS at a Glance the table candidly discuss and Quebec. the company has done with n Pilots joined ALPA: 1997 (became what problems exist from a After purchasing the three other airlines it an ALPA-represented pilot group when fact-based perspective and in 2009, EIC made a public has purchased. EIC currently CALPA merged with ALPA) jointly solve these issues in a offering to buy Bearskin operates in two niche busi- n Number of pilots: 68 manner that works for every- Airlines for $32.5 million. In ness segments: aviation and n Pilot bases: Thunder Bay, Ont.; one. This bargaining approach Winnipeg, Man.; Sioux Lookout, Ont. January 2011, the investment specialty manufacturing. The n Headquarters: Sioux Lookout, Ont. and a continued positive group completed its acquisi- aviation segment consists n Operations: Daily scheduled outlook are due in part to the tion of the airline. “I believe of Calm Air International passenger service between Flin Flon, mutually beneficial relation- the sale of Bearskin to EIC LP, LP, and Man.; Kitchener Waterloo, Ont.; Montreal, ship that the pilots share was a positive move. EIC is a LP. “Every P.Q.; Winnipeg, Man.; and communities with management. In seven in between company that capitalizes on airline that EIC has invested n Fleet: 14 Metroliners, with 2 more in years, the pilots have not filed the potential for growth in in has grown substantially,” the coming months one grievance. “We con- its purchases,” says Parnham. notes Parnham.

28 Air Line Pilot January/February 2012