Allegation flight attendants told to show more cleavage has 'no basis in fact': Air Canada

Air Canada facing human rights complaint from union Maria Weisgarber has the details on Air Canada's response to allegations that employees were subjected to discrimination and harassment.

A human rights complaint alleging Air Canada employees have been subjected to discrimination and harassment has "no basis in fact," the airline says.

The complaint filed to the Canadian Human Rights Commission by the union representing cabin personnel lists dozens of claims ranging from derogatory comments on appearance to the company's alleged failure to address harassment.

In a statement issued to staff earlier this month, Air Canada Vice President Renee Smith-Valade said the company would be limiting its response as the matter is before the tribunal. However, she added that the allegations are unproven.

"As the complaint process unfolds, we will demonstrate the allegations have no basis in fact," Smith-Valade's statement said.

Calling the allegations disappointing, she encouraged employees to consider the company's efforts toward ensuring a diverse and safe workplace, as well as considering their own experiences before drawing any conclusions.

The VP said Canada's largest airline has a "robust" workplace violence and harassment prevention policy, and that all complaints are investigated. Addressing complaints made about expectations of staff appearance, she said the uniforms and "In-Flight Service Style Standards" guide were created following a process that included employee feedback.

Among the claims outlined in the complaint, flight attendants have alleged that a manager told female flight attendants to wear the dress option of the new uniform more often than the other pieces of clothing in order to "show more cleavage" to passengers.

The 13-page document claims the company has "created and fostered a work environment of systemic discrimination and harassment" through its assessment and training programs. It also claims the company has allowed degrading and discriminatory practices to occur by failing to address complaints from the union and its members.

None of the allegations have been proven in court, and the matter is still before the commission.

Style guide the basis for appearance critiques: union

The union claims Air Canada employees were forced to participate in public critiques during training, where they were judged based on appearance including their bodies, makeup and nails. Critiques allegedly included that one person's skin was "too white" and another's "eyes were too small."

The complaint also says staff members were told to demonstrate how to "strut their stuff" while modeling the new uniforms during training, an exercise that included a spin at the end of the makeshift runway.

Examples outlined in the complaint, including the aforementioned cleavage suggestion, are not mentioned in the guide, however, the union claims they were guided at least in part by its release.

"The recently released 2018 version of this guide disproportionately targets the appearance of the female Cabin Personnel," it reads.

Examples include three pages of requirements for women's cosmetics, including recommendations of specific colours and brands.

"What does that have to do with how a flight attendant is able to perform her job?" employment lawyer Erin Brandt said.

The guide also includes requirements such as colour of undergarment and minimum height of heel.

Brandt said instituting a professional dress code is reasonable, but how it's implemented is also key.

"If you show up and you're not in Air Canada's uniform, you're not ready to do your job and that conduct should be subject to discipline," she said.

"But I think it goes a little far if your red nail polish is slightly the wrong shade."

The complaint claims female employees were subjected to much more scrutiny over appearance than their male counterparts.

However, it is also alleged that a male flight attendant was told he was "prancing" too much, a comment he felt was made because he is gay. The union member said when he expressed that he was upset and that it reminded him of being bullied, the comment was repeated.

Scroll down or click here to read the 26-page guide obtained by CTV News.

Allegations of 'highly sexualized harassing comments'

While many of the complaints stem from the style guide, others address a recently-introduced "On-Board Service Manager" program the company says was introduced to help improve customer service.

Flight attendants have claimed that they've been subjected to "highly sexualized harassing comments and conduct" as a result of the initiative.

The complaint alleges managers have an "unrestrained authority" that makes for a fearful work environment. The union claims some being supervised by an on-board manager have reported sexual harassment, and that there are cabin crew members who have been demoted or held out of service after reporting harassment or discrimination.

Allegations include that managers implied or joked that personnel should go to bed with them because they were being evaluated.

One manager allegedly took photos of the back of a female crew member without her consent and texted them to someone the woman didn't know, making negative comments about her appearance.

That alleged incident is reported to have occurred during a time in the flight when cellphones were not supposed to be used. The union alleges the woman reported it and was told that the incident did not constitute harassment.

The union also claims a member of its bargaining committee was sexually harassed by a man on the airline's bargaining team, and that when it was reported, no one followed up. The man accused of harassment was later promoted, and the woman was allegedly told he'd been "going through a rough patch in his marriage" at the time.

The human rights complaint claims the company has continuously failed to address complaints of harassment coming from coworkers, management and passengers.

'No systemic issue,' Air Canada says

The airline did not address specific claims, but a spokesperson for Air Canada said the company has zero tolerance for discrimination and that all matters are taken seriously.

"There is no systemic issue at Air Canada, and CUPE never shared any concern with us that there is prior to filing this complaint," a spokesperson said in an email to CTV News Thursday.

"We are regarded as one of the country’s best employers as numerous employer awards attest, including being named among the Top 100 Employers in Canada for five consecutive years and one of Canada's Best Diversity employers for three consecutive years."

The complaint has yet to be heard by the tribunal.

With a report and interviews by CTV Vancouver's Maria Weisgarber.

The following PDF is a scanned copy of the "In-Flight Service Style Standards Book" issued by Air Canada in February. Reading this article on a mobile device? View a larger version here.