An arbitrator earlier this year upheld the airline’s firing of Neena Cheema. In a letter from Cheema’s manager, Greg Daniels, to the arbitrator, Daniels alleged that Cheema acknowledged swiping items from the aircraft.
That letter also notes that the HR coordinator claimed Cheema said ‘I appreciate any help that you can do,’ after Cheema put the packaged nuts on the coordinator’s desk. “The arbitrator’s finding that Ms. Cheema had committed attempted bribery is unreasonable in consideration of the fact that the nuts and lotion were of little to no value, and would not influence any reasonable person’s conduct, let alone the HR manager of the respondent,” the union notes in its petition.
“Further, the evidence does not support the finding that Ms. Cheema made an offer or promise which would amount to bribery.” A spokeswoman for Air Canada did not comment.