Support detained CUPE members

We are appealing for your urgent financial support for two CUPE members unjustly detained for doing their duty in the Dominican Republic since April 5, 2022. Please visit the GoFundMe page today.

Since April 5, CUPE members Christina Carello and Alexander Rozov, flight attendants at Pivot Airlines and members of CUPE Local 4059, along with two pilots and a flight mechanic, have been held in the Dominican Republic after discovering and reporting suspected contraband on their plane. In doing so, the crew prevented a possible onboard fire and a potential air disaster resulting from the added weight and hazardous location of the contraband on the plane.

Despite that, and immediately following all local and international laws and regulations, Dominican authorities want the crew imprisoned for up to 12 months without charges being laid while an investigation runs its course. In addition, they have faced daily threats, including explicit threats on their lives for their actions, and all of us in CUPE’s Airline sector remain gravely concerned for their safety, mental health, and physical well-being.

We are in contact with Christina and Alex weekly and doing everything to bring them home safely and soon. But in the meantime, they need our help.

The Airline Division of CUPE is looking to raise money to help our members cover some of their obligations at home and give them peace of mind that they will come home to some regular life. Our goal is to raise enough money to support them until next April 2023, when they would be released if not formally charged. We would also like to provide them with additional financial support when they finally get home and must deal with the fallout of this traumatic event.

We are appealing to all our locals across the country to provide a donation and circulate the GoFundMe link to their members. Your support and solidarity mean the world to Alex and Christina during these challenging times.

Please read the messages our members wanted to share:

Imagine a day where you are a crew member. You are a trained, skilled, knowledgeable person with years of experience. Yet, you leave your home and loved ones to operate a flight on that day and you never come back.

My name is Alexander Rozov and I am Canadian flight attendant who went to jail for doing my duty. It's been two months of my detention in the Dominican Republic. Two months of away from home, anxiety, fear for my life, stress like never before. Two months without freedom, without the possibility to see my partner, or the possibility to live my life. My life just paused, in limbo, uncertain – that is how I think of my life at the moment.

Back in Canada many aspects of my life are at risk or unsolved. My apartment, rent and car insurance are the most stressful at the moment. I lost my second part time job income which was equal of $1200 per month. I need help.

- Alex

I have been a flight attendant for 13 years. In aviation they say "expect the unexpected" but never in my 13 years have did I expect anything like this to happen. You go to work to fulfill your duty expecting to be home from a layover in maximum 2 days... but now I am facing the worst thing I have in my entire life.

My life has been put in limbo. Facing the threat of being placed back in a prison where my life is in jeopardy daily or even just having to stay in this country while not being provided any due process is extremely hard to handle mentally and emotionally. We have been told we can be detained for up to 12 months without being formally charged with any crime. To compound everything, our commitments and responsibilities still need our attention at home. I am only part time at our Airline and have another job to make living. The Airline is paying my wages, but they only cover a portion of my responsibilities back home in Canada. I am at serious risk of losing my other job the longer this goes on and I worry what type of financial crisis I will have to deal with if and when I finally get home. Any assistance from my brothers and sisters at CUPE would provide such peace of mind and one less thing for me to panic over daily.

- Christina