Air Transat pilots' union warns of possible December strike
The union that represents pilots at Air Transat says it will ask its members to give them the authority to go on strike if an agreement can’t be reached by Dec. 10.
In an email to National Post, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said it’s been in negotiations with the Canadian airline since the start of the year, and that the two sides entered conciliation on Sept. 19. That is expected to last until Nov. 18. If an agreement is not reached by then, a 21-day cooling-off period would begin, with a strike possible on Dec. 10.
“The pilots’ negotiating team reported that talks have been frustratingly slow, with the company spending minimal time at the bargaining table and taking months to submit counterproposals,” the union said .
“This slow pace has only widened the gap between the pilots’ demands — aimed at achieving industry-standard pay and working conditions — and the company’s inadequate and, at times, deeply disappointing offers.”
It’s been a busy couple of years for labour disruptions in the airline industry. In August, flight attendants at Air Canada staged a three-day strike and ignored a federal return-to-work order before returning to the bargaining table on their own accord.
The previous summer, a strike by airline mechanics at WestJet disrupted travel plans over the Canada Day long weekend. Flight attendants at that airline have a contract that ends Dec. 31, though there is no indication yet of a possible strike.
Meanwhile, most recent contract with Air Transat pilots had lasted 10 years before expiring at the end of April.
“Our pilots have carried this airline through a decade of challenges, often at the expense of their own quality of life,” said Air Transat Master Executive Council chair Capt. Bradley Small. “The result is that our members are still stuck with outdated working conditions and some of the weakest benefits in the industry.”
He added: “We lag behind our peers in virtually every aspect of pay, benefits, and job security. This is not about special treatment. It’s about catching up to 2025. It’s time to modernize the contract.”
National Post has reached out to Air Transat for comment.
Founded in 1931, ALPA represents more than 80,000 pilots at 43 airlines in the United States and Canada, including some 700 at Air Transat.
Headquartered in Montreal with a second hub in Toronto, Air Transat started operations in 1987 and operates a fleet of approximately 43 Airbus aircraft . It is known for flying to holiday destinations in Europe in the summer, and warm-weather destinations in the winter.
“We do not want to strike,” Small said. “We want a modern contract that reflects the work we do. But if a walkout is what it takes, we are ready to do it, and we’re confident that our 700 members will overwhelmingly give us that authority.”
Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
Unpublished Newswire
Comments
Be the first to comment