In their efforts to reach a new collective agreement on salaries, schedules and pensions, dissatisfied pilots at Air Canada have overwhelmingly voted in favor of a strike.
In a recent union vote, 98% of Air Canada pilots authorized the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) to call a strike, but negotiations will continue in the short term.
If 98 percent of members participate, ALPA representatives will return to the negotiating table with Air Canada management, as they fear that severe strikes could occur as early as mid-September.
Air Canada ALPA Master Executive Council Chair First Officer Charlene Hudy said: “Today, more than 5,400 Air Canada pilots sent a clear message to senior management: we are prepared to do whatever it takes to secure a deal that reflects the value we create for Air Canada.”
Hudy said their “goal is to avoid a strike” and “modernize” pilot contracts, but ALPA members were forced into this situation because Air Canada “did not respond to our needs.”
ALPA stated that “fair remuneration, adequate pensions and an improvement in the quality of life” were necessary.
Negotiations on a new agreement began in June 2023, followed by private mediation between January 2024 and June 2024.
When mediation was unsuccessful, ALPA decided to file a notice of dispute and initiate arbitration proceedings.
“Air Canada pilots are determined to avoid a strike and the associated flight disruptions, and that’s why we continue to negotiate in good faith,” Hudy said. “Air Canada management has the power – and the resources – to avoid a strike, flight disruptions and lasting damage to its brand. All they need to do is recognize the value of their employees.”
According to CTV News, talks between the two parties have continued since June in Toronto hotels under the direction of a federal mediator.
This process is scheduled to be completed on August 26, 2024, followed by a 21-day cooling-off period.
The earliest date for a strike is September 17, 2024.
