Air Canada pilots have filed a notice of dispute and asked for conciliation assistance in their long-running collective bargaining with the airline.
The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), which represents Air Canada pilots, said it has been in negotiations with management since June 2023. The parties remain at an impasse.
“Air Canada continues to undervalue the contributions of this pilot group to the success of the airline. We remain too far apart on reaching a new collective agreement,” said F/O Charlene Hudy, chair of Air Canada’s ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC).
“Management’s proposals continue to fall substantially short of the contract metrics recently ratified at comparative airlines, like United, Delta, and American, and fails to correct the significant pay sacrifices Air Canada pilots made post-9/11 to contribute to the survival of Air Canada—now one of North America’s most profitable airlines. Air Canada is the only legacy air carrier in North America that hasn’t returned their pilot pay to pre-9/11 levels.”
Once appointed, a conciliator will work with the parties for 60 days to reach an agreement, ALPA said. If the parties can’t reach an agreement within this period and don’t agree to an extension, they would enter a 21-day cooling off period. A strike vote may follow.
“Air Canada pilots remain fully invested in our passengers, our airline, and our country, and although we want to avoid strike action, we will do what is necessary under the Canada Labour Code to ensure we achieve the contract we deserve,” said Hudy. “Currently, Air Canada pilots are paid approximately half what other legacy airline pilots are paid in North America, and have the worst working conditions in this category.”
Good! Fight for your rights to equal pay! Canadians are sick of this double standard and being under valued
Absolutely!! Hope you wait til I get home on Air Canada tomorrow!