Air Canada pilots have authorized union leaders to initiate a strike if they can’t reach a new collective agreement with the airline.
The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), which represents Air Canada pilots, said 98 percent of members voted in favour of job action, “if necessary.”
“Today, more than 5,400 Air Canada pilots sent a clear message to management that we are willing to go the distance to secure a contract that reflects the value we bring to Air Canada,” said First Officer Charlene Hudy, chair of the Air Canada ALPA Master Executive Council, in a release.
“Our goal is to avoid a strike, and our focus remains on modernizing our contract for Air Canada pilots. However, management continues to force us closer to a strike position by not listening to our needs at the negotiating table regarding fair compensation, respectable retirement benefits, and quality-of-life improvements.”
The pilots have been negotiating for more than a year, and are working under pay rates and other conditions previously negotiated in 2014, per ALPA. Talks entered mediation in January and continued until June, when the union filed a notice of dispute and entered conciliation.
ALPA’s executive board has provided a US$5 million grant from the union’s war chest to support contract negotiations, the union said. Air Canada pilots will be in a legal strike position as soon as mid-September if no agreement has been reached, per ALPA.
“Air Canada pilots are committed to avoiding a strike and the flight disruptions that would follow, and that’s why we continue to negotiate in good faith,” said Hudy.
“Air Canada management has the power – and the resources – to avoid a strike, flight disruptions, and lasting damage to its brand. All they have to do is recognize the value of their employees.”
the pilots are expecting the same pay as pilots in the US?….how stupid. Also, digustingly greedy. Apart from the horrendous effects on travellers, If this goes through, all it will accomplish is to increase the already over-priced flight costs, resulting in (hopefully) fewer people flying with this already terrible company. And, guaranteed, AC will not honor any promises they make to refund anything for flights that are cancelled.
We don’t even expect anything like the US. My husband is a 2nd year Air Canada pilot and he makes less than $4000 after taxes. In fact, he has no money left after paying off the mortgage. And he has a second job. In fact, many pilots are not even guaranteed a day off and are doing other things. This is wrong. When he has to commute to another city, other experienced pilots get to sit comfortably in business class, but my husband gets home in uncomfortable economy class after flying 15 hours. I expected at least better conditions when my husband went to Air Canada. We believe it is essential to improve the treatment of pilots with less than four years of experience. Do you know how much profit the company and its executives make? It’s a management problem that doesn’t take into account the treatment of the pilots, and they are trying to improve it, so don’t blame the pilots.