WestJet pilots picket across Canada as strike deadline looms

By Skies Magazine | May 10, 2023

On May 8, hundreds of WestJet pilots, along with executives from the union that represents them — the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) — participated in informational picket events in Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto in an effort to send “a strong message to management that they are committed to reaching an agreement on a North American industry-standard contract,” an ALPA press release states.

In early April, 95 percent of WestJet pilots participated in a strike authorization vote, with 93 percent of those participants voting to strike if a negotiation settlement with WestJet management is not reached by May 16. While that deadline is just days away, the parties involved have yet to reach an agreement.

Last year, WestJet pilots raised concerns about wages, over scheduling, poor working conditions, and job security. The latter issue became a greater concern when WestJet’s acquisition of Sunwing was approved by the federal government in March of this year.

“Our goal remains the same as when negotiations began last year — to reach an agreement that provides job security and career progression for our pilots and stability to the airline,” said Capt Bernard Lewall, WestJet ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC) chair.

The Calgary-based carrier released a statement on May 8 in response to the pickets, stating that it “respects the rights of our employees to participate in informational picketing. . . . Our focus remains at the bargaining table, as we are actively negotiating and are unwaveringly committed to achieving an agreement that is competitive within Canada’s airline industry.”

However, WestJet also noted in its statement that its mainline pilots are “among the best paid pilots in Canada,” and that the airline “is not willing to put the future of the company and 15,000 jobs at risk by agreeing to a contract that isn’t financially viable for the long-term.

“ALPA is suggesting that Canadian pilots earn roughly half of what U.S. pilots earn and creating an expectation that wages should be doubled as part of a new agreement, to reflect the U.S. industry,” the statement continued.

WestJet ultimately suggested that if ALPA’s wage expectations became reality, the airline would put its ability to remain competitive at risk.

According to Capt Lewall, WestJet is “hemorrhaging pilots at the rate of over 30 per month.” He noted that the airline has a pilot attraction and retention problem, but the goal of negotiations is to change that and “make this airline a career destination for pilots once again.”

WestJet says, however, that mainline resignations have been “relatively low, and the company has hired three times more pilots into WestJet mainline this year, than there have been resignations.”

Both the airline and ALPA say they are committed to the bargaining process, but if negotiations stall past May 13, “the pilots are prepared to file a 72-hour strike notice and expect the possibility of being in a legal position to commence job action on May 16,” ALPA’s press release states.

Should a strike occur, WestJet said it is “prepared with contingency planning to minimize what could be significant impacts to guest travel.”